On the face of it the role of a chain guide appears simple: keep the chain on the chain ring, no matter what. It really is that straightforward. Therefore any old chain guide should be able to do the job, right? Unfortunately that isn’t the case, as it seems not all chain guides are created equal. Some are a pain in the arse to fit, requiring patience and a pocket full of washers to get aligned just right, while others will actually have you reaching for a bastard file in order to fettle some aluminium from your precious frame. Then there are those that seem to do little to prevent you losing your chain but do manage to make it nigh on impossible to refit the dropped chain without first removing the guide, crank, and the tips of your fingers.
As you may have gathered, I’ve had mixed luck with chain guides recently. Having hopped on the single-ring bandwagon, I’ve been looking for a chain guide that is relatively lightweight yet burly, and most importantly, does its job. Enter the CSixx 110GL. I feel a little weird admitting that fitting this chain guide to my bike was a pleasurable experience, but I am, and it was. It was simple, alignment was spot on without any tweaking required, and from handling the parts it became abundantly clear that considerable care and attention had been paid to the design and construction of each component. I’ve been just as impressed with the guide while out riding. It’s smooth, to date has kept the chain where it should be, and its carbon construction has withstood some pretty solid knocks. To say I’m happy with the CSixx would be an understatement. Oh, and it’s light; 110 grams light. LEIF ROY
