Chain Catchers

[SteveSteveson]

Why don't bikes come with them? It seems like a no brainier and something that most people don't have, or are aware of. Seems very odd when the pros use them and it can save so much annoyance, damage and (in the case of a carbon frame) expense.

[j00pY]

I agree, but I guess its another few pounds off the profit of each bike and extra weight to add on.

I've only just fitted one after owning my bike since Feb but it was in the back of mind to fit one for ages.

[yellowjack]

Are we talking road or MTB here?

My last two road bikes have had a chain catcher fitted. My 2010 Merida Road Race had a 'Dog Tooth' 'band-on' black plastic thing to prevent the chain dropping onto the frame/bottom bracket off the inner chainring. My 2015 Trek Emonda has one too, although that one is mounted directly to the frame, so looks to have been designed in from the start. Fortunately, though, I've never had occasion to test their efficacy...

...my GT Avalanche MTB was a low-end purchase, and doesn't have one. Yet it has seen it's fair share of dropped chains,and is probably the one bike in my garage that would benefit from such a device.

[AyBee]

How does one damage a carbon frame if the chain comes off?

[GaryGlitter]

AyBee said:

How does one damage a carbon frame if the chain comes off?

Not. Sure. If. Serious.

[SteveSteveson]

yellowjack said:

Are we talking road or MTB here?

Road, hybrid and CX... Perhaps it is just the bikes I have been looking at. I must admit my survey has just been on my bikes and ones friends own as I only thought about it a few days ago (When my chain came off and took 20 mins to fix as I lost half the speed link in long grass)

Well, If you see some nutter looking at the bottom bracket of every bike next time you go in to a bike shop it'll be me seeing how many come with them.

yellowjack said:

Fortunately, though, I've never had occasion to test their efficacy...

Should you even notice most of the time if they are doing their job?

AyBee said:

How does one damage a carbon frame if the chain comes off?

Overshift pushes the chain off the small cog. Chain gets jammed around the BB and between the bolts and the spindle. Peddling then jams the chain in to the frame. This can gouge a chunk out of the frame. On a metal frame not really a problem other than cosmetic. On a carbon frame, well, carbon fiber does not take too well to chunks missing.

[PorscheGT4]

SteveSteveson said:

Why don't bikes come with them? It seems like a no brainier and something that most people don't have, or are aware of. Seems very odd when the pros use them and it can save so much annoyance, damage and (in the case of a carbon frame) expense.

I have cycled for 32 years never had a chain come off a road bike.

[AyBee]

GaryGlitter said:

AyBee said:

How does one damage a carbon frame if the chain comes off?

Not. Sure. If. Serious.

Perfectly serious - I've shipped plenty of chains in my time and never taken chunks out of frames, carbon or otherwise, it's fairly obvious once a chain ships that is has shipped so you stop pedalling and get it back on...

[AyBee]

SteveSteveson said:

Overshift pushes the chain off the small cog. Chain gets jammed around the BB and between the bolts and the spindle. Peddling then jams the chain in to the frame. This can gouge a chunk out of the frame. On a metal frame not really a problem other than cosmetic. On a carbon frame, well, carbon fiber does not take too well to chunks missing.

Thanks - so it's pedalling once shipped that causes damage rather than the shipping itself...

[outnumbered]

PorscheGT4 said:

I have cycled for 32 years never had a chain come off a road bike.

You are not trying hard enough

[Herman Toothrot]

PorscheGT4 said:

I have cycled for 32 years never had a chain come off a road bike.

I agree, if mechs are setup correctly it's a non-issue, I've never dropped a chain in a road bike either.

[SteveSteveson]

Even with perfectly adjustment the it is still possible to over shift or hit a bump at the wrong moment. Thats why most pro riders use them, and I am sure their bikes are much better set up than most.

[marmitemania]

My Super six Evo red 22 came new with a chain catcher on the front mech. All bikes have them fitted on the rear but we tend to take them off for aesthetic reasons don't we?

[ALawson]

My Tarmac has one but then with Di2 it's less likely on the inside to get dropped, my mechanical Tiagra mech on my Roubaix regularly suffers over bumps, That reminds me, it may be due some new cables after three years! (May have to be a whole new 11sp 105 groupset)!