Chain catchers are the necessary accessories of all the bike chains that prevent the dropping and slipping of the chain again and again from the crankset when you are riding, and it does not allow the chain to fall inward. it is inexpensive, lightweight, and does not irritate you on the trails.it is simply installed near the front crankset of the bike chain. the chain rolls between the chain catcher and during gear shifting the chain hit the catcher which makes the direction of the chain straight and it falls directly to the lower cogs without dropping and hitting the frame of your bike.
it is mostly installed by all the mountain bikers and road bikers as in some way it makes your ride helpful and easy because it is a natural problem of falling and dropping of chain on the trails and roads. the chain catcher keeps the chain safe from hitting and damaging the frame. however, if your bike is new it should be better to install it because it is somehow a finger that always stays the chain in the cogs and teeth of the crankset.
the chain catcher does not bother and does not create unpleasant moments for you on the trails because it is very difficult to stop on the trails when the chain dropped. the chain catcher is installed by the racers of the biking world who are fast-speed racers and don’t want to lose the race. their fingers and hands are always on the shifters of the gears on the handlebar. even if you have a new bike somehow the chain drops from the crank chainring and it’s the catcher which again slides the chain in the cogs of the crankset.
Is a Chain Catcher necessary for a bike chain?
Your decision is necessary to install/uninstall the chain catcher. the trails are different for every rider and the riding style is also different between the riders. the trails are sloppy and if you are facing the dropping of your bike chain then it’s necessary to install the catcher but if you have not faced a dropping chain problem in your entire riding life then the chain catcher would be unnecessary for your bike chain.
However, most riders have installed the catcher in their bikes because it has the benefit of preventing the dropping of chains. the pro riders always install the chain catcher or chain keepers that will not allow the chain to fall and stuck in the down tube surface of the frame.
Chain Catcher prevents the frame of your bike from damaging:
Usually, the riders install the chain catchers just to prevent the frame of their bikes. frames are expensive from the small inexpensive chain catchers. when the chain falls it hits with a force downward on the frame. the force that you are applying on the pedal to run your bike will directly hit the frame in the shape of the bike chain which provides damage to the frame.
The Chain catchers are installed in the carbon frame mountain bikes to give protection to the bottom area of the frame.
the dropping of the chain causes a big negative effect on the paint of the bike frame. the paint of the bike frame becomes defective and bad and the price of the frame falls just because of this small chain hitting defect.it mostly occurs on the downhill fast trails where the bike is running at a speed and suddenly the chain falls on the frame. if it happens many times during the ride then the frame of the bike becomes defective.
Does Crankset drop the chain?
Mountain bike cranksets are the major cause of the dropping of the chain. the cranks become old and the rubbing cogs and teeth become unable to hold the chain always in its teeth and it becomes a major cause of the dropping of the chain. this is the reason some bikers would install the chain catchers because of the cranksets while in other bikes they would not install the catchers because the crankset is smooth and stable and would not allow to fall the chain.
Chain Catcher produces tension in the bike chain:
As we know the chain always drops from the cogs just because it is loose and it is confusing to estimate the length of the chain just before a few minutes of the ride. so the flexible chain will always drop from the crank ring and stuck in the inner side. installing a catcher in your mountain bike would produce stress in the chain and the chain directly falls into the cogs and teeth of the crankset.
The chain catcher provides tension to the chain like it works as a chain guard and stays the chain in the cogs and teeth.
How to install the chain catcher in a mountain bike?
Chain Catcher contains brace clamp, bolts, chain spotter, and the front derailer. the chain flows in the center of the front derailer and reaches the cogs and teeth of the crankset. the derailer contains two spaces of nut bolts, one for the derailer adjustment and the other hole for the bolt adjustment of the chain catcher.
Tight the nut bolt of the chain catcher in the front derailer and make sure the length of the catcher so that its lower end would reach exactly to the lower crankset ring teeth and cogs.
The chain catcher stays straight and applies force on the crankset so that the chain would not fall off from the cogs of the crankset. the applying force of the catcher depends on the fixing of the nut bolt of the catcher in the derailer.
If you have installed the chain catcher and still the chain is dropping then tight the nut bolts of the front derailer and catcher. the tools that you need to install the chain catcher are:
- Allen key
- Hex key
- Screwdriver
All the spare parts, nut bolts, and the clamp of the chain catcher are available on Amazon at a cheap price.
How to get a mountain bike chain catcher?
chain catchers are not a new and modern discovery. these are old used accessories before these were rarely used by the bikers. Most riders think that there is no need to install them on their bikes, but after installing and noticing the benefits of the chain catcher you cannot uninstall them from your bikes.
You can get your desired company chain catcher from amazon and the other shop centers, the good thing about catchers is that they are light in weight. their weight does not exceed 20 grams. these are steel and aluminum-made catchers. the round clamp of the catcher is of plastic material, if you want a better one then you can install the catcher in the derailer which is firm and strong and does not shake, and flexible after high-speed races on the mountain biking single trails.
How chain catcher prevents the chain from slipping?
the mountain bike trails are tough and enough hard to ride on them. when you are riding the bumps of the trail shakes the chain even the chain would not remain straight on the bumpy trails. the chains move up and down and when you are shifting the gears then there are chances of slipping off the chain occurring, in such cases if you have an installed chain catcher within the seat post tube, it can easily control and hold the chain in a straight position.
When you have wet and muddy trails the chain and the chain crank ring would become wet which create chances of dropping and falling of the chain from the cogs, in such circumstances the chain catcher acts as a helpful material and it will not allow you to see bad moments of the chain slipping on the trails.
11 Best Bike chain catchers 2022:
- Deda Dog Fang Chain Catcher
- Token TK 375 Chain Drop Catcher
- Campagnolo Chain Catcher
- Shimano Chain Catcher
- Prime road Chain Catcher
- D2Z Chain Catcher
- K-EDGE Pro Chain Catcher
- K-EDGE Pro Chain Catcher with Universal Power Meter Magnet
- BBB Chain Catcher
- Absolute Black Chain Catcher
- Canyon Chain Catcher
These are the best chain catchers used for preventing the dropping and slipping of the chain from the crankset, you can discuss and ask your friends and the riders about these catchers and then buy the one which would be the best experienced,longlasting and most durable chain catcher.