1x10 without a chainguide

[gassyndrome]

I'v been running a 32T RaceFace NW with a Zee short rear mech & an 11-36 cassette on my 29er Tallboy-LT for about 6 months now.
I've experience zero chain drops, shifting is sweet and the ride is very quiet. The range of gears if fine for Canberra too (eg Stromlo, even some of the steep fire-road climbs).

I'd certainly recommend going 1x10 :high5:

Hey jacko. Got a pic of how you've set it up? I've just put a 32t RaceFace NW on this weekend and I'm yet to hit the road with it but looking to get out to Stromlo this week.

Do you have the RaceFace graphics facing out or the other side? What crank? Mine is replacing the 3x9 X9 and the chain line looks crazy to my eyes, but I'm probably just not used to it.

 

[jacko69]

Hey jacko. Got a pic of how you've set it up? I've just put a 32t RaceFace NW on this weekend and I'm yet to hit the road with it but looking to get out to Stromlo this week.

Do you have the RaceFace graphics facing out or the other side? What crank? Mine is replacing the 3x9 X9 and the chain line looks crazy to my eyes, but I'm probably just not used to it.

I posted on page 104 with photos, but it was more about getting the chain length correct - I don't think the chain-ring is visible.
Anyway graphics are facing out on Shimano M552 cranks (triple).

 

[creaky]

Recon 11-40

Anyone been using the Recon 11-40 cassette ? How are they going durability and shift performance wise ?

I'm struggling to find much in the way of user comments on the interwebz.

 

[ChopSticks]

Anyone been using the Recon 11-40 cassette ? How are they going durability and shift performance wise ?

I'm struggling to find much in the way of user comments on the interwebz.

Hit up summitfever
he has one on the kids bike

 

[JoelFitz]

2nd Zee clutch broken now.. 3 months out of each - 1200km or so.

Last time I had option of warranty but would be without a bike for 2 weeks or so.. Which to keep me riding I just ordered the replacement part from OS for $15..
But this time around, i've decided to order a whole new Zee mech and will send the original one back, use new one until breaks, send it back, rinse and repeat..

Seems a real design flaw though.

 

[creaky]

Hit up summitfever
he has one on the kids bike

How big is his kid ? Don't think my young one would be a fair test of componentry !

 

[creaky]

2nd Zee clutch broken now.. 3 months out of each - 1200km or so.

Last time I had option of warranty but would be without a bike for 2 weeks or so.. Which to keep me riding I just ordered the replacement part from OS for $15..
But this time around, i've decided to order a whole new Zee mech and will send the original one back, use new one until breaks, send it back, rinse and repeat..

Seems a real design flaw though.

Is it a common problem ? I haven't looked into it but have been running a Zee on the hardtail for probably 11 months with no problems.

 

[SummitFever]

My daughter's got the 9-36t aluminium Recon. Its different to the 11-40t.

 

[takai]

2nd Zee clutch broken now.. 3 months out of each - 1200km or so.

Last time I had option of warranty but would be without a bike for 2 weeks or so.. Which to keep me riding I just ordered the replacement part from OS for $15..
But this time around, i've decided to order a whole new Zee mech and will send the original one back, use new one until breaks, send it back, rinse and repeat..

Seems a real design flaw though.

As on PF. Have you checked your chain growth to make sure you aren't hyperextending the mech under suspension compression?

 

[lmcalps]

Race face have a wide narrow chain ring available now in different sizes and colours. It will also work fine with a Shimano drive chain and will continue to stay on even over rough terrain.

If you are looking to buy locally - Group Sport supply to most bike stores.

 

[creaky]

Race face have a wide narrow chain ring available now in different sizes and colours. It will also work fine with a Shimano drive chain and will continue to stay on even over rough terrain.

If you are looking to buy locally - Group Sport supply to most bike stores.

And more breaking news .... The world is not a square

 

[Alo661]

And more breaking news .... The world is not a square

Did you know, you can run your bike with only 1 chainring up front? I learnt something today!

Oh, and belated 1 year anniversary to this thread.....

 

[treble]

Race face have a wide narrow chain ring available now in different sizes and colours. It will also work fine with a Shimano drive chain and will continue to stay on even over rough terrain.

If you are looking to buy locally - Group Sport supply to most bike stores.

Just a bit of not-so-subtle advertising? And wow thanks for the info. You mean now not only can I buy them easily online, but I can also get that warm feeling of buying locally, even if I do have to pay twice as much and wait 4 weeks? Awesome

 

[struggles]

860kms so far on my hardtail without dropping the chain with a Raceface NW.

Only 37kms of that with a clutched ZEE.

