The Genius of Narrow Wide Chainrings - Why they work!

[@carlholman2993]

I used to work with a pro shimano mechanic. He says narrow wide chainrings have been around in large machinery for ages. This made it hard for bike companies to patent this as it already existed, and everyone could start making them. Id have to dig into this more, but makes sense!

[@michaelmechex]

Isn't the reason why these arrived on bikes so late the front derailleur? By their nature, NW rings don't work with a front derailleur. As soon as Sram had enough gear range to ditch the front derailleur, they put a narrow-wide on there.

[@rusteddreams]

Yes, narrow-wide concept is from 1978 patent, expired in 1998. That's why everyone can make their own NW chainrings without infringing SRAM patents (as long as they not fully copy their tooth profile)

[@the_nondrive_side]

as well as bicycles with skip tooth. schwinn sweet tooth as a great example

[@kailashblades]

He gives sram way too much credit here in a dangerous way I feel. Sram are very litigious and have a history of predatory IP practices when it comes to smaller brands. The messaging here serves to reinforce and enable that kind of behaviour on their part.

[@the_nondrive_side]

@@kailashblades I actually like SRAM stuff.. but the 2008 x7-9 stuff my Gary Fisher Paragon was equipped with is way better than the 2020 XCaliber 8

[@garrettgriffin9613]

Was about to go panic check my bike to make sure the chain is lined up on the right teeth 😂 glad this system is dummy proof. Interesting video as always

[@neinjunge5560]

haha, same here...but then I instantly learned something...

[@EvanLownds]

Great video Seth, and I can confirm this from experience! I did a 1x conversion on my 2008 Trek last summer, and I took the frame in to a bike shop to have them pull the cranks as I didn't have the right tool. When I told the mechanic what I was doing he said without a clutch derailleur I'd be dropping the chain constantly and it wouldn't be worth the effort. Of course he kindly tried to sell me one, which I equally kindly refused. I purchased a cheap narrow-wide chainring from Amazon (something like $11) and after nearly 100 miles of trails and riding, I have only dropped the chain one single time, and that was when stick got sucked into my drivetrain and knocked it off. Otherwise, smooth sailing! The NW chainring really does hold the chain in place incredibly well.

[@madtownangler]

The only time my single speed chain came off is when I got run over by a drunk guy in the way to work. Luckily I was not hurt so I just called in and said if be late to work that night you can check my bike if you don't believe me. The drunk guy took off of course

[@bikeislife8405]

Ahh the oh so common “bike shop bro” 😂

[@The_1ntern3t]

​​​​@@madtownanglerI guess if you weren't hurt it'll be difficult. But if you *are*, go and report this kind of thing to the police. They can estimate how and where the vehicle got damaged. When the culprit inevitably brings in their car to get fixed, the workshop might report them. Sometimes workshops have police-provided lists of damaged areas on specific makes and models of cars to look out for.

[@madtownangler]

@@The_1ntern3t I wasn't hurt my crank got bent though.

[@jamesroscoe7555]

I did a 1x9 conversion many years ago with a narrow wide ring and a non clutch x7. It dropped pretty regularly until I added a oneup chain guide. I'd get maybe 1 drop per ride on rocky technical terrain after that. But probably a clutch would have been a good upgrade.

[@jimanastasio192]

I once upgraded an old Stumpjumper from a 3x to a 1x drivetrain. Chain drop was chronic. The clutch didn't help, chain guides did nothing (some seemed to make the problem worse) but a cheap narrow wide chainring (same brand Seth was showing) cured the problem. To me, the narrow-wide based 1x and the dropper post are pretty important. One advantage of the 1x is that rear suspension design is no longer compromised by the need to locate a front derailer opening up new possibilities in suspension design. Every full squish I've had developed cracks in the rear suspension, and I believe that in every case it was due to compromises related to accommodating the derailer. It was hard for me to give up that front derailer. What convinced me to ditch it was the need for a better dropper lever. The left-hand shifter had to go at that point, no two ways about it. No regrets, I love the 1x.

