Bash Ring

GibboGT

Hi, I think I'm in need of a bash ring, I seem to be rather rapidly destroying my big ring.

I want to keep all three rings and so need a protector that covers a 44T, 4 bolt ring. About the only one I can find is this. But that is rather pricey and currently out of stock.

If its well worth the money then I guess i'm willing to pay for it, and if it comes in stock it seems to get good reviews.

Can anyone recommend it, or any other options?

Cheers in advance.

ride_whenever

there are a couple of others, but being metal that is one of the better ones...

GibboGT

Cheers, maybe will wait till stock comes in.

I just find it a little odd that there seem to be so few options, a majority are 5 bolt or smaller ring. I thought 4 bolt 44T seemed pretty much the most used chainset? Do not many mountain bikers use them, and just drop the big ring if they need protection?

ride_whenever

nail, head

you've hit it. You only really need a big ring for xc, and so you don't really need a bash. For more bashy things you either go double/bash or single chainguide

GibboGT

Cheers again for the input.

Not doing anything competitive, but I do enjoy a fast hack through the woods, and i've done a bit of damage in only 6 days on I don't know what. I guess I need to spend some more cash

dave_hill

GibboGT wrote:

Cheers, maybe will wait till stock comes in.

I just find it a little odd that there seem to be so few options, a majority are 5 bolt or smaller ring. I thought 4 bolt 44T seemed pretty much the most used chainset? Do not many mountain bikers use them, and just drop the big ring if they need protection?

Bear this in mind...

If you have a 22/32/44 chainset and an 11 - 34 cassette, you have 25 gear combinations (ratios) to go at - in theory.

Discount your "extreme" ratios - ie, smallest chainring - smallest sprocket and largest chainring-largest sprocket. You cna't really use them anyway and it puts too much lateral stress on your cahin and rings/sprockets - so that's 2 less.

25 ratios left...

Now, out of those 25 ratios you've got left, about 5 of them are duplicated, or very, very close to being so. So in effect, out of 27 theoretical ratios, you've probably only got 20 unique, usable ones!

The answer? Ditch your outer ring; swap your middle ring for a slightly bigger one (e.g. 34 or 36) and fit a bash ring.

The result is that you've got at least 17 gears which aren't duplicated and far more suitable for trail riding. Unless you spend a lot of your time on tarmac or pounding well-made up gravel roads, you really don't need any higher ratios.

As an example, my highest ratio is 34 x 11 - I can ride in that gear on a flat, level road at 20mph without feeling that I'm spinning the pedals like a loon.

GibboGT

Thanks a lot for the input.

Few more questions in response; How does a bash ring like this? covering a 34t or 36t? middle ring benefit me more than getting a bash ring to cover my big ring, other than saving a few quid which I would then lose by buying the new middle ring? What are the benefits?

I understand the ratio's etc, and although I do use the top gear when hacking through flat sections of the woods near me, the drop down to a 36t middle ring probably wouldn't be too great and leave me lacking. (I checked this on my ride out tonight by switching between top and top on the middle 32t ring). I do commute on the bike however, while the weather is nice though i'm commuting through the woods, in the winter when it's wet I may miss that top gear, but I guess then it'll be far too windy to use it

Oh and one more, does this require any modification to the front derailleur? or is it just a case of not using the top setting? if I did hit it into top, would the chain then just fall off? (that would be kinda annoying, although rare).

Thanks for all the advice.

dave_hill

GibboGT wrote:

Thanks a lot for the input.

Few more questions in response; How does a bash ring like this? covering a 34t or 36t? middle ring benefit me more than getting a bash ring to cover my big ring, other than saving a few quid which I would then lose by buying the new middle ring? What are the benefits?

First off, that bash ring won't cover a 36T ring - as it says its for 32 - 34T. If you fitted one with a 36T ring, you'd be defeating the object.

If you fit a bash ring which covers your outer (44T) ring, by definition it has to be bigger than the ring. But in being so, it reduces your ground clearance still further - what you gain in protecting your outer ring, you loose in being more likely to clatter your bash ring.

If you are looking at it from a purely financial point of view (rather than a practical point of view) you might as well forget it - if you add a bashguard, you're just adding extra weight; If you don't and you damage your outer ring, you're going to have to replace it.

GibboGT wrote:

I understand the ratio's etc, and although I do use the top gear when hacking through flat sections of the woods near me, the drop down to a 36t middle ring probably wouldn't be too great and leave me lacking. (I checked this on my ride out tonight by switching between top and top on the middle 32t ring). I do commute on the bike however, while the weather is nice though i'm commuting through the woods, in the winter when it's wet I may miss that top gear, but I guess then it'll be far too windy to use it

It took me a while to convince myself to try it, but once I had I'm glad I did. The trails that I ride are fairly hilly and rocky, so I don't miss my outer ring at all. I commute to occasionally, but because I don't stick to the roads (I tend to be skittling down back alleys and taking naughty shortcuts) again, I don't need high gears so its not a problem.

GibboGT wrote:

Oh and one more, does this require any modification to the front derailleur? or is it just a case of not using the top setting? if I did hit it into top, would the chain then just fall off? (that would be kinda annoying, although rare).

Easy - you just shift onto the middle ring then screw the high-range stop screw right in so you can't the front mech move any further. You can also slide the front mech down a touch too. But in any case, you couldn't "overshift" becasue there's no teeth on the bash ring to catch the chain up.

GibboGT wrote:

Thanks for all the advice.

Welcome.

GibboGT

dave_hill wrote:

First off, that bash ring won't cover a 36T ring - as it says its for 32 - 34T. If you fitted one with a 36T ring, you'd be defeating the object.

I had realised, but cheers for pointing it out.

dave_hill wrote:

If you fit a bash ring which covers your outer (44T) ring, by definition it has to be bigger than the ring. But in being so, it reduces your ground clearance still further - what you gain in protecting your outer ring, you loose in being more likely to clatter your bash ring.

If you are looking at it from a purely financial point of view (rather than a practical point of view) you might as well forget it - if you add a bashguard, you're just adding extra weight; If you don't and you damage your outer ring, you're going to have to replace it.

Not looking at it purely financially, It was just the only benefit I could see. Hadn't really considered clearance as i'f figured the thing id hit ahd more bounced up rather than i'd dropped on something large.
Another reason is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks

dave_hill wrote:

It took me a while to convince myself to try it, but once I had I'm glad I did. The trails that I ride are fairly hilly and rocky, so I don't miss my outer ring at all. I commute to occasionally, but because I don't stick to the roads (I tend to be skittling down back alleys and taking naughty shortcuts) again, I don't need high gears so its not a problem.

I guess i'm similar when out.

May be doing some long distance stuff on the downs which would require the gearing. But would only ever do that stuff and gentle XC with the misses and she's only got little legs so the speed is limited

dave_hill wrote:

Easy - you just shift onto the middle ring then screw the high-range stop screw right in so you can't the front mech move any further. You can also slide the front mech down a touch too. But in any case, you couldn't "overshift" becasue there's no teeth on the bash ring to catch the chain up.

Good point, wasn't thinking on the falling off part.

Will have a think.

Thanks a lot for the input again.