Creo SL 1x Chainguide?

[jodi2]

Or maybe the chain to long, take out one piece?

 

[fooski]

Hi, I just installed on mine the WTB Riddlers 700x45c and I'm a bit worried about having enough clearance. Did you have any issues with it? Especially on gravel or mountain roads?

Thanks

Sorry for the delay. I didn't have any problem with the Riddler 700x45. Since then I've tried Raddler 700x44 and now Resolute 700x42. All for the rear. My favorite right now for the rear is the Resolute.Now I'm pllaning on trying the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M 700x45.

Front: I have still have the WTB Venture 700x50. It picks up dirt and rubs the inside of the fork but I sorta don't care too much.. becasue it is really grippy!

 

[fooski]

I have the 2021 Creo SL , it has a chain guard.
It constantly drops chain on the outside of chain ring, a real issue as it’s difficult to refit.
The chain guard is only of use for an inside chain drop.
New chain didn’t help.
BTW Clutch is on.
Any suggestions?

someone else suggested here to change the Praxis chainring so I did and to a Wolftooth chainring. Also, I use a 12sp shimano chain. I have noit dropped a chain once since the swap. I highly recommend!

 

[richozer]

I had a couple episodes of chain drop and then saw on this forum or somewhere (facebook Specialized Creo group:?) to check the derailleur clutch and sure enough it was in the off position. No chain drop since I moved it to the on position.

Thanks for this. I had the same problem and your post solved it for me.

 

[kahn]

Thanks for this. I had the same problem and your post solved it for me.

Just remember to UNDO the clutch when attempting to replace the rear wheel after a flat. Otherwise it is a bear and hard to do.

 

[bayareabikeman]

I had my Creo chain drop recently. This was on smooth tarmac in Turbo (100%) when shifted into the smallest cog. The chain dropped on the inside (I would have expected it to drop outside). The gap between the chainring and frame is so narrow, making it painful to put the chain back on.

 

[mschwett]

I had my Creo chain drop recently. This was on smooth tarmac in Turbo (100%) when shifted into the smallest cog. The chain dropped on the inside (I would have expected it to drop outside). The gap between the chainring and frame is so narrow, making it painful to put the chain back on.

mine always dropped inside too, and usually when pedaling hard downhill in the smaller cogs. correct adjustment of the RD by the shop seemed to fix it, and then i eventually got the wolf tooth chain ring and haven’t had a single drop since.

 

[eddief]

my Northern California bike shop had a chain guide in stock. It installs by replacing one motor mounting bolt with the longer bolt that comes with the chain guide. The part looks like this: https://soshanger.com/SPECIALIZED-Road-chain-guide-CREO-SL

 

[kahn]

my Northern California bike shop had a chain guide in stock. It installs by replacing one motor mounting bolt with the longer bolt that comes with the chain guide. The part looks like this: https://soshanger.com/SPECIALIZED-Road-chain-guide-CREO-SL

Yup, that's what I had installed on my Creo. The chain dropped inside and was a bear trying to get it un-jammed between the chain ring and the motor housing. Happened too many times. Fortunately, while tugging and tweaking, I did not damage the chain. After repeated incidents I was sure that the chain was going to break!

 

[JeffC57]

Yup, that's what I had installed on my Creo. The chain dropped inside and was a bear trying to get it un-jammed between the chain ring and the motor housing. Happened too many times. Fortunately, while tugging and tweaking, I did not damage the chain. After repeated incidents I was sure that the chain was going to break!

See my post 15 of this thread. Knock on wood, I have never dropped a chain. Hopefully I won’t because I’m sure it will be a PITA to get it back on because there’s not much room to reinstall.

 

[kahn]

See my post 15 of this thread. Knock on wood, I have never dropped a chain. Hopefully I won’t because I’m sure it will be a PITA to get it back on because there’s not much room to reinstall.

Also adding to the potential complications is the WAVE technology chain ring where the outside plates of darn chain have to be aligned specifically with the teeth pattern!

 

[bayareabikeman]

my Northern California bike shop had a chain guide in stock. It installs by replacing one motor mounting bolt with the longer bolt that comes with the chain guide. The part looks like this: https://soshanger.com/SPECIALIZED-Road-chain-guide-CREO-SL

Thanks for the info. I realized the rear derailleur clutch was OFF. Maybe that was the reason for the chain drop? There’s a lot of slack in the chain when it’s on the smallest 11T cog. I’ll keep clutch on and hopefully it won’t drop again.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

There’s a lot of slack in the chain when it’s on the smallest 11T cog.