[@Drunken_Hamster]

Is 1x mostly an MTB/Gravel thing or is it also applicable to road bikes/commuters? Back when I was without motorized transport, I was actually considering either a front 3-ring only setup or a huge 9+ gear wide cassette single ring with relatively wide spacing in order to make my daily driver more useful than a 3x7 with stupid overlapping ratios. In fact, I mostly ran that bike with just the front 3, and for my 9+ wide setup I was considering a huge front ring (like 50+ teeth!) in order to get as much speed on downhill road portions as I could.

[@czaja995]

@@Drunken_Hamster For commuter/road bikes you don't have to fight with chain dropping , so I wouldn't go for 1x drive train as it gives you less flexibility, smaller gear range and has less durable components. For casual, not trained rider in this case I would go with 2x9 or 2x10, they are cheaper and give you greater gear range with less overlapping gears, more durable drive train, you have smaller sprocket for hill climbing and bigger for speed on flat road. 1x drive trains are very specialized thing, so they are good for one type of riding where you are pushing the limits but if you want universal bike I think 2x are best choice.

[@Drunken_Hamster]

@@czaja995 Fair enough, thanks for the advice!

[@Sundayfilmz]

i work on my bike all the time and i really like learning new things about working on my bike. thank you seth again for another great and informational video.

[@ayyggss]

That stamped steel chain ring has ramps that are designed to not hold onto the chain , allowing shifts . We used to run single speed from chain rings with taller teeth . Worked well enough at the time

[@sethhoffman8149]

That's what I was thinking too. Chainrings designed for multiple front gears are going to be less secure, since by design they are meant to guide the chain off the side to the next chainring.

[@MarcoSantosMAMS]

I,m using narrow-wide chainrings by years, but never paid attention to all these details! Amazing!

[@storm3016]

I have the exact same experience. My cheap Decathlon E-MTB came with a stamped steel chain-ring that was still a narrow-wide and welded to the crank so not easily replaceable. I always had problems with the chain coming off, like several times every mile. I solved it with a front-derailleur-like chain-guide initially, but it always kept that unnerving sound of the chain wanting to come off every few hundred meters or so. Last summer I finally upgraded to a (still cheap) new set of cranks so I could change to a machined narrow-wide ring and I can finally run it without a chain-guide now. My chain hasn't come off at all for 6 months straight. I use a Shimano Alivio rear derailleur, so no clutch as well. Congrats on te 1 mil btw, very well deserved and way overdue!

[@Knitterfest]

I have a narrow wide chainring on my makeshift 1x11 Gravelbike. Although my chainline is messed up (needs to be a few mm more towards the inside) the chain never slips off the lowest gear.

[@buzzlom]

You get front chainrings that cave in towards the frame. That's what I have on my Santa Cruz... makes the gears skipping long gone!

[@dougbrett9218]

​@buzzlom it's called off set I use a 3mm off set and a 6mm off set on my bikes depending on the axel sizing

[@newttella1043]

I drop a chain every now and then on washboard gravel. Maybe the clutch on my Apex GX derailleur is worn?

[@bikeislife8405]

I’ve used some washers to great success to get the chain line in check on some of my Frankenstein bikes lol

[@buzzlom]

@dougbrett9218 yes my bike also has 3mm offset to make the line of the chain better :)

[@valeriesorrells]

Keep these videos coming! This is great information for those who are in the process of upgrading their older rides.

[@festerofest4374]

I don't even have an MTB but I love this channel because of the quality of content and presentation. And I always learn cool stuff and this is another example. I'd heard of narrow/wide chainrings but had no idea what that meant and what a great explanation I received!

[@Chogie14]

Don't underplay your tests Seth. You ran a test and you presented the evidence with reasonable conclusions taken from what we all can see. Keep it up 👊🏼

[@bassmunk]

Ya, he was quite scientific in reality.

[@PunzL]

A sample size of 1 run indicates absolutely nothing. Seth knows that which is why he is cautious in making blanket statements and conclusions. For a test to achieve a significant result, it has to be done multiple times - definitely much more than just once to eliminate flukes and generate a trend.

