I have an LHT that I use as my year-round commuter. In the winter, outfitted with fenders, lights, racks, winter clothes, tools, studded tires, etc, it is pushing 40 pounds.

I have little use for the 48t ring in the winter. I have a hilly route, and if I am spinning out on the middle ring, I'm content to let her roll and coast. Would replacing the outer ring with a solid bash guard negate the need for a pant leg strap? I use rain pants year round and have always used a strap around the pant leg, but the strap also limits airflow and makes it hard to cool off.

Is it possible to get a pant leg sucked into the chain with an outer guard?

<<<Is it possible to get a pant leg sucked into the chain with an outer guard? >>>

If the bottom is flopping around then yes, it is.
I'm too lazy for a strap. Try a pant clip instead.
Rain pants most always have some form of bottom elastic. The clip doesn't restrict airflow any more than the bottom of the rain pant.

Depends on the pants but you could also file down the teeth of the 48 you`ve got instead of buying something. That is if you are sure you are not going to need it later. Maybe buy a slightly bigger middle ring instead so you do not spin out, since you still have the granny ring.

They are REI Taku pants. They have an elastic drawstring at the cuff, but I don't want to cinch it super tight. I usually have the elastic pulled to the "straight leg" configuration, with the gusset zipper closed.

@badmother, good idea about filing the teeth. I would, but I would only run the solid ring in the winter. When I am unladen with all the extra cr@p in the summer and have no pant leg to get caught, I would put the big ring back on.

I can't answer specifically about your bike and clothing. But years ago delivering papers on a 3spd with a chain guard, my pants would get caught. That chain guard made it harder to get loose than a later bike without.

+1 for this, except mine was a one speed with a coaster brake.

I'll wager that you'll be good.

You can get most of the effect by never shifting into the big ring (or, if you want, adjust the outer limit screw to prevent you from shifting to it accidentally).

The big gap between the big ring and middle ring, size-wise, is what will help keep your pant leg out. You do run the risk of having it get caught between the FD cage and the chainring, though.

If you go with a bashguard, it might not hurt to try using one that's one or two sizes bigger. I'm looking at the crank on my wife's Townie and the plastic pant guard looks like it extends half an inch past the big ring.

You do not need to replace the 48T. You can just mount a chainguard ring on top of the 3rd ring for good. The rule of thumb is to go with 4T more, so it should be 52T. You can get such a ring on Ebay for under $30, in my memory, with mounting hardware included. The spacers provided with the ring may be too narrow though to clear FD, so you may end up investing additionally in extra narrow spacers and bolt spacers may work as well.

Yes, I'd also recommend leaving all three rings in place and just adding an outer guard. I've found such guards to be quite effective, but not as sure as a strap or clip. If wearing dress pants to a meeting I'd still use a strap in addition to the guard. But normally the guard alone is sufficient.

1. gross.
2. $30 spandex bike tights.

https://www.rei.com/product/791198/bd...ns-special-buy

Crap, Did I say that? I meant to say I use rain pants all winter. Anything over 40 and I wear shorts only.

I use this Spot brand chain guard. I run single speed or IGH so I have a double ring crankset using the inner ring 42T and outer is this guard. It's a really nicely made piece.

https://spotbrand.com/bikes/product-page/guards/

I will say this, In 6 years I've never gotten my pants leg stuck in the chain, BUT I don't think it's a guarantee, I wear shorts, kinickers and bike specific clothes a majority of the time. It is not a chain case, so it will not keep your pants leg clean or prevent it from touching the chain from time to time.

In summary, I think it reduces your chances of pant entanglements.

I have an aluminum chaingaurd on my folder (only bike I ride in street clothes/jeans) that does a decent job of keeping pants cuffs out of the moving drive train. It can still happen, but it's reduced with the guard on.

My commuter is set up with a solid disc chain guard and I still need to strap or clip pant legs. Mostly they get stained, but it has snagged lightly at times without some sort of control.

Keeping pant legs from getting caught is only part of the battle. To the extent you care about keeping your pants clean, you won't want to rely on a chainguard. I ride in work clothes and while I had more trouble with the left side on my chainguard-equipped bike (pant leg touching BB/spindle), the drive-side crankarm is not very clean.

I tuck my pants leg into my sock. If you're careful about how you fold, the pants won't even wrinkle. Never had a problem with pants getting stuck or stained.

Chainguards , They do for me a primary job of stopping the chain from going past
the outer chainring on an upshift. I fit a chainminder on the inside ,
to catch any overshift on that side..
have a sturdy one , outside the 50t, on my Touring bike,
a 48t sawtooth looking thing, on my winter bike,
a 38t one on my Koga trekking bike ,
and a big one 53t on the Bike Friday,
and the Schlumpf Mountain drive came with
one for its 54t chainring..

+1 on tucking the trouser leg in your socks..
or folding and rolling up the trouser leg..

do it a lot, and you can sew on some snaps, velcro.. , Or get the leg tapered,
add a zipper .. I did that to a pair of Black charity shop pants.

My rain pants, since original topic was rain pants,
include a velcro strap arrangement at the cuff,
so no additional strap is needed.

though an additional one, with a reflective band on it
is an additional bit of 'see me' notice.