Erik Annis posted a discussion

September 12, 2014

Single narrow / wide chainrings - performance in the mud for CX

What is everyone's thoughts on using single narrow / wide chainrings in muddy CX race conditions (vs. a standard single chainring with bashguard)? I like the idea of narrow / wide chainrings in dry conditions, because it is much harder to drop a chain (if you bang the rear wheel on a barrier or the ground). Interbike is showing a bunch of upcoming design changes to single narrow / wide chainrings that will help with the problem of the chain being clogged with mud (but they are not out yet).i.e. from Wolf Tooth's website: http://www.wolftoothcycling.com/collections/chainrings/products/110-bcd-cyclocross-chainrings"Note on mud: wide/narrow chainrings do no work well in heavy mud (Wolf Tooth or any other brand) if you plan to ride in very muddy conditions, we recommend a chainguide or chainkeeper and clutch-type rear derailleur! Without these precautions, you may experience chaindrops and/or chainsuck."See More