[@alex_smallet]

The way Seth presents the information is mesmerizing. Even though I knew all these details, it feels satisfying to watch. I wish school teachers were like this.

[@mikeryan657]

I have a whole new respect for my front chain ring. Excellent presentation!

[@iKnowHow2Bucky]

Something so simple and I would have had no idea without it explained this way. Little bits of learning over time adds up!

[@ATHIP12]

I learned so much in this video! I've been wrenching on my bike for years and never realized the front chainring was narrow wide, and that the chain could only go one way. The chain must naturally fall into the right slots since I've never had trouble installing the chain. Thanks!

[@illmaso786]

Seth I just want to say you’re an absolute titan in the MTB community. Love your content man. Im a fairly new rider myself and I’ve learned a lot about the sport with your various videos

[@destructivecactus]

Thanks for this. I went from a sorta entry level FS 2007 bike to a decent 2018 model and so many things had changed, I hadn't even considered this one. I went to check my bike while watching this, and the video answered questions that came up while doing so!

[@icubbon]

Great video! 10/10 good job explaining, detailing, and going over the history!

[@qwasd0r]

This is so interesting. Also made me aware of the fact that I have been riding with the clutch OFF all the time, lol.

[@sebastianjost]

Clutch Off can improve shifting and drivetrain efficiency compared to clutch on due to there being less tension on the chain which makes the derailleur move a little easier. So if you're not having any problems with chains dropping, clutch off is perfectly fine. On Shimano, you also have to service the clutch every so often.

[@drill_fiend1097]

I only put the clutch on when going on a wildly bouncy gravel/short track. It's always off otherwise.

[@Yourfriendwasmagnificent]

​@@sebastianjost Yeah mine shifts noticeably easier with the clutch off, less effort required to physically push the shift levers, especially up.

[@rickymahoney6664]

This is the first I've heard of a clutch. Now I gotta go look at my bike lol. I was going to ask can you still shift with it on but it sounds like you can. It's crazy how much I've ridden and yet no nothing about my bike 🤦

[@ol_smokey9370]

​@@rickymahoney6664I didn't even know my bike had one. It's been on since I bought it. I went straight out and looked for it after watching this 😅

[@tims_builds]

Another chain retention feature these typically have is longer teeth. Bc they don't need to shift off like a traditional ring does they can have significantly longer teeth that protrude through the chain meaning the chain has to move further away before it completely comes out of contact with the teeth

[@davidwalden444]

Yeah that's the solution Shimano went with, they don't have narrow wide but still works quite well on my bike

[@ImnoSS127]

Hi Seth, I’ve been subscribed to both of you channels for a few years now and have seen the majority of you videos. I’ve never left a comment before, but just wanted to say that I really appreciate and enjoy your content! Thanks for all you do for the cycling community!

[@mcmillanvideos]

I greatly appreciate this explanation. I also really enjoy your videos. I'm an ex-mtb'er that wants to think I'll get back into it.. but with my situation, I don't see how... but one day! Just wanted to say thanks.. I'd always wondered what the narrow-wide thing was all about... great video with excellent visual demonstration. While you're saying you're not being scientific (enough?) I think you are. In fact, I've never seen Shimano or SRAM share their 'scientific' experiments... I always felt like they did what they did and we got what we got. So, I do appreciate real world experiments, they are the most important/realistic to me and 90% of people out there.

[@ronsanderson99]

Wow...this video is so enlightening! I've never had such a simple but comprehensive explanation. The gear manufacturers have never explained this so well! Thanks!

[@markharrison2487]

Wow didn't even know narrow wide chainrings was a thing. All my bikes have them, just checked. Learnt something from this video. Awesome, thanks

[@jamesb5863]

Thanks for this video, never gave it much thought but I have wondered about the chain ring. With all that said I do love my 2x drive train, I like being able to get a much lower gear with one click whenever I get to a sudden incline and then with one click back to the higher gear.

[@danielmattera690]

When I made my GT a 1x, I knew i had to use a narrow wide, today I learned why, thanks!

[@roryoconnell7759]

I love the expansiveness of your videos. It's like the Discovery channel for Mountain Bike related topics.

