Hey yall, I recently got the base model of the [Specialized Fuse](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/fuse-275/p/199942?color=321203-199942&searchText=96022-7003&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax%20Shopping_US_Bikes_ROI%20%28Low%20Price%29&utm_id=20065255859&utm_content=&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuNOgyZDehQMVNy7UAR1dewcuEAQYASABEgKI_PD_BwE) that comes with a 1×9 drivetrain. I ordered the bike online and had it assembled at my local Specialized dealer.
I’ve been having a ton of problems with the chain dropping on the front chainring my last few rides. This usually happens off of small drops (< half a foot) or going over small rocks
When I took it in to my LBS, they said this is just the nature of 1×9 drivetrains. They showed me a bit of horizontal play between the chain links and the gear teeth to justify this.
Is there anything else I can possibly do or check to eliminate chain drop other than getting a 1×12? The shop helped straighten some bent teeth on the front derailleur, but it still happens at least 5 times a ride and sometimes for seemingly no reason. Thanks!
by TokaMitch
7 Comments
Chain guide
Fitting a chain keeper can help a ton. Look up, and then look at the frame to see, if it has ISCG tabs. If so, get a compatible front chain keeper. If not, see if you can find one that clamps to the seat tube. Wolf Tooth and OneUp both make really nice ones.
Eg:
[https://www.oneupcomponents.com/products/chain-guide-iscg05-v2](https://www.oneupcomponents.com/products/chain-guide-iscg05-v2)
[https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/chainguides](https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/chainguides)
Not sure if they even still sell them but a 9 speed specific narrow-wide chainring should help. 9 speed chains are crazy wide compared to modern 12 speed chains so the narrow-wide tooth pattern doesn’t fit snugly enough to do its job and the chain will drop a lot.
If you can’t find a 9 speed specific narrow-wide chainring then yeah as others have said chain guide is the way to go.
That 1×9 mech probably has no clutch either. My kid’s bike has one of these lower end drivetrains and would drop the chain constantly. Installing a proper narrow-wide ring (check you have one) and a cheap bolt in chain guide fixes it. The narrow wide doesn’t need to be 9 speed specific.
Put an 11-speed chain on it. Should help the narrow-wide teeth of the chainring retain the chain better, while not being too narrow to cause shifting problems.
Activate the clutch? At least going by that product image that’s a Microshift Advent RD with a clutch. If it doesn’t either organize one for yourself to install on the bike or try and see if you can get Specialized to hold onto their add-material since it clearly states: “microSHIFT Advent, 1×9 w/ clutch”
My friend had a hard time with an entry level 12 speed bike dropping its chain. It had a cheap off brand crankset and the chainring didnt have very good tooth profiles. I swapped it out for a nice wolftooth chainring and it hasnt dropped the chain since. When you shop for chainrings youll see there are different profiles for different chains – Sram Vs Shimano etc… not all narrow wide chainrings are the same. Shimano has HG+ chainring teeth profiles for shimano 12 speed chains and thats different from the others.
There is one thing I did that might have helped when I swapped the chainring. Since the new chainring was a 32 and his old one was a 30 and I was re-using the same chain – he effectively got a shorter chain (the new bigger chainring taking up a full link in length) – that shorter chain may have helped. Dont assume that because a bike shop built it for you that they sized the chain perfectly.