Full chain guards

PersonalJesus · 17-01-2012 10:27am #1

In the search the as low maintenance bike as possible, im considering installing a full length chain guard to my bike. does anyone have any opinions on the hebie chainglider guards, and if so is there much resistance to worry about? These units just clip over your chain it would seem.

rich.d.berry · 17-01-2012 10:36am

They are more for protecting you and your clothes from grease and grime than to protect your chain from muck. Dust and grit will still get into your chain from the bottom as it's flicked up by your tyres.

If anything, it will make it more difficult to clean an lubricate your chain and may even hide a dirty chain so that it becomes neglected.

Regular cleaning and maintenance are far more beneficial.

seamus · 17-01-2012 10:38am

The vast majority of issues with mud on the chain are due to spray off the leading edge of the rear wheel. This gets deposited on the chain at the front end and gets carried around the rest of the drivetrain.

Installing a full-length rear mudguard will be much effective than a chain guard.

PersonalJesus · 17-01-2012 10:44am

rich.d.berry wrote: »

They are more for protecting you and your clothes from grease and grime than to protect your chain from muck. Dust and grit will still get into your chain from the bottom as it's flicked up by your tyres.

If anything, it will make it more difficult to clean an lubricate your chain and may even hide a dirty chain so that it becomes neglected.

Regular cleaning and maintenance are far more beneficial.

On the contrary its a fully enclosed unit http://www.hebie.de/Chainglider-350-38-42-44.hebie350chainglider.0.html?&L=1 so nothing(ok maybe a very minilar amount) can get in from the bottom.

I have race blade mudguards currently and will be getting full ones soon.

Its for a bike with an IGH so deralliuer cleaning isnt necessary and theres less places for muck to hide.

Basically it would change my chain cleaning from once a week, to once every couple of weeks.

rich.d.berry · 17-01-2012 10:48am

That may well make a difference. No personal experience I'm afraid.

seamus · 17-01-2012 10:48am

No deraileur makes life easier, but I'm telling you, the full length guards are the business. I've ridden my singlespeed through all sorts of conditions, even the floods last September, and the only dirt on the chain and cog is the oil I've put on it.

PersonalJesus · 17-01-2012 11:09am

Thanks Seamus, noted. Will pick up a set of the SKS Chromoplastic ones tomorrow. Still think the chainglider would be worth it on this bike.

PersonalJesus · 17-01-2012 11:10am

Incidentally the race blades i have on at the minute arent really doing the job that well!

seamus · 17-01-2012 11:16am

No, the old raceblades are good for keeping the crap off your ass and out of the mouth of the guy behind you, but don't protect your rear brake, front mech or chain.

The new raceblades appear to give a lot more coverage, but I run the chromoplastic ones on my singlespeed and they're great.

Lumen · 17-01-2012 11:16am

I installed a SKS chain guard on my hub-geared commuter a while back, which also has full mudguards (not raceblades). I removed the guard because it was mounted to a metal bracket which acted as a BB spacer, and that messed up the fit of my SRAM cranks.

I now use a bash ring in place of the outer chainring, and that works fine as far as keeping my jeans from snagging during casual pottering, although I wouldn't ride the bike in a suit.

I agree that a full front guard will make a much bigger difference, but if you can't fit one that's not much help. Maybe consider increasing the coverage of your raceblade at the bottom by attaching an extension.

tomasrojo · 17-01-2012 9:26pm

Once you have full-length mudguards you'll still get a lot of spray off the front wheel. A mud flap on the front mudguard hanging down to within 10cm of the ground really keeps your chain clean. You might have to make your own though, as there doesn't seem to be much of a demand for them.

If you can't fit a full-length mudguard, I imagine a mudflap would foul your foot when you turned.

macnab · 17-01-2012 10:11pm

I only ever had a fully enclosed chain on a Honda 50, and the difference between that and no guard was night and day. The chain and sprockets lasted much longer and needed little or no adjustment.

25sean · 17-01-2012 10:34pm

go into ON TRACK on Cork street.. a fixed wheel/single speed shop..

they get one on every bike they get in.. and promptly strip them off...

they have a box of about 50 of them.. dying to give them away.. for free that is

I put them on my sisters bike and have put one on my town bike.. keep the trousers clean..

tomasrojo · 17-01-2012 10:39pm

25sean wrote: »

go into ON TRACK on Cork street.. a fixed wheel/single speed shop..

they get one on every bike they get in.. and promptly strip them off...

they have a box of about 50 of them.. dying to give them away.. for free that is

I put them on my sisters bike and have put one on my town bike.. keep the trousers clean..

Do you mean mudflaps? Yeah, they really keep your shoes and trousers clean. I used to wear covers over my normal shoes in heavy rain, but I find that my shoes no longer get soaked through, so a lot of the water must have been coming off the front wheel.

Holyboy · 17-01-2012 11:03pm

PersonalJesus wrote: »

In the search the as low maintenance bike as possible, im considering installing a full length chain guard to my bike. does anyone have any opinions on the hebie chainglider guards, and if so is there much resistance to worry about? These units just clip over your chain it would seem.

I've actually never fitted one of the Hebie chaingliders to any bike I've worked on but I like the cut of their jib, some Dahon bikes come with a strange chain cover thingy too which I like a lot but I don't know if they are available after market, I'm sure they must be some where.
IMHO fully enclosed chains are a great idea where possible.

Full chain guards

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