# Taco or bash?!



## The Grimmer (Oct 20, 2010)

I can't decide which is best. I like the look and the weight of chain guides with taco's built into them like the e13 LG1, however one reason to have a bash is that you can't physically catch your leg on the chainring - which has happened to me :/
Atm i'm running separate chainguide and bashring. Who's running what, and what are the advantages/disadvantages of each? Cheers.


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## aedubber (Apr 17, 2011)

E-13 turbobash and guide  works great and does its job .. Use it on all my setups regardless .. Better safe then sorry right ?


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## b-kul (Sep 20, 2009)

bash and guide here


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## cadwiz (Jul 28, 2010)

I originally ran the LG1 and the G2 from MRP. Both worked well and took their fair share of bashing. But they never fit my frame properly. I had to rotate it too far forward for the top chain guide to clear the pulley. This left my chain ring kinda exposed.

Now I'm running Gamut P20 (don't need top guide) with MRP bash guard and I'm happy with this combo.


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## lelebebbel (Jan 31, 2005)

Do you ride trails where you might actually slam your bashguard into rocks?

Most tacos seem to snap off if hit hard enough, e.13 ones do at least. 
Thick plastic crank mounted bashguards like the MRP or Gamut ones are harder to crack.

The other questions is, how strong are your ISCG tabs. If the frame has thin ISCG tabs that are only spot-welded on in a few places, youdo not want to attach a taco to them. When you have a hard hit on a crank-mounted bashguard, worst case you will bend your crank spider (this has happened to me). Better than breaking the ISCG tab off your frame.


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## ustemuf (Oct 12, 2009)

i've used both systems a lot... i like the taco.. i used to think the bash would protect more, but what happens is if you actually end up bashing, it usually cracks near the closest chain ring bolt. then sometimes the broken bash part interferes with your chain guide clearance because it's not a nice circle anymore... and the chain ring bolt loses tension too.

with a taco you hope that it just protects enough that you don't damage the chainring, but if it breaks you can still continue riding by breaking it off or bending it back.. or most of the time it just indents and you keep riding.

those are just my personal experiences, your mileage may vary.


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## The Grimmer (Oct 20, 2010)

Cheers, My frame has no tabs, but the previous owner has used an ISCG tab converter thingy that attaches to the BB, which I guess is pretty weak. I don't actually tend to hit rocks that often, in fact hardly at all. I just want the protection in case I need it. I'm asking because my previous sunline bash guard has snapped (I don't actually know how ..can't remember any big hits) and I did a botch job of fixing it, but looking to buy something new. I do like the look of the taco's, it's just whether it would be decent attached to the BB or the adapter thing. I don't really like my chainguide that much either tbh (again, sunlin e[]| Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com), hence why i was looking for an all in one.


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## b-kul (Sep 20, 2009)

bb mount tacos seem like a bad choice to me. i had one but i took it off because if i hit it hard enough on the trail it would just rotate the whole guide.


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## B-Mac (Oct 2, 2008)

Bash. Cranks are cheaper to replace than frames - unless your frame has replaceable ISCG, like some do.


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## Fix the Spade (Aug 4, 2008)

Bash all the way.

Tacos are a good way to snap off iscg tabs, then the frame manufacturer will tell you you're an idiot (or nice ones will offer you crash replacement). ISCG tabs aren't meant to absorb impacts, very few frames have either replacable tabs or tabs rated for Taco use.


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## The Grimmer (Oct 20, 2010)

By the sound of it then, tacos may look cool, and in theory work well. But they tend to be weaker and can damage your frame.. think i might just stay with the bash + guide.


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## whitetrash (Jul 5, 2007)

Personally I prefer bash guards over taco's. Reason been, a bash under a heavy impact will most likely result in a bent crank spider, where as with a taco you could very well damage your ISCG tabs (depending on the chain device). I feel it's just not worth the risk.


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## Quarashi (Aug 23, 2006)

I've always used the SS+/SRS chainguide, not really by choice but it's what I could get. Saw a friend wrench on his LG1+ chain guide, that thing looked like a major pain in the ass compared to mine.


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## Urb-dirt (Apr 26, 2012)

At what point do you actually, "truly" need a chain guide or bash ring?


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## sandwich (Sep 24, 2005)

I had a taco on my Sunday, and I think that's the best use of that device. Other frames don't have the proper ISCG05 mounts, and use thinner or less structurally strong mounts. As it was, I bent all the bolts on the guide, but I never had any problems with it rotating or cracking. I think a crank mounted bash is a much better idea, as somebody else mentioned, cranks are replaceable, and generally cheaply so. A brand new set of cranks will run you less than a new front triangle, and it's likely that you won't need and entirely new set of cranks either.

As for when you need either, that's up to the rider. If you find your chain coming off, then you need one. I have a buddy who refuses to run a chainguide; he only runs 'plates' like an old MRP to keep his chain on with his 1x8 setup. He's a kook, and his chain comes off all the time, but he refuses to run a guide. He needs one.


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## 1soulrider (Jan 21, 2004)

Urb-dirt said:


> At what point do you actually, "truly" need a chain guide or bash ring?


Any time you are using your DH bike for it's intended purpose. For trail or FR bikes it's a bit more subjective.


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