A full carbon chainguide isn’t something we’d be overly keen on sticking on a downhill bike, but the cSixx 150gm could well be the model that changes our mind. Our test sample weighed in at 185g in its one-size-fits-all, 30-42T guise.
The cSixx isn’t the easiest of guides to fit, with some perseverance needed to get the spacing spot on, thanks to the fiddly assembly procedure. But once in place, no fettling has been needed.
cSixx 150gm chainguide – first look
The large, Kevlar reinforced taco/bashguard has stood up well to repeated abuse. One big impact early on did nothing but crack the lacquer, and months later – even after more heavy hits – the only damage sustained is a slight furring of the weave on the surface, with no real signs of any weakening.
When you pedal, the aluminium lower jockey wheel guide is quiet and, providing you’ve spaced the top guide correctly, there’s no noise or noticeable friction worth mentioning.
When the conditions dampen, the guide copes with mud well, although in really claggy crud the dinner plate-sized backplate does harbour a thin layer of the brown stuff between the guide and the chainring. However, this doesn’t affect the guide in any way.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.