[magnum]

I'm debating about replacing my big ring in favor of a bash guard. I never use the big ring and I am constantly hitting it against logs and junk. My question is whether or not the big ring is better than the bash gaurd for getting over these obstacles. The big ring has the teeth that bite into the obstacle and give you some grip to get over slippery obstacles. The bash gaurd seems slick and without enough momentum, you might just end up high centered. Any opinions on this. Do they make a bash gaurd with teeth?

 

[JustMtnB44]

Bash Guard

I'm debating about replacing my big ring in favor of a bash guard. I never use the big ring and I am constantly hitting it against logs and junk. My question is whether or not the big ring is better than the bash gaurd for getting over these obstacles. The big ring has the teeth that bite into the obstacle and give you some grip to get over slippery obstacles. The bash gaurd seems slick and without enough momentum, you might just end up high centered. Any opinions on this. Do they make a bash gaurd with teeth?

I replaced my big ring with a bashguard I made myself two months ago, and I only have about 6 rides on it but I really like it so far. There have only been a few times where I would have liked the big ring (for flat / slight dh fire roads) but for our log covered and rocky trails its awesome.

I always used to hear that the big ring teeth could be used to get over logs, but I could never really get this to work, and honestly, once you use a bash guard you're never think that again. You don't need a ton of momentum, just enough to slide the bash over then you can use the tire to get over the rest of the way, if necessary. On smaller logs the bike just goes over like they are not even there, and I keep finding myself trying to get over bigger and bigger logs just to see if I can. There is one or two bashguards I've seen with shallow sawteeth, so they are out there if you want that, but I don't think its necessary.

Here are some pics of my bashguard.

 

[FoShizzle]

I'm debating about replacing my big ring in favor of a bash guard. I never use the big ring and I am constantly hitting it against logs and junk. My question is whether or not the big ring is better than the bash gaurd for getting over these obstacles. The big ring has the teeth that bite into the obstacle and give you some grip to get over slippery obstacles. The bash gaurd seems slick and without enough momentum, you might just end up high centered. Any opinions on this. Do they make a bash gaurd with teeth?

for some riding, i will put on my bashguard instead of the big ring. there are some bashrings that have virtual teeth. this is the one i use

 

[magnum]

I replaced my big ring with a bashguard I made myself two months ago, and I only have about 6 rides on it but I really like it so far. There have only been a few times where I would have liked the big ring (for flat / slight dh fire roads) but for our log covered and rocky trails its awesome.

I always used to hear that the big ring teeth could be used to get over logs, but I could never really get this to work, and honestly, once you use a bash guard you're never think that again. You don't need a ton of momentum, just enough to slide the bash over then you can use the tire to get over the rest of the way, if necessary. On smaller logs the bike just goes over like they are not even there, and I keep finding myself trying to get over bigger and bigger logs just to see if I can. There is one or two bashguards I've seen with shallow sawteeth, so they are out there if you want that, but I don't think its necessary.

Here are some pics of my bashguard.

That is a clean looking bash gaurd. How did you make it? Do you have access to a metal shop?

 

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

bashers

 

[JustMtnB44]

Yes

That is a clean looking bash gaurd. How did you make it? Do you have access to a metal shop?

Yeah I have access to the machine shop on campus, so I made it out of a piece of 3/16" aluminum plate. Took me about 4 hours cause I had to figure out the best order of how to do it, if I were to make another one I could probably do it in 2 hours. Of course we only have manual machines in our shop now, if we ever get the CNC mill that is rumored to be coming I could make it in 15 minutes (after a few hours of CNC programming). Anyway I just did it at the beginning of the semester to save money and kill time before we got started on our main project, building the vehicle in the pictures.

 

[archer]

Well, I don't think using the big ring as a bash guard is the best way to go.
I didn't want to give up my big ring, I occasionally have some flat road between trails or some near flat single track where I can use it.
I ended up popping on a Blackspire Big Ring. I don't get more clearance that dropping the big ring would give me but it keeps the teeth from getting flattened.

 

[MVRIDER]

Get a bashguard. I would recommend an E.13 or a Gamut, they are both super light and very tough. I would actually go the opposit way of one with teeth, when I hit a rock or log with my E.13, the Makrolon is so hard it just slips right off the object in the way.

