Narrow Wide Chainring Question

[G00SE]

I have a wolftooth 34t NW and 11-34 at the rear, with Zee clutch RD - dropped the chain on both my race runs at the Thaba DH this weekend past

Chain and ring both have low mileage on them, and chain is as short as I can make it.

Needless to say, my confidence in the NW / Clutch RD setup is not so high anymore.

Going to try adjust the tension on the DR clutch, maybe that will help..

[Super_mil]

How so?

 

Why would 10 speed have more life than 9 speed?

 

My thinking is that since the 10spd chain is narrower than a 9 spd, it would have a tighter fit than a 9spd, thus could wear slightly more before achieving the same tolerance of new 9spd chain, or is my thinking wrong?

 

Is the x-sectional area of 9, 10 & 11 spd chains identical, in which case it's only the outer plate thickness that changes?

[rock]

I have a wolftooth 34t NW and 11-34 at the rear, with Zee clutch RD - dropped the chain on both my race runs at the Thaba DH this weekend past

Chain and ring both have low mileage on them, and chain is as short as I can make it.

Needless to say, my confidence in the NW / Clutch RD setup is not so high anymore.

Going to try adjust the tension on the DR clutch, maybe that will help..

 

dont think they're intended for proper DH racing without a guide......

[patches]

dont think they're intended for proper DH racing without a guide......

 

He was on an AM bike, and I saw it drop. He was riding over a table. It definitely should not have droped under those circumstances.

 

Something isn't quite right.

 

My NW setup (Race Face 34T, SRAM 1031 chain, SLX 11-36T cassette, and Saint clutch RD) seems to be holding out rather well. I do feel the occational lateral chain slap on my right foot (rear foot) over the rough stuff, so I must keep an eye on that. But still going strong after 6 months.

[Flowta]

My thinking is that since the 10spd chain is narrower than a 9 spd, it would have a tighter fit than a 9spd, thus could wear slightly more before achieving the same tolerance of new 9spd chain, or is my thinking wrong?

 

Is the x-sectional area of 9, 10 & 11 spd chains identical, in which case it's only the outer plate thickness that changes?

 

The distance between the plates is the same, it's the thickness of the outer plates that differ.

[Super_mil]

The distance between the plates is the same, it's the thickness of the outer plates that differ.

 

Gotcha

Please ignore all my 9, 10 & 11 spd BS then

 

EDIT

 

I retract this!!!! See post #348 below

Edited April 2, 2014 by Super_mil

[rock]

He was on an AM bike, and I saw it drop. He was riding over a table. It definitely should not have droped under those circumstances.

 

Something isn't quite right.

 

My NW setup (Race Face 34T, SRAM 1031 chain, SLX 11-36T cassette, and Saint clutch RD) seems to be holding out rather well. I do feel the occational lateral chain slap on my right foot (rear foot) over the rough stuff, so I must keep an eye on that. But still going strong after 6 months.

 

also good to keep pedaling when its gets really bumpy to keep then chain under load.....

[Wolfie1]

I have a wolf tooth 30 NW in front and a 11 x 36 cassette at the back with xt clutch derailure.I have a Full suspension bike and has been riding for 3 months without any dropped chain or issues. Max out on 35km/h but can peddal lekke up Meerendals Dorsberg with no problems. For me and my riding style it works great. Love to be able to clean behind the chain ring as well. I have to add that when i am in 10 gear (small ring 11) the chain tend to slip but only on the rough stuff. i believe that the chain should be slightly shorter but its not a issue for me at this point. Most guys going the one by route does not or forget to shorten the chain and that is were the problem lie's with dropping chains. You have to shorten it.....

[Skylark]

Super mil I reckon the chain is a bit pap, new one should sort it out, can't see the chainring being keeshed after 1000km if you looked after things.

But I reckon for the NW chainring to work optimally , ie not drop chains in extreme situations, you may need to change a chain that on a normal setup would still be good to go. Must be related to that side to side wear in the links because technically what the NW system needs to work is the wide teeth must "hold" the chain on, if the chain is now within wear limits on the drive faces but worn between the plates and "loose" on the wide teeth of the chainring it'll start falling off.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Skylark

[Super_mil]

Super mil I reckon the chain is a bit pap, new one should sort it out, can't see the chainring being keeshed after 1000km if you looked after things.

