E*Thirteen LG1+ Updated Chainguide Review

When it comes to Mountain Bike chainguide systems, E*Thirteen has been at the top for quite some time! Known for their high quality and ultimate performance, E*Thirteen chainguides are great products and perfect for that added chain security. Here in this review, Max Morgan is taking a closer look at the updated E*Thirteen LG1+ chainguide. Max chooses to run the LG1+ chainguide on both his Santa Cruz V10 downhill bike along with his Santa Cruz Hightower trail bike! Read more to learn more about the ultra versatile LG1+ chainguide.

Chainguide Specifications

• The LG1+ is E*Thirteen's most popular and most versatile chainguide available.  The ultimate downhill and enduro chainguide!

• E*Thirteen's modular assembly allows riders to choose from one of three included sizes of bash guard, and remove the lower slider completely as the course dictates. 

• The Gen2 Stealth idler pulley is softer and the new upper slider has a co-molded soft rubber interior to kill chain slap noise.

• The lower pulley and upper slider use a T25 through bolt to lock them in place.

• ISCG05 Mounting Compatible. Fits 28-38 tooth chaingrings.

• Weight: 176 grams

• What's in the box: LG1+ Chainguide, direct mount bashguard x3, long ISCG bolt x3, short ISCG bolt x3, ISCG spacer x3

• Pair it with one of the best narrow wide chaingrings for the ultimate chain security!

The backbone of the latest E*Thirteen LG1+ was first introduced in 2015 and featured many improvements to the previous model. It only took E*Thirteen one year to figure out the top portion of the guide featuring a tooless removal needed to be changed. The newest LG1+ chainguides now uses a small torx bolt to secure the top piece around the chain. Each of the chainguide small parts that make up the full system are sold individually as well. If you break the bash guard for example, no need to buy a whole new guide. 

E*Thirteen LG1+ Chainguide mounted without lower pulley or bash guard. Just throw  the bashguard on when the trail gets rough.

Riding And Performance

Pros 

• The LG1+ is fully adjustable. I use the same chainguide on both bikes that way it is easier to swap parts back and fourth if I need to. On the downhill bike, I prefer to run the full system; top slider, bottom pulley wheel, and bash guard. On the trail bike, I use the top slider only and occasionally throw on the bash guard when I know the trail is extremely rough. 

• With the new LG1+, the top slider being molded with rubber keeps chain slap noise to a minimum. Overall, this guide is quiet and super smooth. 

• Installation was straight forward and simple. I decided to use the old style spacers behind the chainguide because they just seem a bit easier. Once the backplate is mounted, next install your cranks and chainring. Use your chainring as a guide for setting the height of the top slider. The T25 through bolt should sit in between the teeth of the chainring. Run the chain and then close the top slider.

• Because the bash guard is now separate from the bottom pulley, whenever you smash a rock with your chainguide, the bottom pulley isn't phased. With the old LG1+, a lot of the times the bottom pulley would break off on impact. 

The bash guard is removable with two T25 bolts

The LG1+ does its job even in nasty conditions

Cons

• The new updated top slider is much more secure than the previous tooless version. The tooless top slider uses a metal clip to keep everything locked down and over time that metal clip would pop open while on the trail. E*Thirteen seems to have a handle on this issue with their latest system. All clear. 

• I have never really been a fan of the one piece backplate spacers that come with the new LG1+ chainguide. I much prefer the old school standard washers to space the chainguide out to the chain line. The one piece spacers do work just fine but are just a bit fiddly. I am a fan of keeping things simple. 

What's The Bottom Line? 

The E*Thirteen LG1+ chainguide is one of the best mountain bike chain retention systems on the market. Other brands like MRP and One Up have some comparable options but don't have the versatility the LG1+ brings to the table. I am able to run the LG1+ chainguide on all of my bikes. If you don't want to use a lower pulley on your guide, that's fine, just pop it right off and hit the trail. Chainguides have become less popular since narrow wide chainrings were introduced, but for the most chain security, the E*Thirteen LG1+ is a serious contender. 

About Me

Max Morgan is 25 years old, and lives in Brevard, North Carolina. Max grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and started racing downhill at the age of 15. He has now been racing professionally for the last 7 years, competing in the U.S. Pro GRT series and UCI World Cup series. Check out Max's rider spotlight here! 
Also check out Max's latest edit riding at Neko Mulally's Windrock Bike Park.
Instagram: @mxmorgan77