I don't want to pretend to be a know-it-all but what I have noticed is it is mostly riders of road or gravel e-bikes who complain on the chain dropping (numerous Forum threads on Specialized, Trek or Giant road e-bikes prove that). The drive-train on my e-bikes is more of MTB style but there is a rule to determine whether the chain is not too long (or too short):

• When the chain is in the smallest cassette cog, the derailleur arm should be in the 7 o'clock position (never horizontally, that is 9 o'clock)
• When the chain is in the biggest cassette cog, the deraileur arm should be in the 5 o'clock position.

With properly chosen number of chain links, the chain is always under proper tension, and even the power transfer from the chainring to the rear cogs is better.

the rear derailleur clutch was OFF.

Of course it has to be ON to keep the chain tensioned

the WAVE technology chain ring

Placing the chain wrongly onto a Narrow-Wide or WAVE chainring will make the chain drop.

And, the derailleur adjustment is important, of course.

I have never had a chain-drop on any of my e-bikes. On the other hand, the original number of chain links on my Vado was 132 (way too loose!) It has turned out the proper number of links should only be 126 there!

 

[Dazmanturbo]

I use the Garbaruk Narrow Wide chainring. It has taller teeth than most, giving less chance of the chain being dropped and I have never lost one. These are also half the weight of the Praxis one you get as standard

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Garbaruk products are excellent!

 

[AllenO]

I had my Creo chain drop recently. This was on smooth tarmac in Turbo (100%) when shifted into the smallest cog. The chain dropped on the inside (I would have expected it to drop outside). The gap between the chainring and frame is so narrow, making it painful to put the chain back on.

I was having this problem regularly, especially while shifting rapidly in a descent. Then, by accident, I happened to read the Shimano manual for the GRX rear derailleur and discovered it had a clutch (which was designed to prevent this). Checked, and sure enough, my bike disengaged it; you have to in order to remove the rear wheel. So, check this out first. Resetting it ended my chain-dropping problem.

 

[cj3209]

I use the Garbaruk Narrow Wide chainring. It has taller teeth than most, giving less chance of the chain being dropped and I have never lost one. These are also half the weight of the Praxis one you get as standard

Is that a simple replacement? Looks like I have to take out the crank arm and then unscrew the bolts. Is that it?

 

[kahn]

I now carry these two images on my phone. One showing the clutch engaged and one of the WAVE tech alignment.

 

[kahn]

Is that a simple replacement? Looks like I have to take out the crank arm and then unscrew the bolts. Is that it?

A weird warning. I don't know exactly what my bike shop did (well, I actually do know) or how they did it. But I got the bike back from the shop and went riding. Since it was in for a tune up I thought that for some reason they changed the tension on my SPD pedals. I was having a hard time releasing on the ride. It really required strong twisting of my foot/knee and hip. After the ride I loosened the tension. But on my next ride it was still incredibly hard to release from the pedals. After that ride I looked again and they were as loose as possible. I then looked at my other bike (well, bikes) and noticed something VERY ODD. The pedals were on backwards. The spring mechanism was facing the wrong way. I know pedals are right/left specific and could not figure out if they cross-threaded them or what. Called, took it down. Shop guys says "makes no sense" Another mechanic came down. Oh, crap! I guess the Creo's cranks are not part of the spider. The cranks are separate and someone reversed them. Left for right and right for left. That made the pedals attached to the cranks WRONG.

So, if you manage to remove both cranks, make sure to replace them correctly!

I have been riding with SPD for years and adjust tension lots after broken foot and replaced hip but, frankly, probably never thought about which was front or back. I just did not notice the mismatch. It was looking at another bike and it was like "Holy crap!"

And I will say, this is generally a well-trusted bike shop.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Is removing the crank necessary to replace the chainring?! I own no Creo but the procedure of replacing the chainring in my Vado and Vado SL is simple:

• Remove the drive-side pedal
• Unscrew the chainring bolts
• Remove the chainring
• Replace the chainring
• Tighten bolts
• Replace the pedal.

To make my work easier (the access from the non-drive side), I remove the motor cover first.