[@andyarchitect]

I set up a Specalized Vado SL electric hybrid a few days ago and wondered why the chain popped off the chainring when shifting to the largest 4 cassette cogs. Turned out it had a "semi" narrow wide chainring. You could feel the difference in thickness of the teeth with your fingers but the chain would sit on it when it was out of sync (i.e. the narrow bit of chain would fit on the wider tooth). Moved the chain along 1 tooth and it worked perfectly again. Seems that for city bikes they want the advantages too but slimmed it down to reduce noise as the demands are not as high as mountain biking. Might be something to bare in mind when shopping for chainrings.

[@MP_Soundbox]

You're high.

[@armandocardenas6094]

You are the GOAT, my friend. You are a blessing to mountain biking.

[@cbsos4u52]

This was great video explaining in depth your study on chain and narrow wide chain gears. For a person with no interest in cycling let along off road biking, this was indeed an engaging video and very easily under stood. Thanks for your time making this video.

[@harrybuzzer8839]

Tis deep dive blew my mind over such an simple but important part 🤯. Thanks!

[@mateese688]

I've never known about narrow wide chainrings until now, thanks for teaching!

[@andrewbaxter9395]

Me and my lads have preferred simple and light 1 x drivetrains on mtb for years now, narrow wides have made my riding so much more enjoyable. I can’t remember the last time I dropped a chain and that’s without a clutch derailleur.

[@fradland2784]

Pls do more of these videos they are so interesting and make something nice to get work done to

[@tristin5723]

This is amazing content! Now I know what I kept dropping my chain at the same spot every day on my commute.

[@AmvC]

This is a contender for the best youtube video so far this year. A litlte, but not not much time-overhang, slow-motion and action-cam footage carefully used, Close-Ups whenever they are necessary - not just to mask a cut. Clear Audio, supportive soundtrack, clear pictures, with archive footage in obvious and not try-hard relation to the video's subject and some nice, subtle color light "brushstrokes" in the background and on the subject. Excellent effort. Maybe some exaggerated "chain noise"-foley would have been a nice, satirical addition to put an emphasis on the non-narrow-wide-chainring-adaption-problem and put a grin on some of the watchers' faces.

[@dongkapuyawn5107]

Excellent video and explanation!!! Love how the tech was explained in layman's term. More of these type of videos please explaining why a particular tech on the bike was created.

[@eugenehvorostyanov2409]

Never thought what actually is it about narrow wide chainrings. Underestimated this little innovation for sure. Thanks for great video, there is real life testing and good explanation.

[@darrentryon7071]

I get a smile on my face every time I see the GT Ricochet on this channel. Such a good looking Dick's bike and one that I love to own! A great base bike to modify along the way!

[@69Tonyro]

When Seth comes out with a new vid, I hit like before I watch it. Because I know it will deserve it.

[@OrinSorinson]

These small documentaries are pretty cool

[@topspot4834]

I love when Seth breaks out the old bikes from the Flip Bike series!

[@12Bravojeepstuff]

I'm excited it's just a step closer to Morganton. I wish we would build a bike park here. They are currently planning to add to our Greenway park trail system. We will have a 20 mile stretch when complete. I think a bike park would be a perfect edition to the trail system. Thank you for all your videos!

[@jerrysanchez5453]

I think these videos are great because you really don't think about all the engineering that goes into some parts as simple as a chain ring

[@kevinpeters8372]

So fascinating. Had no idea how big of an innovation the narrow wide chainring was. Nice work man🔥🔥

[@VictorQuesada-bl1xk]

Thanks for the advice when it comes to making reasonable upgrades to lower end bikes. Many of us can't afford something high end but would love the option to traverse just a bit more terrain with a little more ease and a little less trouble.

[@rabbithomesteading3797]

The geeking out on this make so much sense to me and completely understand! Thank you for making sense out!

[@YanDoroshenko]

Was dropping chain on a Shimano 2x11 with a clutch like crazy. Getting a narrow-wide chainring put an end to that once and for all.

