amgarcia

I'd like to get a chain guard to protect my pants. To do this, I'd have to switch my bike to a 1x9 setup. Who out there has done this, and why? Also, what chainring do you run in the front?

Thanks!

tjspiel

I switched to a 1 X 8 on my winter bike with a gear hub in the rear. It's a bit different than what you'd be doing unless you plan on replacing the cassette as well which you could. For the chain ring I just chose to use the middle ring of the triple that was on the bike. It's either a 36 or 38, I don't remember. Since I'm using a gear hub, the rear cog size also comes into play.

A chain guard wasn't my motivation at all. I'm more interested in the reduced winter maintenance that the IGH promises. If that pans out, I'll be happy. I'm not terribly thrilled about the reduced gear range or wider spacing between some of the gears but I can with it if it means having reliable shifting in the winter and less rebuilding in the spring.

amgarcia

If I'm correct, I would need a way to keep the chain from jumping off of the rear ring while shifting if I use a rear derailleur.

Am I correct to assume that a chain guard would do this?

Praxis

Pretty sure there are other threads about this, you might want to check.

I don't know if you're looking for other chain guard users or other 1x9 users. I'm a temporary 1x9-er while I'm waiting for a new crankset and front derailleur. I've changed my old hybrid slowly to a road bike, finally replacing the frame recently. I didn't replace the cranks immediately, so I'm running on the 38 middle ring on the front. The new cassette is 11-34, and for normal commuting this with 38 in front is peachy as far as gear ratios. I did throw a chain or two a day for a bit, but it has lessened after I took out a link (the new frame has very slightly shorter stays).

Blind

I converted my old KHS 10-speed into a 1x5, I simply unbolted and removed the small chainring, and removed the front derailleur assembly and cable/shifter.

The chain will not pop off the chain ring unless you do a super bunny hop off a curb, it has never happened to me.

There's a small hill on my commute but I have no problems doing it with the large ring/2nd largest in the back combo, I only use the largest gear in the rear to get started from a red light fast if I need to go across a freeway ramp.

Monster Pete

I switched to a 1x3 of sorts: a 3-speed IGH in the back with a single chainring up front. I've also run a 1x6 temporarily without any difficulty. In both cases I simply used the middle chainring of a triple crankset, removing the other two. With a chain of the correct length (large-large+1" method) you shouldn't have problems with the chain jumping under normal use.

Nobodyetal

I ran a 1x9 for a while, with a 44 in front and a 12-23 cassette in the back. The point was simplicity, getting rid of a lot of redundant gears.

Basically I removed all chainrings from a road triple and replaced the middle one. I picked a gearing combo where I would use the full gear range, and where the 44 x 16 combo that I used most often was in the middle and had a good chainline. I probably over-thought the whole thing, but it worked extremely well for my purposes.

I'm assuming that using a non-ramped/pinned chainring helped me avoid throwing the chain very much, but it did still happen rarely if I hit a decent sized bump/ramp too fast or went too quickly from smallest to largest cog in the back.
I never used a chainguard though.

jr59

1x14 for me!

I run a Rholoff one 1 of my bikes!

FKMTB07

One of my commuter/city bikes is a 1x9. Sugino RD2 cranks, 113mm bottom bracket, 42t Surly chainring on the inside position, Spot Ring Guard on the outer position, N-gear jumpstop instead of a front derailleur, mid-cage SLX derailleur and an 11-32 9-speed cassette. Great setup, when the chain is on the middle cog, I get a nice straight chainline and about 63 gear inches.

My other commuter/city bikes are fixed gear and 2x1 (front derailleur and double crank paired with a single cog and Paul Melvin tensioner), so I've got a nice mix of drive-trains based on what I'm feeling and what I'm doing.

Rob_E

I run a hub gear on the back as well. I have a compact double on the front, but I only use one ring at a time (don't we all). I was shifting the front so infrequently that removed the front derailer. I almost removed the big chainring with the intention of putting a chain guard on there, but I have since found that my legs have gotten a little stronger, and the big ring actually works well for commuting. When I'm carrying some weight, I'll manually put the chain on the small ring. I still want a chain guard/chain case, but I haven't done it yet. But I do know that I've expanded my options a lot by taking that derailer off. I will probably have to drop my bid chainring from 50 to 48 teeth to fit any of the options I'm looking at, but that's not big enough of a jump for me to worry about, and would probably actually be more functional for me.

amgarcia

Can someone explain to me the different kind of chainrings?

