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Wickwerks looks out with new Sentinel dual-sided road chain guide

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wickwerks sentinel dual sided road bike chainguide

If there’s one category of bike that’s not likely to go 1x anytime soon, it’s road. Which means there’s always that chance you’ll shift the chain right off the rings, which of course will happen when it’s most unfortunate (see: Murphy’s Law). So, Wickwerks has devised a solution that not only keeps the chain from falling off the inside and grinding into your sweet frame, but also one that prevents it from overshooting the large ring and wrapping around your crank…

wickwerks sentinel dual sided road bike chainguide

The design allows both arms to be adjusted independently so there’s no rub on either side regardless of chainring size, brand or design. It’s being ridden at the Tour de France this year by Team LottoNL-Jumbo.

“Our Sentinel Dual Sided Chain Catcher is the next step toward perfect shifting.” says WickWërks lead engineer, Eldon Goates. “You want to push the chain hard against the inside of the large chainring during an up-shift. When the front derailleur is set for super-fast shifting, sometimes it will over-shift. Using the Sentinel will enable the Lotto NL – Jumbo team riders to have super-fast shifting without ever having to worry about over-shifting.”

wickwerks sentinel dual sided road bike chainguide

It’s designed for Braze-On front derailleur mounts only, mounting with existing hardware in most cases. It’s made of CNC’d alloy and “abrasion resistant” composite materials with stainless steel bolts.

wickwerks sentinel dual sided road bike chainguide

Price will be $39.50, available in black only. Works with 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 speed groups, but not recommended for 1x setups. Claimed weight is 24g, which includes all hardware and the replacement longer bolt to mount the front derailleur (so, actual weight gain is more like ~20g). Available now.

Wickwerks.com

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Champs
Champs
7 years ago

This is no substitute for proper front derailer adjustment, but man… wishlisted.

Heffe
Heffe
7 years ago

12 speed groups?

Dave
Dave
7 years ago

A solution to bad mechanics?

thesteve4761
thesteve4761
7 years ago

Sweet. Now you can get a chain stuck outside of a chain catcher on both sides of the crank!

Tom
Tom
7 years ago

7 speed groups?

spike
spike
7 years ago

I am currently having issues with my front derailleur throwing my chain off of the big ring, and it’s driving me nuts as it keeps scratching my Dura Ace crank. 🙁 While I agree this is not a substitute for proper derailleur adjustment, I might be trying one out if I reach my wits end.

1368439846
1368439846
7 years ago
Reply to  spike

Just adjust the limit so it stops falling off.

Aaron
Aaron
7 years ago

I’ve dropped off the big ring a few times in my life while shifting up to it, and each time, I just shift back to the low one, and it pulls the chain off the crank arm and back up to the big ring. Then I tap back up with the shifter and all is good. If this somehow lets the chain fall past it, you’re going to have to stop and get your hands greasy, also losing valuable time. I’ll keep my $40, thanks.

Rideifbiked
Rideifbiked
7 years ago

Who makes the 12 speed 2x drivetrain as you insinuated

mark
mark
7 years ago

Or spend 2 minutes to learn how to adjust your limit screws…

Chris Wickliffe
7 years ago

@ Aaron,
Once mounted and adjusted properly the chain cannot fall past the Sentinel chain catcher, that’s the whole point, “you can’t drop a chain with this mounted”.
In the 2010 Tour de France, Andy Schleck lost 38 valuable seconds when his chain dropped off and Alberto Contador ended up beating him by 39 seconds and won the Tour. Andy was eventually awarded the win of the 2010 Tour de France, being awarded it retroactively in February 2012 after Alberto Contador’s hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport stripped him of the win. Had Andy not dropped his chain he would have most likely won in 2010. It’s a product for those serious riders that can’t afford to ever drop a chain when every second counts. It’s also for those that can’t stand it when they throw a chain off the big ring on occasion.

dave
dave
7 years ago

Hate to take exception to your first sentence, for Junior riders a Wickwerks 41 tooth in the front and an 11 tooth small cog in the back makes a lot of sense. It meets junior gear restriction and makes the drivetrain simpler.

iperov
iperov
7 years ago

my choice 3×1 , less weight on wheel.

Mercianrider
Mercianrider
7 years ago

The only time I’ve had a chain come off is when the stops were incorrectly adjusted. It doesn’t cost £30 to adjust the front derailleur. And the picture shows a Di2 system – I have Di2 on one bike, I’d say it’s almost impossible to drop the chain!

Pong
Pong
7 years ago

Your first sentence does not apply to me either. I’m running a single 42 BLabs oval front and an 11-36 cassette rear with a DA shortcage derailleur. It’s good for 28-29 mph on the flats but I spin out around 34 mph on the descents but I’m ok with that. It limits my ability to descend faster and taking chances beyond my comfort level. I don’t have a chain guard and have yet to drop my chain.

Racing
7 years ago

Wickwerks has devised a solution that not only keeps the chain from falling off the inside and grinding into your sweet frame, but also one that prevents it from overshooting the large ring and wrapping around your crank…

anonymous
anonymous
7 years ago

The only reason you need one on the inside is because the derailer cage is so far from the chainring in the small ring. It’s rather difficult to drop a chain on the outside with properly set limit screws. The only possible function I could see for this is setting up your front to overshift, but even that might not result in faster shifting because the chain won’t settle on the chainring very quickly and will try to fall off first.

Robin
7 years ago

Dropping a chain when shifting to the big ring can and does happen on occasion especially if the bike is on a bumpy road when you’re shifting the FD. Granted a properly adjusted FD will help prevent this but even the Tour de France guys drop a chain now and then and they have some of the best mechanics out there. It looks like a good insurance policy to me for not a lot of money.

JBikes
JBikes
7 years ago

Why am I continually told electronic FD are the never faltering gods of the chain slaving world?

As for tour mechanics – yeah they tend to be the best, that does not mean they are always at their best, make no mistakes, or the bikes don’t get damaged/bumped. Seems a good insurance product for racing.

Josh Finkler
Josh Finkler
7 years ago

any idea if this is adjustable wide enough to work with triples? i’d love to add this to my wife’s campagnolo triple touring setup. i’ve tried the k-edge inside catcher and it didn’t play nicely with the campagnolo braze on adapter, as the campy one has a curved surface where it mates to the catcher. any idea if this requires a flat surface on the braze on adapter or will it work with the campy ones?

WickWerks
7 years ago

No, it won’t work for triples. And no it doesn’t require a flat surface. If you watch our installation video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPoId5X0E4E) you’ll see the piece that sits against the braze-on tab is shaped to match the curve.

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