RaceFace 104mm Single Chain Ring

Summary: Like others have said, if you are going back and forth on this chain ring, or cant decide, just buy it already! Chain ring installed easily and I was out on the trails in no time. I didnt want to have to swap out my rear derailleur or cassette, so I went with the 30t chain ring to give me almost the same gear ratio coverage as I had with a 3x10 setup. After riding a couple of times I know there will be some really steep climbs that will be tough in the lowest gear, but the simplicity and cleanliness of the 1x10 setup is well worth the extra effort from time to time. In Depth: I ride a 2012 Trek Fuel EX 8 that came with the standard (at the time) 3x10 setup. I have a non-clutch Shimano XT rear derailleur and an 11-36 cassette. Ive always wanted to convert to 1x but couldnt justify pulling off perfectly good parts. Ive been away from mountain biking for a couple of years and recently went into a local bike shop. I was blown away that all of the new bikes come with 1x11. My crank was starting to creak and my front derailleur was acting up so I figured it was time to overhaul the crank and I figured Id convert to 1x10 and save the hassle of trying to get my front derailleur dialed in. I decided on this chain ring because after researching it was the cheapest and simplest way to get a 1x drivetrain. I pulled off the stock deore crank and gave it a good deep cleaning. I removed the chainrings which is pretty simple. I didnt need the special tool to hold the back side of the chain ring bolts (I have enough single use tools so I try to avoid buying them where possible). The Race Face chain ring itself is a very nice piece of equipment. It is very nicely machined and is super lightweight. The red anodized version is beautiful and the graphics arent too over the top. If you are installing a small ring in front (30-32t), you will almost certainly need to remove your crank to get it on. I wanted to install with the plain side facing out, but mine could only be installed with the Race Face graphics facing out. The raised bolt holes fit perfectly into the crank. I was also able to reuse 4 of the stock bolts I removed earlier. I was afraid I was going to have to buy longer bolts but didnt need to. I installed the crank, shortened the chain a little bit (i think it was 2 or 4 links) and was ready to go. First time I rode this I was blown away at the reduction in chain slap and other drive train noises I had gotten used to. I was concerned because I dont have one of the new clutched derailleurs, but the chain hasnt come off or slipped once. Ive been riding a lot of technical single track with roots and rocks and the chain stays on perfectly. It will make a little bit of chain noise when you get into the largest or smallest cog in the back but thats pretty typical. Im happy I chose the 30t too. After using an online gear ratio calculator I realized I was only losing my top 2 and bottom 2 gears. I can live without those especially with how much cleaner and simpler my bike is. All in all this is a great piece and Id highly recommend it to anyone on the fence. I was amazed that I could convert to 1x for only $40 and am so glad I did.

I used this to convert my 3x9 stock setup on my canondale SL3 trail 29er, to a 1x10. I am so pleased! Some tips... Make sure your rear deraliur has a clutch, or you have some sort of mechanism to keep the chain from dismounting the front when there are lots of bumps. When installing, pay attention to the chain line and mount on the inside or the outside of your existing crank accordingly in order to prevent too much sideways movement and stress on the chain. Do some research to see what size you need. I went with a 34t because I have a 29er and Im running an 11x42 in back. I love it!

Race Face Narrow-Wide are the benchmark for chain rings for single speed front!

Works great at holding down the chain. Looks great too.

This is exactly what I needed to become a professional mountain biker. 1x setup is the best thing you can do with your walmart bike or your high end carbon racer. Who needs to worry about shifting when you can just fly up the mountain with this ring.

First of all, this is the Narrow/Wide chainring that has tooth profiles that mimic the SRAM XX1 stuff - made to retain your chain. I bought one of these when they were first released and have been putting it through the ringer on the trails of the Wasatch. I couldnt be any happier with this product. The price is better than the competition and the design works great. I have yet to loose my chain while running this ring and my Shimano Zee 10 speed rear derailleur. Not only is the chain retention flawless without any sort of chain guide, it runs very silently too. If you are looking to convert your drivetrain to a 1x set-up, do not hesitate to get one of these.

Chains stay on without the need for a chain guide. I set this up into a 1x10 and a 1x11 setup. Works amazing for both setups. I highly recommend. The style looks awesome too.

Great product. Easy installation and no chain drops, thus far. Highly recommend it!

They are built well and look great. I put them on my 1x6 mtb and my 1x9 townie. They help keep my chains from falling off when I bunny hop over speed bumps.

This works perfectly. I have yet to drop a chain and I ride a lot in several different states.