 

[loc81]

Hey folks,
I've been following this thread for a few months and am surprised at all the positive reviews when a friend and I have been let down pretty badly! Ill try to give as much info as I can and I look forward to any thoughts on the issue.
I've been riding an all-mountain hard tail for a well over a year, a 1x10 set up with a BB mount top only chain guide. After reading so many good reviews on NW rings I decide to drop the cash on a black spire model. My LBS who runs XX1 on the same track is highly confident that I won't drop a chain between the NW and my SRAM clutch derailleur. At this point he is vouching for xx1 full drivetrain and hasn't dealt really with these "close enough" rigs. He also takes some chain links out to keep things snug.
My local trail, Ourimbah, is fairly rough, scrubby terrain- 1st ride and I drop the chain. Twice. A couple more drops in the coming weeks and I couldn't depend on this thing at all. LBS and I are both equal parts stumped and disappointed on the money and time spent. Back on goes the top chain guide and I'm $100 lighter. During that 1st ride I even had another hard tail, NW ring user chat to me and he's never had a drop! WTF..
Case 2 is my mate who rides a '13 Norco sight. Bike had 2x10, wanted to ditch the granny so he coughed up for a Race Face NW ring. Again, chain is tight and clutch derailleur. He's had it on for about a dozen rides so far and nearly every one has had a dropped chain.
LBS had a thorough look at his set up recently, checking as much as he could from his xx1 drive train- one thing he noticed was that when the hanger was pulled far forward and he pulled the chain off the ring from the bottom up, the xx1 was super snug to the point of effort whereas the chain using race face, despite the NW teeth, was swimming on the ring.
2 different bikes, 2 different brand chain rings, all appearing to be a waste.
I'm really keen to see if you lot can shed any light on this!
- with so little to go wrong, why is it going wrong?
- surely the trail isn't that rough? Many more must be riding similar terrain?
- who has upgraded their chain? If so, to what?

 

[jacko69]

chain mounted correctly?

Hey folks,
I've been following this thread for a few months and am surprised at all the positive reviews when a friend and I have been let down pretty badly! Ill try to give as much info as I can and I look forward to any thoughts on the issue.
I've been riding an all-mountain hard tail for a well over a year, a 1x10 set up with a BB mount top only chain guide. After reading so many good reviews on NW rings I decide to drop the cash on a black spire model. My LBS who runs XX1 on the same track is highly confident that I won't drop a chain between the NW and my SRAM clutch derailleur. At this point he is vouching for xx1 full drivetrain and hasn't dealt really with these "close enough" rigs. He also takes some chain links out to keep things snug.
My local trail, Ourimbah, is fairly rough, scrubby terrain- 1st ride and I drop the chain. Twice. A couple more drops in the coming weeks and I couldn't depend on this thing at all. LBS and I are both equal parts stumped and disappointed on the money and time spent. Back on goes the top chain guide and I'm $100 lighter. During that 1st ride I even had another hard tail, NW ring user chat to me and he's never had a drop! WTF..
Case 2 is my mate who rides a '13 Norco sight. Bike had 2x10, wanted to ditch the granny so he coughed up for a Race Face NW ring. Again, chain is tight and clutch derailleur. He's had it on for about a dozen rides so far and nearly every one has had a dropped chain.
LBS had a thorough look at his set up recently, checking as much as he could from his xx1 drive train- one thing he noticed was that when the hanger was pulled far forward and he pulled the chain off the ring from the bottom up, the xx1 was super snug to the point of effort whereas the chain using race face, despite the NW teeth, was swimming on the ring.
2 different bikes, 2 different brand chain rings, all appearing to be a waste.
I'm really keen to see if you lot can shed any light on this!
- with so little to go wrong, why is it going wrong?
- surely the trail isn't that rough? Many more must be riding similar terrain?
- who has upgraded their chain? If so, to what?

Is it possible that the chain isn't sitting on the correct teeth, ie the fat/wide teeth are not sitting into the wide part of the chain?

 

[JoelFitz]

So after some conversations with Shimano regarding my constantly breaking Zee clutch.. They have advised a new and improved design now exists and they'll fit this to my Zee derailleur when I return it.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

