cedricbosch

Ever since my front derailleur busted 6 months ago, i realized i'm perfectly happy with JUST the middle chainring on my commuter.

Mind you, I still have a 9-speed deore in the back.

I've been riding on the middle chainring since, and it's been working great... except for the occasional hard bump, where the chain bumps off the middle and onto the small chainring.

the chainring's pretty worn out, so i need to replace it anyway.

my question is- are there any single-chainring cranksets that have some sort of guard to keep the chain from flying off?

thanks!

cedricbosch

anyone?

moxfyre

Yes, there are single or double chainring MTB cranksets which have a large "bashguard" ring on the outside, which can prevent the chain from flying off in that direction. I don't know of anything short of a chaincase which would prevent the chain from flying off inwards.

If you get any chainring made specifically for single-chainring use, the chain will probably fly off a bit less, since multi-speed chainrings are designed to allow the chain to move sideways easily in order to facilitate shifting.

Hope that helps.

barba

Just get some short stack chain ring bolts and use the center ring (or whatever one you want) on the center position of your current crank. It should be an easy job.

Retro Grouch 

The quick, dirty solution is to use a front derailleur. You can leave off the shift cable and dial it into the position that you need with the limit screws.

There are chain retention systems that attach to the crankset or to the bottom bracket. Be sure that you're sitting down when you check out the cost of that kind of low volume stuff. I would expect the installation to have a hic-cup or two also.

DeafLamb

Is your chain in good condition and your rear derailer all good?

The tension created from the rear derailer should keep the chain wraped around the front ring. Your probably going to need to replace your entire drive train to keep things from skipping. A new front ring with some short bolts should make a nice single up front, plus a new chain and cassette. I've seen this setup a bunch around here, and no one seems to have any problems with it.

-ray

tellyho

+1 on the short stack bolts and single-speed specific chainring. If you're not looking to spend a bunch of $ on a chainring (which you can), you can get a Rocket Ring for ~ $20.

Another thing to consider if you're committed to going single-ring up front is shortening your chain. You could probably take out a link or two to tighten things up, as you're not using that large ring on the front.

erader

note the third eye.

ed rader

jwbnyc

erader,

That's interesting.

Could we get a little more info on your set up?

Thanks.

PsySal

I'm going to try the same thing on a bike I'm building up for my GF from a nice little MTB I reclaimed from someone's trash (the front shifter/brake was toast; i have a matching brake lever.) But I was a little worried about the chain dropping, too.

erader

thanx. i have a litespeed pisgah with a winwood rigid carbon fork. it's a 1x9. XTR rapidfire, XTR RD, XTR cantilevers, XTR 8-speed cranks (those were XT 7sp cranks in the close up picture). XT hubs.

easton seatpost -- you need lots of setback with these types of saddles. cateye micro wireless computer -- which has been absolutely troublefree but is hard to see with these old eyes .

the cassette is a custom shimano HG-50 (loose cogs) 11-28. i took an 11-32 HG cassette and inserted a 13 tooth cog and removed the 32. the chainring is a 36-tooth hardened aluminum ring made by ringle...i got two of them ridiculously cheap off of ebay.

i should note that this frame appears to be made for a 34-tooth middle ring, and i'll bet many are these days because of the drivetrains used. i had to space out the drive side 2mm because the ring was too close to the stay for my comfort but i have a very good chainline and all nine gears are fully usable and noise-free.

brake levers are ritchey logic cold forged, stem and bars are ritchey as are pedals. cane creek integrated HS.

i took an 8-year break from cycling because i injured the nerve bundle in my groin (no performance issues only pain) so now this is my only bike and i use a spiderflex saddle.

i logged almost 2600 miles last year but i had injury issues at the beginning of the year until i switched from a hobson to the spiderflex and made a couple of other changes including elminating some seated gym exercises.

here's a picture of the bike now, except i removed the barends once i had my reach dialled in and my hands quit hurting .

ed rader

nexus6

Either your chain rings are worn and should be replaced or you need to dial in your chain tension a bit. Both my single speed road and mountain bikes still have the double/triple rings on and NEVER jump.

squirtdad

It lookes like you have a dohickey (technical term) on the seat post that is designed to keep the chain in place on the inside. Is that what it is? Where did you get it (with the crankset)? thanks

erader

it's a third eye chain watcher and as you probably know it's designed to keep the chain off of the bottom bracket shell. you can buy them from REI, or the online stores like nashbar, excel or CC. the better LBSs will have them too.

BTW, you don't have a license plate frame on your SUV that says "life is good in willow glen" do you ?

ed rader

squirtdad

no on the license plate....but the one and only surfboard I made is "Willow Glen Surboards" with Chinese characters for "Ride the Wild Waves"

so yes I am a little of a willow glen elitest snot, but am really a good guy

squirtdad

erader.....Really nice builde......the outer chainguard/ring......where did you source that....I am building up a commuter utility (old nishiki frame, wild mix for donated and ebay parts) as a 1/8 my crankset will a campy veloce...and I am considering maching down/grinding the outer ring to act as the chainguard type of thing...but if I can find some slick solution I might avoid that bit of work..... thanks

erader

that's a spot chainring guard. in 110 bcd 36-tooth is the biggest they make. wertzikon and salsa (prolly the same) make a 42 and/or 44 in 110.

nothing wrong with willow glen except two SUVs can't pass each other at the same time on the neighborhood streets .

i live in rose garden. no actually that's not true. i live sandwiched between the rose garden and willow glen -- that would be burbank .

the good part tho near 17, the falafel dive-in and the pink poodle .

ed rader