Praxis

Not exactly, and no. The rear derailleur helps keep the chain on the rear, and the front derailleur helps keep the chain on the front. Under some circumstances, if you don't have a front derailleur or a chain-keeper sort of device (there are a few different designs), the chain can fall off the front. This usually happens more often for chains that are a bit loose and/or for rougher riding while pedaling. From what I've read it can be a bit of a mystery, though--just like chasing down a noise from your bike, it can be hard to figure out why the chain is getting thrown (or why it's not a problem).

Chainrings (that's the front ones) have little ramps and pins on them if they are relatively modern (20 years?) and designed to be used with a front derailleur. These features help the front shifting. They also tend to make it slightly easier for the chain to come off, and there are inexpensive chainrings without ramps or pins.

But a single ramped/pinned chainring can work adequately in the front (and conversely a non-ramped/pinned chainring can work for multiple front chainrings, too).

A chainguard typically doesn't help too much with keeping the chain on. Some of the chain retention mechanisms (designed to keep the chain on, not keep you clean; an example would be a bash ring) will keep the chain off you a bit more.

Seattle Forrest

Not I!

martianone

I ride a few thousand tkm each year with a 1x9. Currently with a 12-36 cassette and 39 t chain ring, hard to ring a more pragmatic and effective set up for commuting or utility riding.

Barrettscv 

I ran a 44t chainring with a ten speed 12-27 cassette. I live in Chicago, with no real hills to climb.

If you are going to use your existing shifters, the number of cogs on the back has already been determined. What is your existing drivetrain?

Barrettscv 

A pair of Chain-guard’s will absolutely keep a chain in place. I've used a set of Salsa Crossing guards with a 44t chaining with 100% reliability over 1000's of miles. No other retainer used or needed.

nashcommguy

This isn't true. You've simply been lucky. Leave the front der on but narrow it by squeezing w/a pair of standard pliers. This will keep one from experiencing 'chaindrop'. Or one can go the pricey route and get a 'Chainkeeper' made by Paul Comps. Do a googlesearch...it'll come up. They're about 50.00US.

amgarcia

Would this be something labeled as a "single speed" chainring?

amgarcia

I'm using the stock Cross Check setup.

I have 11-32t 9 speed in the back. 36/48t double in the front.

amgarcia

So, you basically sandwich the chainring and the chain between two Salsa Crossing guards?

JeffS

1x10 on my primary commuter.

I did it because the bike was purchased as a singlespeed (knowing I was going to convert it). I chose not to add the front derailleur because I knew I didn't need the small ring and it saved money.

I have no chain keeper or guard and have dropped the chain once in about three years - mainly due to my error.

Barrettscv 

Yes, this worked on my Cyclocross bike, but the fit of the inner chainguard was tight with about 1mm of space between the guard and the chainstay.

More common is to use one guard on the outside of the chainring and a chaincatcher mounted to the downtube on the inside.

amgarcia

Mounting a chaincatcher would prevent my from having a guard like this:
https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...hainguard.html

It seem like the guard might prevent the chain from falling off inside anyway.

TurbineBlade

Bingo -- it's not just "why not leave the other chainring(s) on there" -- it's more useful to not have to trim! Many people have no need for so many gears. Bike companies are now outfitting urban bikes with 1 X 8 derailleur set-ups....go to a LBS and see.

I've never understood the concern with dropping chains. I mean, it's not like the FD is staring down the chain and frightening it from coming off the chainring when it's there or something. If you chainline is good, it shouldn't drop any more than it does with the FD there. If you need a FD or guide to constantly *hit the chain and keep it on you have other problems with your chainline.

I run a 1 X 7 drive and love it. Never have I dropped the chain. (38 X 12-34t)

amgarcia

What do you mean by chainline? The chain itself?