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Chainguides? Anything good out there?

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,993
716
I have always used e13 bash rings and guides, but for the new build I'm looking for something different I think. Something more modern like a guide with a slider on the bottom so the ring is exposed and easier to get to. I went on e13's website and saw that "hive" stuff and thought it looked generic and cheap. I'm not so much into jumps and berms as much as I'm into steep, rocky and rooty trails, so I'm looking for a BASH guard not a flimsy, cosmetic guide.
E13- the lg-1, lg-1+, lg-1+4g LTE...Their marketing dept needs some practice too. The light one is light. Yeah, it's best for racing and going fast. The heavier one isn't as light, so it's not as fast.
MRP- I looked at the g3 and thought I was sold. Easy to remove the chain, easy setup. But even the reviews tell you that the bolts break and strip easily and that it established cracks in unlikely places.

Without going back to the big, ugly bash ring again, what else do you guys recommend? Thanks, EC

PS. It won't be used for racing this year! Lol!
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,838
6,145
Yakistan
I'm a big fan of Blackspire gear. I had a DER guide before I went full endurpo but now have the Bruiser bash on my bike. If all you need is a bash the Bruiser is it!
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
chicken mans are right, the LG1+es I had were set and forget. I had some trouble setting mine up, and their instructions were really dumbed down, but man, that thing never moved and it never gave me any trouble. The second one I had had been used for like 4 hard years, and it still worked for me. The lower roller cage gave up the ghost and I jerry rigged one. The cage plastics seemed really brittle to me, but the bashguards were awesome.

I have to agree though, the marketing department should be taken out back and shot. Last time I looked, I had no idea what was what.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
it's actually pretty straight forward.

LG series = DH
TR series = enduro

base level (ie LG1) = budget
race level = standard issue
plus (+) = race issue / for weight weenies

there's even a grid somewhere that explains it.
 

big-ted

Danced with A, attacked by C, fired by D.
Sep 27, 2005
1,400
47
Vancouver, BC
Unless your chainguide tabs are replaceable ala Devinci, running any form of taco-guide bolted to the frame is just stupid imo.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,825
13,054
I have the same concern with taco bash, but the other reason I like the Straitline is I can use any lube without the plastic disintegrating.
 

Mo(n)arch

Turbo Monkey
Dec 27, 2010
4,441
1,422
Italy/south Tyrol
If I had to buy a new one, I'd buy a Straitline Silentguide.
But the e13s with the rubber for additional quietness is interesting. And an easy to open upper cage looks like a good option too.
Do they have still a sprocket as a lower guide or does the new one have a slider?

 

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,993
716
Looking at the Straitline I had to wonder why the hell they made that "hook" at the end of the guide. That thing looks stupid! It seems like the bash would slide across the rock and then that hook would either catch or break off.
I have a Gamut bash ring on my Remedy and I'm on my second or third. They seem to be thin plastic. Better than what comes on cheap cranks, but it's no (old) e13.
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
Unless your chainguide tabs are replaceable ala Devinci, running any form of taco-guide bolted to the frame is just stupid imo.
after cracking a frame with a LG1, ill never use another one again. id rather my cranks break (again) then my frame. SRS+ for me...which it doesnt seem like they make anymore :rant:
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
This. Straitline Silentguide.
Yup. Best guide I ever had.


@Electric city - there are no problems with sliding over rocks. I used to run notoriously high sag on mine and I bash it fairly regurarly. If I can grind it over every stone on the maribor rockgarden and still live after that then I think you will be fine.
 

tomasis7

stroganoff
Nov 5, 2014
623
65
Electronic bong-shed LEGAL
Go for LG+1, MPR g3 and so, though Lg1 looks prettiest of all. :D

Taco bash guard is better than a bash-guard bolted to a chain-ring because it doesnt move once your chain-ring is hit.

Finally, they added simplified version of the lg1 so you can change either 32t or 36t without replacing the backplate. My old one is 36-40t and I cannot just change plastic parts to move to a smaller chain ring.
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
Has that ever really been a problem with a non-aluminum bash ring?

I've been riding bash ring chainguides for about 15 years now and I honestly can't remember that ever even happening.
i only had issues with that when i used the old MRP World Cup metal plates
 

csermonet

Monkey
Mar 5, 2010
942
127
After The Hive acquired e13 and they revamped their product line, I have been totally impressed. I have both the SRS and LG1 which have been set and forget. I do take mine off several times a season though for cleaning and it's a piece of cake to get it set back up. The fit and finish on the two guides, the backplate, and all the bits that attach to it, have always really impressed me. Even their packaging is impressive, the easy to follow manuals and instructions, and even nice tools. I'll eventually replace my SRS with an LG1, in my experience I've found them to provide the same retention and impact protection, only the LG1 does it in a sleeker looking package and slightly lighter as well. I've also been very impressed with my first gen LG1 cranks and LG1 pedals. And yes the product naming system may seem confusing at first but it really is quite easy once you look at the website more. I have been following them since day 1 though, before there was the "+" or "Race" evolution models of LG1.
 
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csermonet

Monkey
Mar 5, 2010
942
127
ih8rice - I saw too that they don't make the SRS anymore. I believe a good bit of shops have them in stock and I know eBay has them brand new.
 

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,993
716
I found some rebuild kits available for my old SRS and since it's still in good shape, I think I'll just rebuild it with a new bash ring, hardware, and parts. It will be like new with the old boomerang and half the cost. I never had an issue with it, so why change. Right?
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
One thing I've learned in the last year is that I don't like guides with lower sliders. At least not the gamut ones. They drag too much. Much less once you remove the rubber band and let the chain slide on plastic.

I've had a G3 and an E13 LG+ recently and liked them both. As well as the old school gamut roller/bash ones......
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
ih8rice - I saw too that they don't make the SRS anymore. I believe a good bit of shops have them in stock and I know eBay has them brand new.
they thankfully still make the Supercharger bash rings which is what typically breaks first. now that i know they dont make the complete guides anymore, ill be getting some small replacement parts just in case
 

tomasis7

stroganoff
Nov 5, 2014
623
65
Electronic bong-shed LEGAL
Has that ever really been a problem with a non-aluminum bash ring?

I've been riding bash ring chainguides for about 15 years now and I honestly can't remember that ever even happening.
I had the thick plastic bash guard from Evil (supercharger?) but it was on the other bike than downhill. The weight of extra rotational mass was apparent. My first bash guard was Mr Dirt Gizmo and the design was horrible.

I guess that I went away from that kind of design and adopted taco bash guard instead. I would buy the same one again if I had to start from scratch. Theoretically, it is better design, not putting any extra weight on the rotational mass.

SRS is good enough for most people though adopting a chain ring to the crankset without using bolts on arms of spider, it would allow to produce lighter cranks.
 
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