We’ve been running Gamut’s light and simple Trail SXC guide for months now and it has performed brilliantly. The SXR uses the same top guide design but adds a bashguard for extra protection.
Related: Gamut Trail SXC chain guide
It’s pretty simple to set up, but on longer-travel bikes you do need to take care to ensure the whole range of suspension motion is accommodated. The polyurethane guide with its rubberised sleeves deadens chain noise and kept our chain firmly on track during testing.
The SXR is supplied with polycarbonate bashguards to fit 28-32t and 32-36t rings. Like the rest of the guide these are lightweight, with the larger one weighing just 31g (the whole system weighs 87g).
Unfortunately ours cracked after a high-speed rock strike. Gamut says that, while its bashguards will dissipate some impact energy, they’re designed to break in certain circumstances to prevent frame damage – a good concept, but we feel the SXR wouldn’t suffer from being beefed up a little.
At least replacements are available, and ours did save the chainring from damage.
