# Bottom bracket protection from rocks?



## StayVigilant35 (8 mo ago)

Hey guys. Brought my new bike out for a ride yesterday and in my excitement decided to go over a decent sized rock in the middle of the trail. Up and over I went and thankfully the front tire was on the ground as the back tire was on the rink which gave me JUST enough clearance. I got to thinking. Is there any type of protection I can install to protect the frame like a slider or something. I know in BMX we had chain ring guards for grinding, do they sell something for the 1x chain ring too?


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

what kind of chainring do you have? if it's a 4-bolt spider design (which have fallen out of popularity in recent years in favor of direct-mount interfaces), you should be able to bolt a bash ring on the outside. might require slightly longer chainring bolts. if you have a DM interface, there might be a 4-bolt spider available.

I think bash rings fell out of style when most people realized that they NEVER use them. I understand the impulse, though. BITD, I had some BMX bikes with bash guards to avoid smashing my chain to bits while doing disasters and drive-side ledge grinds. tweak a feeble grind just a little to far and your read peg falls of—smash!

most modern bash guards are designed to fit on ISCG tabs. some frames that are designed for rowdier terrain (freeride, downhill) have them already, but there's a good chance you can put a ISCG adapter on your bike. Just think long and hard about how often you think smashing a chain will really be a concern, or if you're going through a lot of effort for "that on place on that one trail" where it will be useful.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

I have an Absolute Black bashguard that has been impacted 3 or 4 times over the course of a couple of years. It also gives me peace of mind when it's close, so for that alone, it's worth it. It's close enough to the frame that it protects the bottom of the frame itself, in addition to the chainring. What bike are you on?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I like to push the limits of what I can ride over, so I've hit my bash guard a good bit. I have an ISCG 05 bash guard, and at this point I won't buy a bike that lacks ISCG tabs. I encountered a guy doing the walk of shame because his chainring folded over when he was trying to ride over a log. He was totally SOL on that one. He's the only person I've ever seen or known that has done that, but knowing how I like to ride and push my limits a bit on downed trees, I would try to clear a tree and fold my chainring over, too.


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## StayVigilant35 (8 mo ago)

MSU Alum said:


> I have an Absolute Black bashguard that has been impacted 3 or 4 times over the course of a couple of years. It also gives me peace of mind when it's close, so for that alone, it's worth it. It's close enough to the frame that it protects the bottom of the frame itself, in addition to the chainring. What bike are you on?


RSD middle child v2, the specs on the website are what I have. Just got it. I did see some threaded tab on the bottom bracket but no clue if that’s what it is. I’ll have to look again lol I saw it yesterday.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

I thought the OP is referring to lower frame protection at the BB, not a chain ring guard.
Am I getting this wrong what the OP wants?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Cleared2land said:


> I thought the OP is referring to lower frame protection at the BB, not a chain ring guard.
> Am I getting this wrong what the OP wants?


dunno. could go either way (or both ways) with the language used, tbh.


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## StayVigilant35 (8 mo ago)

Cleared2land said:


> I thought the OP is referring to lower frame protection at the BB, not a chain ring guard.
> Am I getting this wrong what the OP wants?


Both? The chain ring sits lower than the BB, but the BB could also take a hit. Is it not common to protect both or even one?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

TheWitness34 said:


> RSD middle child v2, the specs on the website are what I have. Just got it. I did see some threaded tab on the bottom bracket but no clue if that’s what it is. I’ll have to look again lol I saw it yesterday.


from what I've seen, it doesn't appear that the bikes have ISCG tabs, but post a pic of yours with the tabs in question.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

TheWitness34 said:


> Both? The chain ring sits lower than the BB, but the BB could also take a hit. Is it not common to protect both or even one?


Not terribly common to use any sort of protection on the bb shell itself. maybe for carbon frames. downtube protection is more common, because rocks get kicked up sometimes. I use Shelter tape on my bike.


