Chain-suck sucks; any suggestions on chain catchers?

[fa63]

Recently, I was giving a riding buddy of mine a hard time because his bike kept dropping the chain during the big-to-small downshift, and the repeated chain-suck did pretty decent cosmetic damage on his shiny Trek Emonda SLR frame. I told him there should be no chain drop if everything is adjusted correctly (he uses SRAM Red ETap).

Famous last words, as it happened to me on today's ride... Going uphill, I was in the 52-28 combo and decided I didn't want to grind it anymore so I simultaneously shifted down two gears in the back and shifted into the small ring in the front. I also hit a little bump right while shifting, and next thing you know the chain is jammed up in there really good. Took me about 5 minutes to untangle everything and carefully pull the chain out. There are now a couple decent gauges and scratch marks on my nice carbon frame around the bottom bracket. It was bad enough that it actually ended up bending the chain so it was skipping like crazy and I had to call for a ride from my wife.

I had told myself that I should order a chain catcher proactively, but had convinced myself that the FD is very well adjusted so there should be no problem (I don't recall the last time this happened to me on any bike I have owned). Live and learn as they say...

Any suggestions on a braze-on mount chain catcher that works well?

[cderalow]

k-edge pro has worked for me for the last 5+ years.

have never dropped onto the inside.

[pdmtong]

Originally Posted by fa63

Recently, I was giving a riding buddy of mine a hard time because his bike kept dropping the chain during the big-to-small downshift, and the repeated chain-suck did pretty decent cosmetic damage on his shiny Trek Emonda SLR frame. I told him there should be no chain drop if everything is adjusted correctly (he uses SRAM Red ETap).

Famous last words, as it happened to me on today's ride... Going uphill, I was in the 52-28 combo and decided I didn't want to grind it anymore so I simultaneously shifted down two gears in the back and shifted into the small ring in the front. I also hit a little bump right while shifting, and next thing you know the chain is jammed up in there really good. Took me about 5 minutes to untangle everything and carefully pull the chain out. There are now a couple decent gauges and scratch marks on my nice carbon frame.

I had told myself that I should order a chain catcher proactively, but had convinced myself that the FD is very well adjusted so there should be no problem (I don't recall the last time this happened to me on any bike I have owned). Live and learn as they say...

Any suggestions on a braze-on mount chain catcher that works well?

Simultaneous shifting under load has never ended well for me, even at my measly wattage.

K-edge....

[KidWok]

Chain catchers only deal with chain drop, not chain suck.

Tai

[FlashUNC]

One opposing views against the K edge. You torque it enough that the chain gets under the K-edge, you're going to have a helluva time getting it fixed roadside.

K edge looks cool, but for a catcher I think the dog tooth ones work far better.

[fa63]

Originally Posted by pdmtong

Simultaneous shifting under load has never ended well for me, even at my measly wattage.

K-edge....

I do my best not to shift simultaneously, but it does happen from time to time especially if I am trying to maintain momentum. Had never had an issue with it until today.

Originally Posted by KidWok

Chain catchers only deal with chain drop, not chain suck.

Tai

Good point; maybe chain-suck is not the technically correct way to describe this.

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

One opposing views against the K edge. You torque it enough that the chain gets under the K-edge, you're going to have a helluva time getting it fixed roadside.

K edge looks cool, but for a catcher I think the dog tooth ones work far better.

This is a carbon frame with a non-round seat tube which gets very wide at the bottom bracket area. So I am afraid a dog-tooth version won't work here.

[pdmtong]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

One opposing views against the K edge. You torque it enough that the chain gets under the K-edge, you're going to have a helluva time getting it fixed roadside. K edge looks cool, but for a catcher I think the dog tooth ones work far better.

no matter the catcher, if you feel the chain drop you better ease up else bad things can happen

Originally Posted by fa63

I do my best not to shift simultaneously, but it does happen from time to time especially if I am trying to maintain momentum. Had never had an issue with it until today. Good point; maybe chain-suck is not the technically correct way to describe this. This is a carbon frame with a non-round seat tube which gets very wide at the bottom bracket area. So I am afraid a dog-tooth version won't work here.

the dog tooth ones like n-gear jump stop stop are from round seat tube days. I think you are "stuck" with a FD arm style

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by fa63

I do my best not to shift simultaneously, but it does happen from time to time especially if I am trying to maintain momentum. Had never had an issue with it until today.

Assuming your der limits and all are dialed in correctly, I'm guessing that this is all completely controllable by you. I used to double clutch all the time, but did have the occasional chain drop like you, but then I just gave just a moment's pause between shifting the rear and then, with a slight let up on the crank, dropping into the small chainring. No problemo.

[R3awak3n]

just pointing out that chain suck is different than chain drop. Chain suck from what I understand (and what I had on my OPEN till I went 1x) is when the chain gets sucked from under the chainring and into the BB. Chain drop is when the chain falls in from the top into the BB.

Very different. For chain drop, usually a chain catcher will help... chain suck is a lot more a problem and for new bikes, no real device to prevent it.

[Dino Suegiù]

Originally Posted by fa63

This is a carbon frame with a non-round seat tube which gets very wide at the bottom bracket area. So I am afraid a dog-tooth version won't work here.

Then only a K-Edge type (derailleur mount) guide will work.

A really excellent chain guide (sim to Deda Dog Fang, but I prefer N-Gear for ease/dirability) is the N-Gear Jump Stop, but those are for mounting on round seat tubes.

This is what the N-Gear owner states about tubes like on your frame, and so recommends a direct competitor (K-Edge).

"Derailleur-mount guide:
Monocoque carbon fiber road bikes present a special challenge because the frame shape and material is incompatible with clamp-type seat tube mounted guides, and the chainrings are usually too large for E-type guides. For such bikes, K-Edge makes a braze-on mount chain "catcher" (as they call it) which mounts on the derailleur mounting tab (still called a braze-on, even though it is not brazed on non-steel frames). The arm of this guide experiences considerable cantilever loading, and is probably more vulnerable to damage and going out adjustment because of that, but for many monocoque carbon frames, there simply is no other commercial option available on the market."

[Hindmost]

Chainsuck is when a chain does not release from the bottom of the chain ring and starts to wrap around to 360 degrees. Pedaling comes to an abrupt halt. Bontraeger used to have a guard that would catch the chain.

Does chain suck no longer occur?

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by Hindmost

Chainsuck is when a chain does not release from the bottom of the chain ring and starts to wrap around to 360 degrees. Pedaling comes to an abrupt halt. Bontraeger used to have a guard that would catch the chain.

Does chain suck no longer occur?

it does.

[mktng]

Deda Dog Fang. If your bike can accommodate it. Low key. Light weight. More reliable than a K edge. From experience.



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[ultraman6970]

Never had that problem, not even when I was racing. I do understand chain drop from having the FD set a few mm off but from there to get the chain sucked, i cant even explain how it could happen because never happened to me.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by KidWok

Chain catchers only deal with chain drop, not chain suck.

Tai

Correct altho one(spitting chain past small ring) can 'cause' the other(chain gets grabbed by the CR bolts or part of the small ring). If you are having chainsuck issues, that is, the chain doesn't want to come off the chain..then a new chairing, the 'hooks' of the teeth are grabbing the chain. Chain watcher keeps the chain from missing the small ring and a good idea on all rigs, IMHO.