Best chainstay protector?

[veggieburger]

I'm getting a little paranoid about dropping/slapping my chain on the carbon stay. Any suggestions for best protection? Thx!

[enr1co]

I'm getting a little paranoid about dropping/slapping my chain on the carbon stay. Any suggestions for best protection? Thx!

Best chainstay protection are those thick neoprene w/ velcro sold by lizard skin or various mfgs.or if on the cheap, a repurposed inner tube wrapped and secured w/ tie wraps.

[eddief]

thick, rubbery, with a sort of wrinkly, hard-wearing surface.

clear / opaque

https://www.modernbike.com/velo-staytop-kit-chainstay--8-frame-savers-clear

carbon

https://www.modernbike.com/velo-staytop-chainstay--8-frame-savers-faux-carbon

[cadence90]

Those things or 3M thick "helicopter tape"...you can cut it to whatever length/profile you like.

Rolls are very inexpensive on eBay.
.

[Matthew]

I second the Velo ones. Have used for years with no issues.

[tedbarbeau]

I haven't used it before (I only ride singlespeeds at the moment), but I noticed ESI makes some silicone tape that looks pretty attractive. It's like a cleaner version of the old inner tube trick.

http://www.esigrips.com/silicone-tape-/silicone-tape

I've used their grips on my MTB in the past and will likely wrap a chainstay in this tape if/when I ever get a geared bike again.

[11.4]

Helicopter tape. Frames are already built with the assumption of chain slap, and that right chain stay is always awfully beefy. What you don't want to do is put nicks on it.

More than protective tape, keep your chain short enough so you don't have excessive slack.

[konaman]

Helicopter tape. Frames are already built with the assumption of chain slap, and that right chain stay is always awfully beefy. What you don't want to do is put nicks on it.

More than protective tape, keep your chain short enough so you don't have excessive slack.


ditto

[Cicli]

I haven't used it before (I only ride singlespeeds at the moment), but I noticed ESI makes some silicone tape that looks pretty attractive. It's like a cleaner version of the old inner tube trick.

http://www.esigrips.com/silicone-tape-/silicone-tape

I've used their grips on my MTB in the past and will likely wrap a chainstay in this tape if/when I ever get a geared bike again.

Works well. You can get it at Home Depot in the plumbing department for alot less. Self fusing silicone tape.

[Louis]

Spiral wrap - beefy, lasts forever, available in a bunch of colors and sizes, not expensive and easy to install or remove.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#spiral-bundling-wrap/=1bn8hv2

https://www.electriduct.com/assets/images/spriral-wrap-color.jpg

[veggieburger]

Spiral wrap - beefy, lasts forever, available in a bunch of colors and sizes, not expensive and easy to install or remove.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#spiral-bundling-wrap/=1bn8hv2


This looks interesting!

[Louis]

This looks interesting!

Two "head's up" comments: (although ymmv)

1) It looks a bit "industrial" when it's on the bike, so if you're looking for an elegant look, then clear tape is probably best. (but spiral-wrap does give industrial-strength protection - I love it on my daily driver, where I have black wrap on a gray frame)

2) I've had to play around a bit to find the right size. You get the most complete area coverage if your stay is only a bit larger than the "at rest" ID of the wrap. The wrap can grow to much more than that, but if you do that then the bands tend to move apart along the length of the stay, and you get more stay showing through the gaps.

[11.4]

I've tried spiral wrap. The abrasion to the clear coat was worse than anything a chain did. It collects grit and tightens around it, rubbing it into the clear coat.

One thing I've done has been to get a piece of semicircular copper rod, about 3/16" diameter. Tack it down on the top of the stay, right on the high point, for the length of the exposed part of the stay, and then put helicopter tape over it. The chain whacks the rod, which absorbs and spreads the blow, and the chain never gets close to the chainstay itself. It tears up the helicopter tape more rapidly but it looks really sharp and works well. I've tried with a semicircular piece of UHDPE which also works well.

[Louis]

I've tried spiral wrap. The abrasion to the clear coat was worse than anything a chain did. It collects grit and tightens around it, rubbing it into the clear coat.

Hmmm.

I haven't had the problem, but I can see how in some cases it might be an issue.