But I reckon for the NW chainring to work optimally , ie not drop chains in extreme situations, you may need to change a chain that on a normal setup would still be good to go. Must be related to that side to side wear in the links because technically what the NW system needs to work is the wide teeth must "hold" the chain on, if the chain is now within wear limits on the drive faces but worn between the plates and "loose" on the wide teeth of the chainring it'll start falling off.

 

Well chain was swapped out for the new Shimano option and I had no issues on yesterdays ride. While the Spruit may not be the best place to put the setup through its paces, I did drop the old chain on the same route on Sunday. Gear changes were more crisp and while it's probably in my head, the bike was quieter and felt like 100 times faster (maybe even a 1000 times)

Also, there was definitely no chain-foot slap felt at all.

 

Bring on this weekends enduro

[DubbelBuys]

I have a wolf tooth 30 NW in front and a 11 x 36 cassette at the back with xt clutch derailure.I have a Full suspension bike and has been riding for 3 months without any dropped chain or issues. Max out on 35km/h but can peddal lekke up Meerendals Dorsberg with no problems. For me and my riding style it works great. Love to be able to clean behind the chain ring as well. I have to add that when i am in 10 gear (small ring 11) the chain tend to slip but only on the rough stuff. i believe that the chain should be slightly shorter but its not a issue for me at this point. Most guys going the one by route does not or forget to shorten the chain and that is were the problem lie's with dropping chains. You have to shorten it.....

 

Yes you do.

 

I think many guys running too long chains.

 

Just be very carefull that you don't make it too short so that when the rear suspension compresses it doesn't pull out all the slack.

 

If in doubt, run a medium cage on a 1x10setup instead of short cage.

[Super_mil]

The distance between the plates is the same, it's the thickness of the outer plates that differ.

 

Okay so I did a quick measurement of a new 9spd & 10spd chain last night. Off cuts of the two chains mentioned in the posts above.

 

Pic 1. 10spd on top, 9spd below

 

Pic 2. 10spd inner plate measurement

 

Pic 3. 9spd inner plate measurement

 

So it seems the inner measurement is very similar, i.e. the roller used on the two chains is similar or the same. So, the thinner (narrow) bit of the chainring would have the same sort of 'grab' on this section of chain.

 

Pic 4. 10spd outer plate measurement

 

Pic 5. 9spd outer plate measurement

 

So, in the words of JZ, "This is where the difference comes!"

10spd is quite a bit narrower so there will befinitely be more 'grab' or friction between the fatter (wide) portion of the chainring on a 10spd chain. So on a 10spd system then you'd have less chance of dropping the chain over the equivalent 9spd set-up and thus more available wear available before things start to get too sloppy.

 

I should have measured the worn 10spd chain for interest... I'll try to remember to do it tonight.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

This chainwear issue, is it not as a result of the narrow wide chainring itself?

Let me try to explain, if the chain is on the biggest rear ring and then the smallest one that is probably a good **80mm difference. All the while the chain is being forced over the wider teeth. It would be like holding the chain and bending it continuously, laterally.

Obviously this will lead to the wear which is causing these issues as the joints would be getting forces laterally.

Or am I seeing it wrong?

 

The Lee daisy 1x10 specific chainring I have rely's on longer teeth to secure tha chain which would allow the chain to twist on the chainrings teeth, ever so slightly, to account for the 80mm range it needs to travel when changing on the rear cassettes rings.

Hope I've put it across that somebody understands.

 

**80mm is a thumbsuck, don't have a cassette by me to measure the actual distance between the smallest and biggest chainring.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Steven Knoetze (sk27)

[Skylark]

That seems reasonable, will be interesting if it does come out that NW chainrings need fresh chains to work properly and not drop chains.

[NicoBoshoff]

I have a wolftooth 34t NW and 11-34 at the rear, with Zee clutch RD - dropped the chain on both my race runs at the Thaba DH this weekend past

Chain and ring both have low mileage on them, and chain is as short as I can make it.

Needless to say, my confidence in the NW / Clutch RD setup is not so high anymore.

Going to try adjust the tension on the DR clutch, maybe that will help..

 

The Shadow + derailleurs have a little screw that retensions the clutch. You need to do this after a few rides. Mine is due too.

[Nofearnofun]

The Shadow + derailleurs have a little screw that retensions the clutch. You need to do this after a few rides. Mine is due too.

 

Does this screw tension the clutch itself or is this not the screw that changes position that the RD sits in which removes or adds tension to the chain?