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## slimat99 (May 21, 2008)

If your frame has tabs at the BB use them to mount a bash guard. If your frame doesn't had tabs you can run a BB mounted bash guard. There are also bb mounted adapters with tabs. There are some 1x rings with built in bash rings but they are over priced and disposable. You can also run a 104bcd spider so you can run a non direct mount ring with a bash ring.


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## Monty219 (Oct 26, 2020)

Harold said:


> I like to push the limits of what I can ride over, so I've hit my bash guard a good bit. I have an ISCG 05 bash guard, and at this point I won't buy a bike that lacks ISCG tabs. I encountered a guy doing the walk of shame because his chainring folded over when he was trying to ride over a log. He was totally SOL on that one. He's the only person I've ever seen or known that has done that, but knowing how I like to ride and push my limits a bit on downed trees, I would try to clear a tree and fold my chainring over, too.


Yeah, I really enjoy see-sawing over large downed trees, with the pivot point being the bash guard. Super fun and generally low consequence!


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Monty219 said:


> Yeah, I really enjoy see-sawing over large downed trees, with the pivot point being the bash guard. Super fun and generally low consequence!


my goal is to be able to clean that stuff without using the bash guard, which makes for some pretty hard hits when I'm pushing my limits.


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## Monty219 (Oct 26, 2020)

Harold said:


> my goal is to be able to clean that stuff without using the bash guard, which makes for some pretty hard hits when I'm pushing my limits.


I also like the technique of front tire tap, then lunge to rear tire tap to hop larger obstacles that I can’t just jump over, but revert to the bash when the logs start getting too big for that. All good!


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Monty219 said:


> I also like the technique of front tire tap, then lunge to rear tire tap to hop larger obstacles that I can’t just jump over, but revert to the bash when the logs start getting too big for that. All good!


yep. that's the technique I'm working on, and keep trying to get that lunge onto bigger stuff.


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## StayVigilant35 (8 mo ago)

It wasn’t a tab. It was part of the crankset on the drive side


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

I have had front wheel kick up sizable rocks and provide a significant impact to the frame below the BB. I wouldn't prolly be too concerned with aluminum frame, but Carbon is concerning, but easily protectable.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Cleared2land said:


> I have had front wheel kick up sizable rocks and provide a significant impact to the frame below the BB. I wouldn't prolly be too concerned with aluminum frame, but Carbon is concerning, but easily protectable.


yeah, the piece of shelter tape I use runs all the way down to the bb. the bb itself is such a complicated shape that adhesive products like that aren't going to shape terribly well around the welds and whatnot. I've never had an issue with a medal frame down there. I'd be looking for more protection for carbon, for sure.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

There's a few areas that I ride where there's lots of broken limestone like flakes. When traveling fast, these have a tendency to go airborne off the front wheel and make contact with the lower down tube and beyond the bottom bracket area. They aren't always playing nice & carry mass. I have to take added precautions to protect the lower assets.

This is just a mouse pad re-purposed as a rock guard. Attached by two tie wraps. 

Works wonderfully against big rocks.


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## Kevin Matherne (Jul 27, 2021)

Rockguardz makes nice protective covers that snap on bb. Made for specific frames so fit real well and removable if not needed. I only use mine when I go to trails away from home as we are just dirt, logs, and etc.


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## flgfish (11 mo ago)

Kydex is easily formable with heat. Trim to size, bend to form, attach it with double sided tape. Comes in lots of colors.


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## StayVigilant35 (8 mo ago)

flgfish said:


> Kydex is easily formable with heat. Trim to size, bend to form, attach it with double sided tape. Comes in lots of colors.


I never even thought about that. Good idea!


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

TheWitness34 said:


> Both? The chain ring sits lower than the BB, but the BB could also take a hit. Is it not common to protect both or even one?


I wouldn't worry about it. The chances of you knocking your BB on a hardtail is pretty small, particularly on ones with downtubes like the Middlechild. One nice thing about hardtails is that when going over rocks, the BB height doesn't really change. I don't think downtube protection is necessary on that bike either.


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