Hey folks,
I've been following this thread for a few months and am surprised at all the positive reviews when a friend and I have been let down pretty badly! Ill try to give as much info as I can and I look forward to any thoughts on the issue.
I've been riding an all-mountain hard tail for a well over a year, a 1x10 set up with a BB mount top only chain guide. After reading so many good reviews on NW rings I decide to drop the cash on a black spire model. My LBS who runs XX1 on the same track is highly confident that I won't drop a chain between the NW and my SRAM clutch derailleur. At this point he is vouching for xx1 full drivetrain and hasn't dealt really with these "close enough" rigs. He also takes some chain links out to keep things snug.
My local trail, Ourimbah, is fairly rough, scrubby terrain- 1st ride and I drop the chain. Twice. A couple more drops in the coming weeks and I couldn't depend on this thing at all. LBS and I are both equal parts stumped and disappointed on the money and time spent. Back on goes the top chain guide and I'm $100 lighter. During that 1st ride I even had another hard tail, NW ring user chat to me and he's never had a drop! WTF..
Case 2 is my mate who rides a '13 Norco sight. Bike had 2x10, wanted to ditch the granny so he coughed up for a Race Face NW ring. Again, chain is tight and clutch derailleur. He's had it on for about a dozen rides so far and nearly every one has had a dropped chain.
LBS had a thorough look at his set up recently, checking as much as he could from his xx1 drive train- one thing he noticed was that when the hanger was pulled far forward and he pulled the chain off the ring from the bottom up, the xx1 was super snug to the point of effort whereas the chain using race face, despite the NW teeth, was swimming on the ring.
2 different bikes, 2 different brand chain rings, all appearing to be a waste.
I'm really keen to see if you lot can shed any light on this!
- with so little to go wrong, why is it going wrong?
- surely the trail isn't that rough? Many more must be riding similar terrain?
- who has upgraded their chain? If so, to what?

I've done Ourimbah on a 1x10 XC hardtail using a RF 36T ring and the driveline had no dramas (though the engine was another story).

My first impressions from this story is a) incorrect chainline or b) incorrect chain length and/or B screw tension to deal with chain growth or c) dead chain. The other issue may be related to pedalling technique - if either of you have a habit of occasional (even unconscious) back pedalling to minimise pedal strike on Ourimbah's many rocks then this'll contribute to a thrown chain.

 

[loc81]

Is it possible that the chain isn't sitting on the correct teeth, ie the fat/wide teeth are not sitting into the wide part of the chain?

I'm not sure that is even possible- there is definitely only one way for the chain to sit on NWs

I've done Ourimbah on a 1x10 XC hardtail using a RF 36T ring and the driveline had no dramas (though the engine was another story).

My first impressions from this story is a) incorrect chainline or b) incorrect chain length and/or B screw tension to deal with chain growth or c) dead chain. The other issue may be related to pedalling technique - if either of you have a habit of occasional (even unconscious) back pedalling to minimise pedal strike on Ourimbah's many rocks then this'll contribute to a thrown chain.

All the initial tinkering has been done by LBS- I can vouch for his knowledge and experience 110% and when he is happy with chain length and line then I'm happy. Chain at the time was 8 moths old I think? Looked after quite well in that time.
All I can think of is what you said at the end: rough descents (spelling?) with some ratcheting (spelling again?) thrown in the mix.
Certainly a bit of a let down after hearing so many good reviews of these chain rings, that's for sure!

 

[treble]

Hey folks,
I've been following this thread for a few months and am surprised at all the positive reviews when a friend and I have been let down pretty badly! Ill try to give as much info as I can and I look forward to any thoughts on the issue.
I've been riding an all-mountain hard tail for a well over a year, a 1x10 set up with a BB mount top only chain guide. After reading so many good reviews on NW rings I decide to drop the cash on a black spire model. My LBS who runs XX1 on the same track is highly confident that I won't drop a chain between the NW and my SRAM clutch derailleur. At this point he is vouching for xx1 full drivetrain and hasn't dealt really with these "close enough" rigs. He also takes some chain links out to keep things snug.
My local trail, Ourimbah, is fairly rough, scrubby terrain- 1st ride and I drop the chain. Twice. A couple more drops in the coming weeks and I couldn't depend on this thing at all. LBS and I are both equal parts stumped and disappointed on the money and time spent. Back on goes the top chain guide and I'm $100 lighter. During that 1st ride I even had another hard tail, NW ring user chat to me and he's never had a drop! WTF..
Case 2 is my mate who rides a '13 Norco sight. Bike had 2x10, wanted to ditch the granny so he coughed up for a Race Face NW ring. Again, chain is tight and clutch derailleur. He's had it on for about a dozen rides so far and nearly every one has had a dropped chain.
LBS had a thorough look at his set up recently, checking as much as he could from his xx1 drive train- one thing he noticed was that when the hanger was pulled far forward and he pulled the chain off the ring from the bottom up, the xx1 was super snug to the point of effort whereas the chain using race face, despite the NW teeth, was swimming on the ring.
2 different bikes, 2 different brand chain rings, all appearing to be a waste.
I'm really keen to see if you lot can shed any light on this!
- with so little to go wrong, why is it going wrong?
- surely the trail isn't that rough? Many more must be riding similar terrain?
- who has upgraded their chain? If so, to what?

Sounds like incorrect chain length to me. if your running 1x10 on a hard tail, when you are in your shortest ratio (largest cog in the rear) the derailleur should be very close to full extension. Because you don't have rear suspension, chain growth isn't an issue. I've got a race face NW (34) and a x9 clutch rear derailleur, and mine is set up like this. has never dropped a chain and i regularly steer it through rocks, roots, jumps, bumpy stuff.