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MRP Mini-G - let the bashing begin

mandown

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,281
7,812
Transylvania 90210
did a search and didn't see anything about this yet. let the bashing begin.

PinkBikeLinkBike

June 20, 2008

Following in the footsteps of its highly acclaimed G2 chainguide, the Mini-G is just what the name implies: a more compact version of the G2. With the Mini-G, MRP has designed and built an extremely strong, durable chainguide that is also super light. Boasting a weight of only 219g, the complete Mini-G guide weighs less than most bash rings by themselves!

It simply offers the best protection/ weight ratio of any chainguide to date.
*219g complete
*13mm thick replaceable injection molded thermoplastic skid
*5mm thick alloy boomerang w/ weight optimized relief's and stiffening rib
*Super quiet, high-memory pulley wheel w/ sealed cartridge bearing
*Gold anodized boomerang
*ISCG, ISCG-05, and BB-mount options available
*32-36 tooth capacity
*MRSP: $160.00
*Available in August 2008
*US Patent #7066856

 
mandown

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,281
7,812
Transylvania 90210
oh, and for the "It simply offers the best protection/ weight ratio of any chainguide to date. *219g complete" comment. ...not sure how to measure the "protection" element in that equation, but i can say the Gamut G25 (32-34t ring coverage) is in at 195g claimed.
 
Total Heckler

Total Heckler

Beer and Bike Enthusiast
Apr 28, 2005
8,171
189
Santa Cruz, CA
The e.13 LG1 is only 195g and that can take 34t-40t sprockets. Not impressed.

Actually it is pretty cool. I just figured I would put that out there.
 
Jeremy R

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,698
1,053
behind you with a snap pop
mandown said:
Following in the footsteps of its highly acclaimed ME 2 chainguide, the Mini-LG1 is just what the name implies: a more compact version of the ME 2. With the Mini-LG1, MRP has blatantly copied an extremely strong, durable chainguide that is also super light. Boasting a weight of only 219g, the complete Mini-LG1 guide weighs less than most bash rings by themselves!
Click to expand...
Fixed.
 
manhattanprjkt83

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,646
1,217
Nilbog
i think it's embarrassing for mrp this coming from a huge e.13 fan...

I know there isnt much room for variation these days but cmon...

the only thing cool i can see is that this will accept a smaller ring, i use a 32t on my freeride rig, and when i went to an lg-1 i had to go 34. Not much of a deal but it would be nice if e.13 made a smaller lg ala 32 special.

anyone listening?
 
ufdff15

ufdff15

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
809
0
Central Massachusetts
manhattanprjkt83 said:
i think it's embarrassing for mrp this coming from a huge e.13 fan...

I know there isnt much room for variation these days but cmon...

the only thing cool i can see is that this will accept a smaller ring, i use a 32t on my freeride rig, and when i went to an lg-1 i had to go 34. Not much of a deal but it would be nice if e.13 made a smaller lg ala 32 special.

anyone listening?
Click to expand...
I thought the LG-1 could only go down to 34 but when i emailed them regarding lg1 plastic on a 32special backplate I was told that you can use a 32t ring on the lg1.
 
Huck Banzai

Huck Banzai

Turbo Monkey
May 8, 2005
2,523
23
Transitory
Im a historical 'MRP Hater' - and feel (know!) that MRP has sponged off E13 (play patent games all you want -- but your clone products coming on the market months to years after the e13 original is evidence enough).. back to the point..

this thing has one feature I *DO* really like. The bash running back to the pulley! I am a 'basher' and use my guards without 2nd thought and occasioanlly pull the lower idler up into the chainstay and it PISSES me off! (I have an adapter, no frame tabs)

umm, that was an amazing rambling run-on, but I think you get the point!

Summary: MRP hater is torn by one feature: the full length bash/slide!
 
CrabJoe StretchPants

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
Chaz-man said:
I am pretty sure that e13 has a patent on using a taco as part of the chainguide slider that was from before MRP came out with the G2. I don't know why they have not used the patent yet, but it is on the patent office website.
Click to expand...
But wouldn't incorporating the pulley into the taco be enough to avoid patent infringement? I've seen plenty of patents worked around by much smaller differences is design/execution.
 
manhattanprjkt83

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,646
1,217
Nilbog
yeah i actually installed an lg1 on my little bro's bike last night and all we had around was a 32, it took a bit of moving on the plates but when i got done with it seemed smooth as glass...

lets get back to talking about mrp's lack of heart and soul
 
Damo

Damo

Short One Marshmallow
Sep 7, 2006
4,603
27
French Alps
I run 32T on lg.1 with the 34T taco.
Works fine.

I've seen these MRPs on bike and in my opinion, they look cheap and plasticy.
 
CrabJoe StretchPants

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
Damo said:
they look cheap and plasticy.
Click to expand...
Sarcasm/irony?


1997: "Man these MRP guides are so sweet! This all metal design is rugged!"
2002: "DOOD! These e.13 guides are SO lightweight compared to the MRPs, and the innovative plastic looks dope as hell!"
2006: "These new LG1 guides from e.13 are insanely light! And the plastic parts are so easy to change!"
2008: "Man this MRP guide is so crappy looking..........looks like it's all plastic!"




