stupid question - chainstay protectors?

shefbiker
shefbiker Posts: 255
edited February 2011 in Road buying advice
Hi
I'm about to take delivery of my first proper road bike, and was wondering whether i need to fit a chainstay protector from the off?
All of my cycling to date has been mountain biking, so a chainstay protector is necessary for when you're bouncing down hills etc with no load on the chain.
Common sense says that you don't need one on a road bike because the chain is loaded all of the time, and also you're not bouncing down hills.
Is this correct?
As i say, probably a very silly question, but I don't really want to go out and take chunks out of my new bike.
Thanks

Comments

  • Mike67
    Mike67 Posts: 585
    I'd still fit one.

    the chain isn't loaded downhill or coasting and that's when you'll bounce over a nice pothole and create a big chip in your nice new paintwork :cry:

    Also stops oily crud dropping onto that chainstay too so less cleaning.

    As an aside my new roadbike came with a chainstay protector in place you might even get one with yours.
    Mike B

    Cannondale CAAD9
    Kinesis Pro 5 cross bike
    Lots of bits
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,615
    get some bike tape off bike tart. stick some on wherever cables rub on the frame aswell. make sure you use a hairdryer though
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • chrisw12
    chrisw12 Posts: 1,246
    The beauty of un-painted titanium, you don't need bits of tape and protectors all over your bike. But yeah for anything else stick a protector on.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    gsk82 wrote:
    get some bike tape off bike tart. stick some on wherever cables rub on the frame aswell. make sure you use a hairdryer though

    +1

    ...i use for chainstay and various places where cable rub would happen, plus you can not really see the stuff once its on so everything looks good.
  • shefbiker
    shefbiker Posts: 255
    great, thanks - sounds like bike tape is the way to go.
    Can you expand on your hairdryer suggestion? the biketart website only mentions the 'wet' method, which looks quite counter-intuitive.
    is the biketape thick enough to ofer much protection?
    thanks for all your responses,
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    shefbiker wrote:
    great, thanks - sounds like bike tape is the way to go.
    Can you expand on your hairdryer suggestion? the biketart website only mentions the 'wet' method, which looks quite counter-intuitive.
    is the biketape thick enough to ofer much protection?
    thanks for all your responses,

    Id be interested too, although Ive never had a problem, I did do the chainstay on my R3 on the second attempt though. Ive got a cutting mat and scalpels which helps, if you did get a bubble you can pierce it and get it out. A bunch of 10A blades and a handle should be in every household :)
  • thespanishadam
    thespanishadam Posts: 341
    Have a look on ebay, search 'helicopter tape'. Loads of sellers, comes in a range of sizes.
  • stokepa31
    stokepa31 Posts: 560
    I always use alcohol wipes prior to fitting protectors to make sure there is no grime at all and they always stay on.
    Burning Fat Not Rubber

    Scott CR1
    Genesis IO ID
    Moda Canon
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    FWIW I have never used a chainstay protector. For myself, protectors get lumped into that
    catagory of "Items that fix problems that don't exist".
  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    I don't think you need neoprene MTB-style chainstay protectors on road bikes at all, if those are the sort you mean.

    Mine came with a sort of transparent thick sticker on top of the chainstay, seems to be enough to me.

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