[@KevinT3141]

Is it still 2x11, or did you have to lock out the front derailleur to make it a 1x? Part of me thinks that you couldn't shift the 2x with narrow-wide rings; another part thinks that it would be more difficult to shift but that the chain would ultimately skip into the right spot on the new ring.

[@YanDoroshenko]

@@KevinT3141 I've replaced the two rings with a single one. I don't think there's a good way to have a 2x with narrow wide.

[@caffeinepowered3957]

Thanks for this info, I'll be upgrading my 3x to a N/W 1x as soon as I upgrade the rear!

[@ChrisCrond]

I just bought an upgrade a nice new mountain bike to an e-bike and was about to add links to my chain because of ho tight it felt until my buddy showed me my derailleur had a clutch. This video fully walked through how my new drive train works and was SUPER helpful! And I'm starting to think watching your videos is the reason I got into biking and dumped my car!

[@coopkink]

I noticed all this when I did my 1by conversion a couple years ago. Cool to see my thoughts mirrored by Seth!

[@peterfreeman3317]

Never dropped a chain with my AXS XX or the new XX SL. And i ride roots and rocks all day long, no smooth tracks where I ride! Absolutely incredible drivetrains.

[@LeaBrattle-parker-pp5sf]

Thank you very much. Wow I knew the narrow wide was a great design but now I know it's probably the best design. That video was so comprehensive and informative, once again thank you, I'm going to order a narrow wide for my son's bike now

[@ivanwesselsvlogs409]

Yes, my bike had a stamped Steel chainring and a derailleur with a clutch and the chain did indeed slip off quite a bit but for a while I wanted an oval chainring so I got an oval chainring with narrow whide teeth and it made a world of a difference.

[@markjmaxwell9819]

Such a simple product but has helped change Mountain biking for the better. Testing has shown that a narrow wide chainring is more effective than a clutched rear derailleur and is the best option if only one chain retention choice is available. With a clutched rear derailleur and a narrow wide chainring obviously the optimal choice for maximum chain retention. And I would imagine it's cheaper to remove both front chainrings and the front derailleur and put one narrow wide chainring on the cranks. Less things to go wrong and less weight. Considering cheap eBay cranks with a narrow wide chainring included are about thirty dollars delivered a bit of a no brainer well done SRAM.... 😎🇦🇺👍

[@jeffreymanuel6454]

+1 for your anecdotal evidence. I have a gravel bike runnning a non-clutch rear derailleur. Had chain drops whenever I went underbiking, until I upgraded to an even cheaper chinese narrow wide chainring than what you have in this video, and I haven't dropped a chain since. I originally upgraded purely to get a smaller chainring, and only realised the anti-chain drop benefit of the chainring a few months later, on reflection.

[@dassemultor2980]

Thanks, did know the chain is moving so much. Very interesting!

[@Vincent-_-123]

Congrats on the 1 million.

[@criggie]

Rocking the Biopace chainrings ! I still have a set, can't feel a difference at all, but they look good and confuse others!

[@SprSonik13]

I run my SS with 34x16 gearing. Chainring and cog are both N/W. It is the best set up I’ve used on SS in 20+ years

[@William-McCueRC]

I have a 1990 diamondback ascent EX. i bought it because I saw your video with an ascent! the last owner made it a 1x and removed the front deraileur. my first mod was a narrow wide and it doesnt drop the chain anymore!

[@yvmalnt4761]

Admirative of this capacity to create a (truly) interesting 12 minutes on a ... chain ring

[@markmcleod6376]

Absolutely amazing! I learn something every time I watch!!

[@greathoundAZ]

Great footage! Great information! Heck....great video! Thanks for putting it together and sharing.

[@hallstewart]

I frequently fail to switch the clutch on and the chain stays on (albeit noisier). You explain it perfectly: the clutch reduces the up-down movement, the NW chainring reduces the left-right movement; it’s the latter that causes de-chaining

[@misterhaan]

definitely did the right thing putting a cheap narrow-wide on my old bike when i changed it from 3x8 to 1x8! it doesn't have a clutch because i'm still running the original derailleur and the bike is from 2003. i haven't had much of an issue dropping chains (we don't have a lot of rough terrain around here) and i've been going for clutch derailleurs to minimize chain slap -- never considered they could help prevent chain drops . . . but also didn't know what a narrow-wide was for! just figured it made sense because i knew the gaps in a chain alternate.

