All Arround MTB

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 remo...

Blackspire’s bashguard is really solid and took every sump-out we threw at it without flinching. The upper guide covers a large part of the chain and is stiff enough to ensure top derailments are virtually impossible. The upper guide is a tight squeeze so it requires careful set-up to ensure the chain won’t catch under full suspension compression or at either end of the cassette. Because the bashguard sits quite far outboard, the chain rattles against it over rough ground. At 134g it’s heavy for an upper-only guide. Price $90

MRP’s latest offering has a ‘Whippersnapper’ lower guide integrated into its skid plate to keep the chain on track through really rough sections without the added drag and wear of a jockey wheel. Fitting was straightforward, and although clearance was tight on the Kona Process 111 we bolted it to initially, it worked well regardless and fitted other test bikes fine.

This lightweight upper guide mounts to ISCG-05 tabs for a really secure fit and can be adjusted to accommodate chainrings from 26 to 38t. Fitting is easy and MRP provide enough spacers to fettle the spacing to your heart’s content.

MRP’S NEWSXG chain guide is intended to be used with a narrow/wide-toothed single chainring and clutch mech for ultimate chain security, and has been designed to be at home on everything from downhill rigs to short-travel trail bikes.

TODAY’S CHAIN-RETAINING chainrings and clutch rear mechs do a great job of keeping your chain on, but sometimes it pays to be prepared for the unexpected, and this is where the AMg comes in. This top-only enduro/trail guide is designed to give additional insurance on rough terrain.

NARROW/WIDE CHAINRINGS and clutch mechs are everywhere these days and they've left many single-ring riders scratching their heads and asking, "Do I really need a chain guide too?" For the racers out there and those wanting extra peace of mind, the answer is, "Yes, but probably just a top 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.

SO GOOD: The P20s is a really well thought out, simple and clean design that’s also very light ( 157g ).

SO GOOD: This well designed and adaptable guide is decently light ( 172g ) thanks to an aluminium backplate – something found on devices at double the price.

SO GOOD: There’s no doubting the solid, high-end build quality of this device. The sprung lower guide moves on impact, is silent and causes very little chain drag.

SO GOOD: A similar (but not identical) design to the illustrious e*thirteen LG1 + used by many World Cup downhill riders, we found this device really easy to fit, with useful markings to match different size chainrings.

SO GOOD: MRP have combined the bashguard and lower guide on the G3 so you can swing the whole section out of the way for easier fitting.