Skip to main content

Blackspire DER Guide Chain Guide


SO GOOD: On the face of it, this is another variation on a common design, but the DER Guide is really high quality, with great attention to detail.

Set-up is easy, with clear markings for different sized chainrings. It’s light (153g) but didn’t flex and absorbed some knocks without flinching. The plastic slider made it almost silent, with very low drag. The lack of a bar on the top guide helped with mud clearance and our chain stayed well and truly on. Great.

NO GOOD: Er… the very picky might not like the graphics too much. Sprechen sie Deutsch?

PRICE: 155$



Popular posts from this blog

EVOC Bike Bag Pro

While Ryanair or Easyjet will never be bywords for glamour, at least your bike can fly in style with the new EVOC Bike Bag Pro.

Alpinestars Stratus gloves

The Stratus gloves from Alpinestars offer a decent amount of protection from the cold and wet without compromising control at the bars.

Gusset Magnum stem

SO GOOD Gusset’s 50mm stem is nicely CNC machined from 7075 alloy and the faceplate and internal steerer clamp are available in a range of five anodised colours to complement the black body. The hidden steerer clamp keeps sharp edges to a minimum and removes stress from the body of the stem. Out on the bike, the stem proved flex free and bombproof.

iXS Asper BC shorts

THEY AREN’T CHEAP, but these well made and feature packed shorts are the epitome of classic mountainbike-specific functionality, and on the bike they don’t disappoint.

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.