[@lowiqsavage]

I had a Marin with a Biopace chainring. Good times :)

[@peglor]

I still have a Specialized with Biopace - a great bike for 1989, but Shimano got Biopace exactly wrong for MTB use. Their idea was to increase the diameter of the chainring when it pulled the chain as the pedal came to bottom dead center, to convert more momentum from the rider's legs into forward motion before they stop moving down at bottom dead center. This makes perfect sense if all your riding is pedaling at high cadence (Road type use), but MTBing is full of situations where riders end up standing and stomping up sudden grade changes, and in this situation they're actively bad. Modern MTB focussed off round chainrings almost universally have the big diameter pulling the chain at the point where the crank is level and rider torque is at a maximum to level out the rider's ability to put torque to the crank instead.

[@lowiqsavage]

@@peglor ahh, good to know.

[@bongesteban8756]

That Deckas chainring is a Badass

[@anmarcaver6745]

It's good to see Seth getting back to posting some basic stuff the last few months.

[@kevinbuggie3808]

Thanks for the great info, Seth!! Going to check the chainring on my diy one by 2014 krampus

[@chrishayes8197]

Great info! (and the funky bass background music is great, btw)

[@xtwosnakesx]

One trend you missed in your history lesson. Around 2000-2004in the PNW we removed our inner and outer chainrings, and replaced both of them with bash guards to surround the remaining middle ring. This was a cheap upgrade which helped with chain retention while also got a decent amount of use for riding over fallen logs that were prevalent in shared use trails in those renegade times. Shortly after that, MRP and E13 were commonly spotted with their giant, loud, and inefficient roller chain guides.

[@donavinnezar]

i haven never ridden a narrow wide , thanks to this video i am re evaluating my decision to buy cheaper cranks on my conversion journey to 1x12 (from deore 3x9)

[@NabeGamma12]

I remember back in 2017 when I first tried going 1x (1x9 to be exact) using the 2nd chainring of my 3x crankset lol. I had to makeshift a chain holder using a rear reflector clamp and a small cut of garden hose. Even raced with it on a rainy day and super muddy trails. Then I finally committed to a narrow-wide the same year. Ran Alivio 1x9 for 6 years until Christmas last year when I finally upgraded to a Deore 1x12 using the same chainring Seth is using in this video.

[@davidrobinson9507]

All chainrings are revolutionary

[@cframes]

This is outstanding content Seth!

[@LagBomer]

I can see the rest of the youtube pack running after you. Always ahead openning new paths of content.

[@MountaineerFPV]

Awesome first person view footage! SCIENCE 👊🏼👍👍🇺🇸

[@StanEby1]

Geek on! This was very helpful. I would like my mind to wrap around all of these mechanical details and concepts like I would like my chain to wrap around the chainring. So I'm going to have to keep thinking about what you have presented. Since this is in regard to mountain bikes, I'll give you my mountain thanks. This holp me a heap!

[@georgefromiami]

Great video, science and history, thanks Seth

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

As an engineer, I can agree with everything that is said in this video. Nice analysis. However, in addition, on the narrow-wide chainrings the teeth tend to be deeper, this is because they don't need to be designed to derail. I suspect this extra depth is another reason for better chain retention.

[@vinileyro]

In 2017 I DYI'd my already old 3x8 into a 1x8feat.megarange and it's the best upgrade I ever did on my rat bike which I use every day with no mercy at all. The crank is the original 3x arm and I put the narrow-wide chainring in the middle ring position, and the rear derailleur is the just-as-old Shimano Altus with no clutch whatsoever. Only dropped the chain 2 times, but it took some effort and everything was already really worn out. The big advantage is: it's REALLY CHEAP to replace everything, and it lasts a lot with no maintenance besides cleaning and lubing the chain once in a while. My current setup is 32t narrow-wide chainring with 11-34 8 speed cassete, which is just enough for my everyday use considering some hills and confortable cruising speed. I liked it so much that I think urban bikes should come with this setup instead of sh*tty 21 speed groupsets.

