Fitting front Hebie Chainglider 38t

[daviddd55]

My Thorn Raven has a steel chainring cover outboard of the (38t) ring itself - this came as standard in 2007 (and 100,000+ miles ago) when I bought the bike. If I want to fit the Chainglider I'll have to remove this covering ring so that the chain (only) fits inside (as I understand it). But the present 5 chainring bolts are too long without the cover ring and won't tighten, so it seems I need a new set of 5 smaller bolts. Does anyone have an idea of the spec / size of bolt needed for this? There seems to be a large array of possibilities.

[Andyb1]

You may need to fit a thinner chainring as well.  Hebie say max thickness should be 3mm but I have been using 4mm wide chainwheels on 2 bikes with no problems.

[martinf]

You may need to fit a thinner chainring as well.  Hebie say max thickness should be 3mm but I have been using 4mm wide chainwheels on 2 bikes with no problems.

Same here.

Since 2011 I have been using a fairly thick TA chainring for 1/8" chain under a ChainGlider on my old utility since 2011. It rubbed a bit at first but soon wore in.

For the chainring bolts, you can either buy a set of shorter bolts, generally designed for use with single chainrings, or you might be able to put the right diameter and number of washers onto the existing bolts to make up the thickness of the chainring cover. I have occasionally done the latter, using stainless steel washers. Aluminium chainring spacers could also work.   

[daviddd55]

Thnx for responses; I'll try spacers first.
Is it possible to fit the front Chainglider without the rear?

[Matt2matt2002]

Thnx for responses; I'll try spacers first.
Is it possible to fit the front Chainglider without the rear?

I'm pretty sure the front and back clip together.

[JohnR]

Thnx for responses; I'll try spacers first.
Is it possible to fit the front Chainglider without the rear?

There's the open Chainglider https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/chainsets/hebie-chainglider-open-359-for-38t-chainring/.

[Andre Jute]

Is it possible to fit the front Chainglider without the rear?

It is possible, at the cost of a little extra noise and possibly considerable extra maintenance, depending on where and how you ride. But why would you want to do it?

I haven't run a Chainglider without the rear locking part, while some posters here have, JohnR for one. He got 2000 miles on a half-Chainglider-covered KMC chain. Inside a full Chainglider I get c3000 miles on a KMC chain at about 0.5mm wear when I put on a new one at the same time as I change the oil in the Rohloff. They're not the same model KMC chain, but they likely have the same lube. I run my chains for their entire life on the factory lube and these days don't even bother to open the Chainglider in between Rohloff services because I know by test that the Chainglider protects my chain well to over 5000km.

About your problem with the steel chain guard on the chainring, I used spacers from SJS to mount the chainring at Rohloff's preferred spec for the chainline (which depends on whether your sprocket is threaded or clipped and also whether you have the 13 tooth sprocket or something more sensible).

Good luck with getting your bike just as you want it.

[Danneaux]

A "half-Chainglider" is surprisingly much better than nothing in my experience, though of course less effective than a full chaincase.

I wanted some chain protection for my all-weather Fixed-gear commuter, so I made my own chainguard by warming a sheet of polycarbonate over a plywood form in my oven. I also made the mounting brackets, a bit of a challenge as this former racing bike had no mudguard eyelets.

Photos show how much glop and debris landed on the chainguard, protecting the vulnerable upper run of chain and keeping the bottom run much cleaner. I wrapped the 'guard 'round the chainring to better protect from road spray thrown up by the front tire, though I also run long mudguards and a generous front mudflap. A lot of the water and rim oxide debris flow drops from the rear brake caliper when riding in the wet. The rest is sand picked up by the tires from gritted roads in freezing weather and drip-off from the rear mudguard lip. The chain looks pristine compared to the chainguard. Even the exposed sprocket is not too dirty. Six years later, my homemade chainguard is still going strong.

For photos and descriptions, see...
https://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13951.msg110999#msg110999
...and...
https://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13951.msg111000#msg111000

Mounting details...
https://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13951.msg103765#msg103765

Construction details...
https://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13951.msg103775#msg103775

It was a fun project, but a lot of work.If you can find and afford a suitable commercial version, it would be much easier.

Best, Dan.

[Andyb1]

My wife’s ebike with 1 x 8 derailleur gears came with an open chainguard that runs above the top chain run and around the chainwheel - and after 1000 miles it has ket the chain surprisingly clean.   Not as good as a Chainglider but it is probably doubling the life of the chain.