RaceFace 104mm Single Chain Ring

I now have three bikes with the same Race Face chainring... durable and lightweight!

Summary: Like others have said, if you are going back and forth on this chain ring, or can't decide, just buy it already! Chain ring installed easily and I was out on the trails in no time. I didn't want to have to swap out my rear derailleur or cassette, so I went with the 30t chain ring to give me almost the same gear ratio coverage as I had with a 3x10 setup. After riding a couple of times I know there will be some really steep climbs that will be tough in the lowest gear, but the simplicity and cleanliness of the 1x10 setup is well worth the extra effort from time to time.In Depth: I ride a 2012 Trek Fuel EX 8 that came with the standard (at the time) 3x10 setup. I have a non-clutch Shimano XT rear derailleur and an 11-36 cassette. I've always wanted to convert to 1x but couldn't justify pulling off perfectly good parts. I've been away from mountain biking for a couple of years and recently went into a local bike shop. I was blown away that all of the new bikes come with 1x11. My crank was starting to creak and my front derailleur was acting up so I figured it was time to overhaul the crank and I figured I'd convert to 1x10 and save the hassle of trying to get my front derailleur dialed in.I decided on this chain ring because after researching it was the cheapest and simplest way to get a 1x drivetrain. I pulled off the stock deore crank and gave it a good deep cleaning. I removed the chainrings which is pretty simple. I didn't need the special tool to hold the back side of the chain ring bolts (I have enough single use tools so I try to avoid buying them where possible).The Race Face chain ring itself is a very nice piece of equipment. It is very nicely machined and is super lightweight. The red anodized version is beautiful and the graphics aren't too over the top. If you are installing a small ring in front (30-32t), you will almost certainly need to remove your crank to get it on.I wanted to install with the plain side facing out, but mine could only be installed with the "Race Face" graphics facing out. The raised bolt holes fit perfectly into the crank. I was also able to reuse 4 of the stock bolts I removed earlier. I was afraid I was going to have to buy longer bolts but didn't need to. I installed the crank, shortened the chain a little bit (i think it was 2 or 4 links) and was ready to go.First time I rode this I was blown away at the reduction in chain slap and other drive train noises I had gotten used to. I was concerned because I don't have one of the new clutched derailleurs, but the chain hasn't come off or slipped once. I've been riding a lot of technical single track with roots and rocks and the chain stays on perfectly. It will make a little bit of chain noise when you get into the largest or smallest cog in the back but that's pretty typical.I'm happy I chose the 30t too. After using an online gear ratio calculator I realized I was only losing my top 2 and bottom 2 gears. I can live without those especially with how much cleaner and simpler my bike is. All in all this is a great piece and I'd highly recommend it to anyone on the fence. I was amazed that I could convert to 1x for only $40 and am so glad I did.

direct replacement for triple ring on 3x9 conversion to 1x10. the chainring is narrow wide and reversable since it is not direct mount but mounts to a spider. great option for easy replacement.

Just added a 30T to my 1x9 set up on a Full Suspension 29er. I have a 650B and Fat Bike running 30T NW on 1x10's using Clutch Type 2 SRAM RD's and they have never dropped on me even on the most gnarly trails. So I had a 32T normal chain ring on my 1x9 using a bash and N gauge jump stop, but the 32T ring with a 9 Speed combined with a full sus just never felt right on some trails. So after loving my other 2 30T NW rings I figured let me give it a go. My set up is a XMC 9 Speed Chain, Shimano XT Rapid Rise RD, FSA Gap Crankset, Shimano Deore Shifter and a Deore Cassette. I dropped the Jump Stop and Bash off the crankset and just left on the 30T NW ring, I took out 2 links to clean up the chain slack and headed out for some testing.After 18 miles of single track and not once did it drop, I had wondered if I would get one drop since I am using a normal style RD and I can say with out a doubt even when I tried to get it to drop I wasnt able to. So its safe to say that even with out a clutch style RD you can run these with out using a bash or a chain guide. These are well worth the money, the 1x10 set up has been a dream and makes gearing cake. You never have to worry about matching RPM's when coming into a climb or descents. I have been using 2 other NW rings and they are wearing great just like any other well made chain ring. If you are going for a simple setup with the added bonus of dropping some weight off the bike then snag one of these. I will be swapping my other 2x setups over to 1x's each week!

Don't get put off by 4-stars. I believe that 5-stars should be for live-changing products.That said, I like this chain ring about as much as you could like any chain ring. I am an avid mountain biker of 20 years and I do all of my own work. I recently picked up a Giant Faith 0 with a 1x9, but the 36T it had in the front wouldn't cut it for the rolling hill rides of SoCal.The quality on this ring is nice. It fells thick an well made and I suspect it will last about as long or longer than any of the aluminum rings out there. The wide/narrow tooth pattern seems to be working as I've had it on for several weeks now and haven't dropped a chain yet (I am an aggressive rider.) I like the fact that Race Face offers several color patterns to choose from, so I was able to match my green frame with style. I don't normally worry much about that sort of thing, but it was a nice touch.There is something that you need to be aware of if you are ordering the 30T. The mounting has to allow for the width of the chain, so it has a several mm offset. My other ring didn't, so I had to get creative with spacing. You may find yourself needing longer bolts and potentially spacer at the cranks - especially if you are combining this with a chain guide. Also note that you may have to take off your cranks to install this as it may not fit over the mounting arms from the outside. None of these things are deal breakers, but just know that you might need some crank tools and it may not be a simple as a 5-minute 1 for 1 swap.Once mounted, though, I think you will enjoy the robust feel, how well it holds your chain, and will be sporting a little bit of bling as well.

Functional. Easy to fit. Looks good. Good price. Great product.

Light weight solid quality fits as expected on my single chain ring Radon very nice design. Great for single ring hill climbing gives you that little bit more than a 36-34 tooth to get you over with a little less leg work for prolonged enjoyment and plenty of scope to pic up speed given a rear 10 speed shifter.

Strong, lightweight chain ring.I have this coupled with Saint Clutch rech mech and under heavy downhill usage, only slipped the chain twice in about 6 months. Chain ring still in great condition, lots of life left in the teeth after 100s of miles of riding enduro.Easy to clean and makes the bike look cleaner.Running 1x10 and doing local enduro races with this chain ring, i also put this on my hardtail as it is a great product for the price

Does exactly as designed to do, keeps the chain stuck to the chainring for use in 1x set ups.

Great quality, chain sits very securely, and the slight offset improves my chainline