[@kingdomculture5743]

Interesting vid! Good investigation on the narrow-wide chain ring!

[@miketayse]

Thanks much for posting. Very informative. I'm still riding a Jamis, triple ring, but am starting to shop a more modern mountain bike.

[@rodneyterpstra8380]

I have been wondering about this for ages! great work mate keep up the content its great

[@redashash]

Great video! I would love to see these deep dives into bike components more often

[@bassmunk]

So glad I saw this video! Having issues with my single chain ring and the roller, which is supposed to help keep the chain on but also adds friction, isn't really helping... Buying one of these ASAP and getting rid of that extra pedal effort from that dumb roller...

[@mdpaulee]

Great video! Been wondering how they work for a long time. My clutch lever has been wonky on my xt derailleur for a while now but never had an issue with dropped chain. Now I know

[@divscifres2674]

WOW -- didn't know. Yep ... definitely learned something today!

[@jesperrosca1222]

Great video, love these deep dives into the different parts of the bike. Very interesting!

[@ow-my-achilles1106]

I have been riding MTB for over 20 years and did not know the reason behind "narrow wide". Not enough reading I suppose. THANK YOU. I really enjoy understanding my equipment and how it works. I was a VERY early adopter of bash guards, chain guides, and 1X, well before they were even introduced by the big two MTB drivetrain forces, SRAM and Shimano. I made my own guides, and turned the teeth off of large chainrings in a lathe to make a bash guard that didn't exist yet, to get obstacle clearance and chain keeping. I HATED DROPPING chains! And I hated front derailleurs. When bikes started appearing with 2X I knew 1X was coming close behind. My 2018 Stumpjumper came as 12 speed, 1X, with a chain keeper, and I have never lost a chain. I installed an ISCG 05 MRP basher too. I don't even know if it's a narrow wide chain system!! (SRAM), but it likely is.😬 . I never observed the one way fit of the chain on the front sprocket. It just works. Thanks for the interesting and informative breakdown.

[@dimacharington2851]

the fact that you can patent putting a big thingy in a big hole and a small thingy in small hole is wild😂

[@stanley3647]

For few years i run at Sram X0 non clutch deraileur and narrow-wide oval chainring at front - it works nearly perfect. Without any chainguides. Plus narrow-wide jockey wheels for deraileur as extra chain stabilisation (i need to use some spacers to adopt narrow 12spd wheels to 10spd cage). Chain drop happens, but very rarely at this setup. And start happens when chainring wear out a bit (cog teeth going more narrow over time due to friction and dirt). New chainring solved problems (when teeth still in spec) Finally i changed deraileur to Microshift Advent X (and replaced jockey wheels to narrow-wide) because incopatibility of Sram X0 with 48T casette. Now - my chain never drop. No fortune spend ;)

[@eegaugh]

Thanks for this informative video. FWIW, you certainly can buy rings with odd numbered teeth and, no doubt prime-numbered as well but the narrow-wide chain principle seems to put the odd ones' future in doubt.

[@jason-dy5ou]

I remember mountain biking in the 90's having a lizzard skin chain stay protector was a must. It would at least quiet down the chain slap agains the frame. I also had lizzard skin brake handle pads and bar ends. Today with the width of bars bar ends would kill you on the trail wrapping around every tree in sight.

[@UrbanoFloripa]

Deckas chainring, I've been using it for some time, the quality for the price is unbelievable.

[@victoryvisiontour]

I normally ride with the clutch OFF when racing. It makes shifting easier at the lever and gear changes are much quicker. I do not have chain drop issues due to the narrow-wide chainring. I agree NW is one the best advancements in mountain biking.

[@judclark7376]

In 1990 my mountain bike was also my daily road bike so I needed those higher for some of the flat's and down hills I rod every day.

[@mattveness1193]

Well I learnt something today. Thank you.