Cheap Inside Chain Guide

With a chain flapping like that, it’s just a matter of time before the chain is thrown

Throwing a chain is an issue with many 1×9 drivetrains and the Redline Mono 9 was no different. Over the months of testing I threw my chain three times, but during a 12 mile race my chain came off a wicked 4 times. Ugh. Getting off the bike to move the chain back onto the crank can be a very frustrating experience.

After searching the internet for some ideas, I came across an ingenious solution. Problem is I can’t find the web page anymore. Doh! Anyways, heres how to fashion a cheap inside chain guide: use the reflector holder your bike came with.

Oft overlooked and ignored, the humble reflector holder has an afterlife as a useful inside chain guide

Quite often the first item upgraded on a bike is the removal of the reflector and its holder, but this lightly regarded item can serve a very useful purpose on your 1×9 steed. In fact, in its reincarnation, the ignored reflector holder can become a very serviceable and cheap alternative to expensive chain minders by just using a little ingenuity, which I have none of.

After carefully trimming off a piece of the reflector holder to fit it into the tight space between the seat tube and the crank while also replacing one of the screws with a longer one I found laying around, presto change-o:

Reincarnated

Looking from the top down

Please note, the reflector holder I used for this project is the one that holds the clear front reflector. The red rear reflector holder can also be used but the guide will be vertical rather than horizontal as shown in the pictures above. And yes, there is a bashguard on the crank as well. If someone has a great cheap idea for an outside chain guide, let me know as I’d like to save $50.