First Look: e*thirteen – The Dual Width GuideRing M

E*thirteen and the Hive design and manufacture class-leading wheels, pedals, cranksets, chainrings, bottom brackets, drivetrain protection, and chain retention products for discerning cyclists worldwide. It comes as no surprise that they have stepped into the very popular thick-thin chainring market with the release of their new Modified GuideRing M!

How does the ring work?

Maximum tooth width and height (1) engage the inside plates of your chain securely. You can pedal through the rough stuff without fear. Precision tooth chamfers (2) facilitate chain engagement even at extreme chain angles. Your chain will stay put no matter what gear you are pushing. This is a feature unique to the GuideRing M.

What type of riding is the GuideRing M aimed at?

The GuideRing M will benefit any bike that runs a single ring. It provides additional chain retention without any drawbacks. We use them on our Enduro, DH, XC…..well….all of our bikes.

Do I still need to run a chainguide?

We still recommend at least an XCX style guide with upper plastics. When new, an 11spd system with a GuideRing M can do quite an amazing job of retaining the chain. However, riding style (read: SUPER-aggressive), chain wear/stretch, ring wear, and rear derailleur clutch friction deterioration can decrease the level of retention.

Can I use a GuideRing M on my double/triple crankset?

GuideRings are designed to be run as a single front chainring. As a result they do not have shift features that will allow your chain to move from one ring to the other. While they will fit on most 104mm BCD cranks they are only intended for single front ring use.

Can I install a 104 BCD GuideRing M on non-e*thirteen crankset?

We designed and optimized the chainline to work best on e*thirteen single ring cranks with an 11spd chainline, but the 104bcd version will fit up fine to any 104 bcd crankset without inner chainring tabs**.

**Direct Mount Integrated GuideRing M Rings feature an e*thirteen specific spline and are only suitable for e*thirteen cranks.

Why don’t you guys make a 104bcd 30T?

To fit on a 104bcd crank spider, a 30T ring need to be extremely thin and the chainline must be offset outside 11spd guidelines.

As an engineering based company we don’t feel that this is a good solution. It affects shifting performance and the integrity of the ring. We offer an Integrated Direct Mount GuideRing M for those wishing to run 30t or even a 28t. All you need is a TRS crank!

Can I run a GuideRing M on an 8, 9, or 10spd drivetrain?

The Guidering M was designed to deliver the best chain retention with an 11spd drivetrain, but still exhibits retention on other drivetrains. The fewer the gears on your cassette, the wider your chain, and the less benefit you will see from the rings.

Note: shifting performance will be best on 11spd due to the chainline these rings were designed for.

Coming soon: Guidering M 104 BCD!

Words: e*thirteen | e*thirteen components facebook | Photos: Long Nguyen

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