[superotto80]

I am looking at a bashguard. There is one thing I dont understand. The one I am looking at says it replaces the third ring. What does that mean.. Does that mean I lose that gear?

Here is the one I am looking at.

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/CG707C02-Race+Face+Bashring.aspx

 

[daleksic]

Yes, you take of the big ring in the front and mount this one in place. Then you need to retard the limit screw of the dérailleur so you don't shift into empty. I didn't use the 3rd ring, plus it always kept biting me, so it had to go...

 

[superotto80]

Never mind i think i answered my own question. You do lose the third ring. Now the questons is it worth it. I do mostly single track riding.

 

[daleksic]

1) I still got scars on the back of my leg that exactly match my big ring.

2) I bottomed out a couple of times and bent a few teeth. Now i got enough clearance to go over high obstacles. And even if I bottom out now i just hit that bashguard.

Make sure you buy the desired size. Mine is just large enough to cover the middle ring plus chain. They have some that are as big as the ring you remove, some like it, i don't. I wanted the extra clearance.

 

[dogonfr]

Allot depends on your needs you can run a 22-36-Bash up front. If you need your big ring & are not a weight weenie you can get a 3rd ring guard. :thumbsup:

 

[Bubba74]

You can run a 22-36-Bash up front

Like dogonfr said, I run similar, 24-36 up front as opposed to the original 22-32-44 that came with the bike. The larger tooth count on the middle ring give me a higher gearing to help on the really smooth stuff.

 

[carbuncle]

They do usually replace the big ring, but you can get models that allow you to run a big ring. I think Blackspire has one and Salsa makes the Crossing Guard.

 

[LUVTORIDE67]

bashguard

I have a blackspire big ring protector on my 06 Kona Dawg. Works good...where i live we do quite abit of biking to get to the trail head. I guess the question that i would ask myself...if i don't use the big ring very much...is it worth the weight of keeping the big ring and added a bash guard too. Jd

 

[stephen11364]

Loose the big ring. Most people I see in the NYC area trails do not have a "big-ring". Unless your doing real cross country I don't think its too necessary.

 

[CrazyCanuck]

By ditching the big ring, you really only lose 2 gear ratios. Cant remember where I saw it, but there was a chart to prove it.

 

[Bubba74]

By ditching the big ring, you really only lose 2 gear ratios. Cant remember where I saw it, but there was a chart to prove it.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

 

[CrazyCanuck]

Thatd be the one

 

[Mikekune594]

I do not think you should get the Raceface Bash, It's steel, or a metal.

E.Thirteen's Thermoplastic is much stronger and won't dent.

As for the 3rd Ring, I have 24-36 Up Front and 34-11 in the rear and my bikes final speed

in 36 and 11 is 40MPH. So the gears are quite high enough for trails.

Lose the 3rd.

 

[PCinSC]

I do not think you should get the Raceface Bash, It's steel, or a metal.

E.Thirteen's Thermoplastic is much stronger and won't dent.

RaceFace bashguards are aluminum and get pretty good reviews here on MTBR.

My e13 Supercharger did in fact dent, and it also cracked (and not around the bolt holes). Its replacement, a Blackspire Grind God, is holding up fine.

Regarding gearing, I'm running 22/32/Bash up front and find that I do run run out of gearing on open flat or downhill sections. But it's never really bothered me enough to want to swap the middle ring out for something bigger.

 

[Ray Lee]

an additional question

I have decided I do not use my big ring other than bending teeth and cutting myself but my question is can I remove a link or 2 from my chain after its replaced with a bash gaurd?

On rocky sections going a moderate speed the chain is bouncing around and noisy, so bigger ring=longer chain??

regards
Ray

 

[CTrider]

I have decided I do not use my big ring other than bending teeth and cutting myself but my question is can I remove a link or 2 from my chain after its replaced with a bash gaurd?

On rocky sections going a moderate speed the chain is bouncing around and noisy, so bigger ring=longer chain??

regards
Ray

That's a good question, I have the same problem. Anyone?

 

[eatdrinkride]

I have decided I do not use my big ring other than bending teeth and cutting myself but my question is can I remove a link or 2 from my chain after its replaced with a bash gaurd?

On rocky sections going a moderate speed the chain is bouncing around and noisy, so bigger ring=longer chain??

regards
Ray

Yes you can remove a few links and (if you wish) use a medium cage rear der.

I set mine up so that when the chain is on the largest rear cog and the middle ring the rear der. is pulled to somewhere between the 4 o'clock and 5:30 position. That's just me but at least you ensure you are not too stretched out when at the max combo.

 

[carbuncle]

Yes you can remove a few links and (if you wish) use a medium cage rear der.

I set mine up so that when the chain is on the largest rear cog and the middle ring the rear der. is pulled to somewhere between the 4 o'clock and 5:30 position. That's just me but at least you ensure you are not too stretched out when at the max combo.

Second that, remove four full links when I make the swap on our bikes. For bash recommendations, I have used Race Face guards for five years with no problems. I had an e-13 that spent time on a couple of my bikes and it worked, but it flat-spotted pretty noticeably and developed some cracks.

 

[eatdrinkride]

I will once again give my props to the BBG. Cheap, light and strong. I can't name another mtb part that meets all three conditions. I think I paid 10 bucks for mine. A year of hard riding and it has taken every rock strike thrown at it.

http://www.bbgbashguard.com/

Plus I like understated components...

 

[zephyr11]

i'm using a dangerboy one i got 2nd hand for $10...
does the job stated, and looks pretty good...