Sorry........couldn't resist. :rofl:
 
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Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Anyone running a normal G2?
Are they as quiet as the LG-1, and does the bashguard material hold up as well? No cracking etc?

I'd consider this new one I guess. I think the G2 looks better, and it seems this Mini-G is lighter than an LG-1 + taco, as well as executing things a little more neatly. Personally I couldn't care less that they copied, copying is what drives the industry forwards from the consumer's standpoint. :)
 
Inclag

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,752
442
MA
Udi said:
It's keyed to stop it from rotating, so yes.
Click to expand...
Which reduces the number of parts, costs, and increases serviceability and ease of installation/adjustment.... but it's an MRP :rolleyes:

I think people get their panties in a bunch over chainguides because they are so simple that anyone can understand what they do and how they work.
 
Evil4bc

Evil4bc

Turbo Monkey
Jun 17, 2005
1,080
1
Nor-Cal
Chaz-man said:
I am pretty sure that e13 has a patent on using a taco as part of the chainguide slider that was from before MRP came out with the G2. I don't know why they have not used the patent yet, but it is on the patent office website.
Click to expand...
Nope
It's the other way around , MRP owns the patent that covers ALL bicycle bashguards .

Read more here

Text takent from abstract from patent #7,066,856
A chain ring protector having a substantially planar mounting bracket operably secured to the bottom bracket sleeve of a vehicle with a durable semi-circumferential guard extending therefrom is disclosed. The durable guard has a substantially arcuate outer edge sized to approximate the outer diameter of a chain ring, and it is operably secured to the planar mounting bracket such that the outer edge extends slightly beyond the outer diameter of the portion of the chain ring extending below the bottom bracket sleeve.
 
C

Chaz-man

Chimp
Jan 23, 2007
56
0
In a hole near a mountain
Evil4bc said:
Nope
It's the other way around , MRP owns the patent that covers ALL bicycle bashguards .

Read more here

Text takent from abstract from patent #7,066,856
A chain ring protector having a substantially planar mounting bracket operably secured to the bottom bracket sleeve of a vehicle with a durable semi-circumferential guard extending therefrom is disclosed. The durable guard has a substantially arcuate outer edge sized to approximate the outer diameter of a chain ring, and it is operably secured to the planar mounting bracket such that the outer edge extends slightly beyond the outer diameter of the portion of the chain ring extending below the bottom bracket sleeve.
Click to expand...
I think that you might be misunderstanding how patents work. The abstract tells you nothing at all about what is patented. The claims are what is patented.

The patent that you show claims a semi-circumferential bashguard portion attached to a BB sleeve. The pictures of the mrp guards do not look like a half circle to me like shown in the patent pictures, and they are they attached directly to a BB shell like shown in the patent pictures. Additionally, the patent that MRP references does not mention a chainguide at all, where the e13 application talks about chainguides and ISCG mounts quite a bit.

I guess we will see what happens, but from my rudimentary understanding of patents this does seem like e13 has a good case here. It's intersting to watch nonetheless. :popcorn:
 
seth505

seth505

Monkey
Jun 9, 2006
519
0
CA
DHRFX Joe said:
And 10,000 e.13 fanboys around the world shed a single, unified tear onto the foot of DW. Their God has failed them.



:rofl:
Click to expand...
?? does any of this tarnish the fact that e.thirteen products have been tried and tested and come out on top time and time again? How have they failed is what I would like to know.
 
Evil4bc

Evil4bc

Turbo Monkey
Jun 17, 2005
1,080
1
Nor-Cal
Chaz-man said:
I think that you might be misunderstanding how patents work. The abstract tells you nothing at all about what is patented. The claims are what is patented.

The patent that you show claims a semi-circumferential bashguard portion attached to a BB sleeve. The pictures of the mrp guards do not look like a half circle to me like shown in the patent pictures, and they are they attached directly to a BB shell like shown in the patent pictures. Additionally, the patent that MRP references does not mention a chainguide at all, where the e13 application talks about chainguides and ISCG mounts quite a bit.

I guess we will see what happens, but from my rudimentary understanding of patents this does seem like e13 has a good case here. It's intersting to watch nonetheless. :popcorn:
Click to expand...

I was one of the consultant's that worked with MRP during their purchase of the 856 patent , and YES I agree with your observations that the claims in the patent do not match up with said features of their product .
However this is a very broad patent and it's to my understand that the MRP patent does cover the E-13 taco .

If there is another patent E13 has listed I'd be very interested in seeing this linked here .

FYI: I'm 100% out of this deal and no longer work for either MRP or E-13 and have no vested interest in either design . I posted the patent # directly from MRP site for informational purposes only .
 
CrabJoe StretchPants

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
seth505 said:
?? does any of this tarnish the fact that e.thirteen products have been tried and tested and come out on top time and time again? How have they failed is what I would like to know.
Click to expand...
I think you failed the internet Mr. Lolli. Never EVER take me seriously on this site.;) Anywho........the "failed" was the fact everyone adores DW's ability to patent things that are "highly innovative," and people bitch about similar designs from other companies, while the whole time said company #1 (MRP) has held the patent that all e.13 guides are based off the entire time.



(I run SRS/STS's on all my bikes because IMO they are better than MRP guides. I just find the anti-MRP gestapo very funny and a perfect target for heckling purposes)
 
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