

The truth is, you might not need a chain guide on your mountain bike. So why add more components to your bike if they aren't necessary? Why mount up a chain guide if you haven't ever dropped a chain? Well, there isn't really a wrong answer here.

Here are some of our favorite chain guides! From left to right: the e*Thirteen TRS+ Chain Guide, the OneUp Components Top Chain Guide V2, and the MRP AMg V2 Chain Guide. There are plenty of chain guides to choose from with some of our favorite brands like OneUp Components, E*Thirteen, and MRP that give you the option to either assemble your chain guide with or without a bash guard. If you were to come up short on a jump, or land directly on top of a tall rock, the bash guard is there to protect your drivetrain and keep your bike rolling. The chain ring is usually the lowest hanging component of the bike between your front and rear wheel and is what comes in contact with the ground when you do "50-50 case" something on the trail. The bash guard lives right on the backside of the chain ring and is there to protect both the chain and chain ring from potential strikes to the bottom of the bike. The chain will be getting thrown in every direction between the chainring and the cassette, but as long as the chain guide is doing its job, you can keep putting out power.Īnother major benefit to running a chain guide is having the option of mounting a bash guard. The chain guide's job is to keep the chain inline with the teeth on the chainring so that as you continue pedaling, the chain will continue to fall in to place. When you are flying through rough sections of trail, the chain will jump up and down and can sometimes work its way off the chainring. Mounting a chain guide on your mountain bike gives you an extra sense of security, hopefully ensuring that you won't ever drop your chain. There are a few different ways to keep the chain running smoothly on the chain ring, mounting a chain guide being one of them, and we are here to walk you through if that makes sense for you and your mountain bike. The chain could jam in between the chain ring and the frame causing you to crash or the chain could scratch and damage your bike. Should You Mount a Chain Guide on Your Mountain Bike?ĭropping your chain off of the chain ring when you are out on the trail is never a good thing.

ISCG mounted guards have become the more popular method of chain protection in the recent years. Bash guards either attach to the crank bolts on a crankset or the ISCG tabs on a frame. Even if it doesn’t snap instantly, a damaged chain is prone to snap at any time. If your chain is struck by a large rock it can damage or snap it. Never ride in fear of a chain related crash again.Ī bash guard is used to protect your chain from destructive rocks on the trail. At JensonUSA, we have a large selection of guards, guides, and tensioners to give your bike the most secure drivetrain possible. A dropped or snapped chain can lead to a scary crash or annoying trail side chain installs that cover your hands in grease. Bash guards, chain guides, and chain tensioners all serve the purpose of protecting your chain and keeping it properly attached to your drivetrain.