They make them in a variety of sizes, I'd get one that closely matches whatever size your biggest ring is so you can get maximum clearance.

http://www.e13components.com/bashguards.html

http://www.gamutusa.com/products.asp

 

[G-Live]

34 or 36 mid ring with bash guard

I'm debating about replacing my big ring in favor of a bash guard. I never use the big ring and I am constantly hitting it against logs and junk. My question is whether or not the big ring is better than the bash gaurd for getting over these obstacles. The big ring has the teeth that bite into the obstacle and give you some grip to get over slippery obstacles. The bash gaurd seems slick and without enough momentum, you might just end up high centered. Any opinions on this. Do they make a bash gaurd with teeth?

If you do add a bash guard, it might be work changing the middle ring to a 34 or 36 to give a little more high end depending on the trails you ride. Will end up using granny a bit more but should give you a pretty good gear range.

Greg

 

[Scarpa]

I replaced my big ring with a bashguard that was just slightly bigger than my 32t ring and found out that 80% of the stuff I used to get hung up on with the big ring I didn't even touch anymore due to the additional clearance.

 

[kapusta]

I'm debating about replacing my big ring in favor of a bash guard. I never use the big ring and I am constantly hitting it against logs and junk. My question is whether or not the big ring is better than the bash gaurd for getting over these obstacles. The big ring has the teeth that bite into the obstacle and give you some grip to get over slippery obstacles. The bash gaurd seems slick and without enough momentum, you might just end up high centered. Any opinions on this. Do they make a bash gaurd with teeth?

I went with a bash guard in place of the big ring a few years back and have never missed it. Maybe on the road but I could care less about that. Mine is smooth and I find it is easier to get over logs. It is smaller and therefore less likely to hit the log or rock, and if it does it is easier to slide over with. I NEVER use my rings as a wheel, it's all about using momentum to lift the bike over the obstical. Of course, once you get good at clearing logs, you almost never hit your rings on them anyway, but the extra clearance is still nice.

 

[wickerman1]

I went bashguard as well... although i bought the blackspire which is probably the heaviest out there, it is also bombproof. I always comtemplate putting the big ring back on but again its a clearance issue... and being the bashguard was only 20 bucks, it'll last alot longer then replacing big rings that get destroyed from rocks and logs.

 

[pimpbot]

Personally...

... I like my big ring. In fact, I was starting to wonder if I could do with a bigger big ring, since I seem to spin my 44*11 out often enough to make me want more! I love to point my bike downhill and hammer.

wheeeee!

 

[Tracerboy]

Not only will the big ring get damaged if it hit something like a rock, it could also ruin the spider of yur crank. Since the big ring is screw on to yur other rings, a impact force on the big ring can affect the other rings. So, bashguard. Unless you race that bike and often times the big ring is crucial for the flats.

 

[TurboasT4]

middle ring + blacktop = boring

I never touch my big ring on the trail, but I ride ~4miles TO the trail. But even averaging a modest 15mph on the road is hell without a big ring. I tried riding there with the second ring to see what it's like, but abandoned that after about half a mile.

 

[kapusta]

Not only will the big ring get damaged if it hit something like a rock, it could also ruin the spider of yur crank. Since the big ring is screw on to yur other rings, a impact force on the big ring can affect the other rings.

A bash guard bolts on the same way as a big ring does.

 

[ZoSoSwiM]

I'm really planning on getting a bashguard since my big ring is all effed up.. I never use it.. and prolly never will. If i ditch it and get a bashguard I'll get another 11/2inches of clearance.. that sounds soooo nice to me.

 

[Simon22]

I switched to a bash gaurd when I got a new bike this summer. I run it with a 34t middle and a 24t small ring. Only times I ever wish I had a big ring is on an urban ride once in awhile. I would say get the bash gaurd. I also found that my big ring was always getting trashed because I would hit on rocks, so I basiclly saved money not having to replace the big ring anymore.

 

[Some Guy]

A bash guard bolts on the same way as a big ring does.

It doesn't get caught on things like a big ring though.

 

[Nat]

The big ring has the teeth that bite into the obstacle and give you some grip to get over slippery obstacles. The bash gaurd seems slick and without enough momentum, you might just end up high centered.

I feel the slickness of the bashguard is better than the stickiness of teeth for getting over obstacles.

If you're going over a log for instance, you want a guard to slide over the log so that you maintain forward motion. With a chainring, the teeth will dig into the wood and you'll come to a sticky stop. If you don't first tip over to your left, you'd have to somehow get unstuck, then regain forward momentum while your rear wheel is spinning freely in the air. Good luck.

If you're going over a rock, then you don't want chainring teeth getting bent, ground, and broken across stone.

The bashguards with teeth have backsloped teeth that will slide forward but dig in (sort of) if you pedal.