But there's no way it can be worse than the chain hitting the stay - in some cases, where the stay protection sticker that came with the bike wasn't big enough and not really put in the right place - I've had a chain take big (at least 1-2mm diameter) chips out of the paint, all the way down to the primer and the bare metal. When that happens I just make sure there's plenty of chain grease on there to keep things from corroding and don't worry about it. So far (many,many years and lots of miles) it hasn't been a problem.

[.RJ]

Those things or 3M thick "helicopter tape"...you can cut it to whatever length/profile you like.

Rolls are very inexpensive on eBay.
.

This is what I use.

[tombtfslpk]

I have been using 3M brand 2228 Moisture Sealing Electrical Tape. It's thick and rubbery, about an inch wide, and has a self adhesive back. I have been trimming a single strip to run lengthwise down the chainstay. I like the extra padding it seems to provide over the "helicopter" tape. My gravel-ish bike and mountain bikes have marked it up, but not destroyed it. I found mine at Home Depot, it's not inexpensive but it contains 10 feet of product so I can do plenty of bikes.

[Red Tornado]

Cut a used road bike tire to the length you want & attach with a few zip ties. Practically a lifetime chainstay guard.

[Louis]

Has anyone ever tried self-fusing electrical tape?

You'd have to wrap it around the stay, as if you were doing a handlebar, but given the thickness, it might give some pretty good protection. I don't know how tough it would be. It's usually black, but there seem to be a few other colors also available.

https://vetco.net/spree/products/54729/original/VUPN8022.jpg

[CunegoFan]

Has anyone ever tried self-fusing electrical tape?

You'd have to wrap it around the stay, as if you were doing a handlebar, but given the thickness, it might give some pretty good protection. I don't know how tough it would be. It's usually black, but there seem to be a few other colors also available.

https://vetco.net/spree/products/54729/original/VUPN8022.jpg

I have been using this stuff for a while. It works great. It's basically like encasing your chainstay in rubber. It can be difficult to get a nice wrap with even spacing since you need to stretch it as you wrap and there is not a lot of space between chainstays. When stretched it instantly bonds to itself so no unwrapping the last bit to adjust the wrap.

[Louis]

I have been using this stuff for a while. It works great. It's basically like encasing your chainstay in rubber. It can be difficult to get a nice wrap with even spacing since you need to stretch it as you wrap and there is not a lot of space between chainstays. When stretched it instantly bonds to itself so no unwrapping the last bit to adjust the wrap.

Sounds promising. Have you ever had trouble removing it, or does it peel off itself without too much effort?

I've used it for electrical applications for some motorcycle stuff, but haven't had to remove it once installed.

[oddsaabs]

+1 for helicopter tape. Leading edge tape used on race cars works well too.

Lately though I've been going super simple and just throwing a sarcastic sticker on there....

[CunegoFan]

Sounds promising. Have you ever had trouble removing it, or does it peel off itself without too much effort?

I've used it for electrical applications for some motorcycle stuff, but haven't had to remove it once installed.

You have to cut it off. It really is fused. It might as well be a continuous piece of rubber after it sticks to itself.

[fignon's barber]

I'm getting a little paranoid about dropping/slapping my chain on the carbon stay. Any suggestions for best protection? Thx!



Keep it in the 53x11. No problem with chain slap.:cool:

[Dromen]

Has anyone ever tried self-fusing electrical tape?

You'd have to wrap it around the stay, as if you were doing a handlebar, but given the thickness, it might give some pretty good protection. I don't know how tough it would be. It's usually black, but there seem to be a few other colors also available.

https://vetco.net/spree/products/54729/original/VUPN8022.jpg

They have black white blue and clear at my Home Depot. It need to be wrapped? what happens if you run a strip along top of chain stay like typical protectors?

[johnniecakes]

The same stuff you use on your handlebars.

[bironi]

Nother vote for Heli Tape.

[CunegoFan]

They have black white blue and clear at my Home Depot. It need to be wrapped? what happens if you run a strip along top of chain stay like typical protectors?

It would not stick to the chainstay. It's really cool stuff. It stretches to about three times its length and bonds with itself as its wrapped.

Aside from chainstay protection, I have used small strips to make rubber bumpers on cable housing where the housing can touch the frame while riding on rough terrain.