The LG1+ is e*thirteen’s full ‘belt and braces’ downhill guide, but at only 182g it won’t add too much weight to your bike. It’s unchanged for 2018, apart from the return to a bolted closure on the upper slider, in place of the quick-release clip on last year’s model. This is good news, because we broke several of the old guides due to the clip coming undone while riding. So far, the new guide has performed flawlessly – we’ve yet to drop a chain and the bashplate has taken its fair share of hits.
Thanks to the rubber lining on the slider and the soft rubber idler wheel, there’s no chainslap whatsoever. The idler does increase drag noticeably though. Fortunately, the LG1+ gives you the option to remove it, via two small bolts. We preferred the guide this way and (with a narrow/wide ring and clutch rear mech) still never dropped a chain.
Fitting the guide is straightforward. The use of a spacer kit instead of fiddly individual ISCG washers makes things easier. You do have to remove your crankset though, because the bolt to adjust the position of the slider is directly behind the chainring.
HIGHS
- Modular design lets you customise how much chain security and chainring protection you get
LOWS
- Idler wheel adds friction and makes pedalling less efficient
A small tweak has turned the LG1+ around and it now delivers a reliable performance in a mix of conditions
Price $225
