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OPINION

It had to happen: carbon-fibre chain catcher from Sigma Sport

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by nick_rearden
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 21:58
7
It had to happen: carbon-fibre chain catcher from Sigma SportCarbon-fibre-chain-catcher-from-Sigma-Sport
Just the thing for the off-season: the one component that still weighed down your bike with needlessly hefty aluminium

Soaked and frozen winter cyclists returning from slippery and muddy Saturday rides all over the country, bathing and slathering hot embrocation on aching knees in readiness for more of the same in the morning wil surely rejoice to hear that the ultimate technological barrier has been finally surmounted. Yes, chain catchers that hitherto had to do their work weighed down with literally several grams of excess weight contained in their aluminium construction can now be displayed alongside the other vital carbon-fibre innovations on the modern bicycle.

We feel a sense of authority here. road.cc after all posted undoubtedly the definitive guide to chain catchers from Eurobike where manufacturers had risen to the challenge presented at the Tour De France 2010 and the notorious 'Chaingate' incident featuring Andy Schleck's forfeited 8 seconds on the Port de Balès.

It's an indication of the technological challenge presented in producing a cutting-edge carbon chain catcher that a full year and five months have elapsed since July 2010 and Andy's poor unshipped and jammed chain. But engineers are like that; no obstacle can stand in the way when progress is at stake.

Retailers Sigma Sport in Surrey have the first supplies. Currently attention is focused on mounting the first unit so details like price will have to wait. Stand by though.

UPDATE: We now know the price will be £19.99 which doesn't seem so bad.

 


Tidy: here it is installed


...and from above. All the better now we know it will cost £19.99

 

 

Sigma Sport
Carbon Fibre

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7 comments

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andyp | 12 years ago
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Is anyone expecting durability from it? Ideally your chain never makes contact with it. What's the problem?

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mikroos | 12 years ago
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Using CF in this application is unbelievably stupid. This kind of material is extremely sensitive to abrasion so one shouldn't expect any durability from this chain catcher.

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The _Kaner | 12 years ago
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I'll stick with my ally one thanks....go for a pee before you cycle and lose a few grams....or have a hair cut...or hey why not pick your nose....

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nick_rearden | 12 years ago
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Yes, Simon, read Lennard's piece at the time; I think he nailed it.

Yes, your chain unshipping isn't a great thing anyway but those chaincatchers are mostly about saving carbon frames from getting gouged by wayward chains. The chain jammed between the little ring and the chainstay on a metal frame is horrible enough but carbon just doesn't bear thinking about. Which means that using carbon in this role probably isn't as silly as it first appears especially if it comes out looking as cool as that installed above. Mind you, it still remains to be seen what the price is.

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Simon E | 12 years ago
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Quote:

chain catchers that hitherto had to do their work weighed down with literally several grams of excess weight contained in their aluminium construction can now be displayed alongside the other vital carbon-fibre innovations on the modern bicycle.

Not having one weighs even less, though if you have a nice bike I can understand that you want to stop the top of the BB being gouged by a chain.

Didn't someone write that Andy appeared to be riding big-n-big, and it jumped off when he shifted under load? Lennard Zinn thinks it actually came off at the bottom of the chainring!

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step-hent | 12 years ago
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Looks good. I'll take two - one for the summer and one for the winter bike 4

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si4star | 12 years ago
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I hope they charge a ridiculous amount of money for this.

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