Even if you’re a budget-minded rider or not a flashy person, nearly everyone has some kind of jewelry or special decorative touch on their bike to reflect their style. For those of us with a tough guy (or girl) attitude trapped inside, what could be more bad ass than a bash guard shaped like brass knuckles? These things not only look awesome, they’re also very lightweight and can’t wait to lay the smack down on rocks that threaten to wreck your rings.
Faster Than You Inc. is a company based in Agawan, Massachusetts. Their crew is made up of a group of passionate riders, who apparently have a bit of attitude and aren’t afraid to show it. Their Knucklehead brass knuckle bash guards not only promise to be effective, they invite you to ‘beat the obstacles into submission’…
The Knucklehead bash guards are made from anodized heat treated aluminum, and they mount on the outside of your ring(s) via the chain ring bolts. The guards all come with extended 4130 chromoly hardware to accommodate the added thickness, and eight washers (of two different thicknesses) to adjust the fit. Since they ride on the outside, these guards are compatible with 1x or 2x drivetrains.
At the moment the Knuckleheads are only available for a 104 BCD bolt pattern, but Faster Than You’s website says more options are on the way. As for ring coverage, the guards come in two different sizes- The Babyhead model accommodates up to 34t rings and the Fathead fits larger rings up to 38t.
The Knucklehead bash guards are asymmetrical, with one flat side and the other slightly milled out. The milled side is meant to go against the chainring- check out the above video for complete installation instructions. The company says the guards weigh just under 20g (size not specified) and offer a weight savings of 70% versus a full-ring bash guard.
These bad ass bash guards are made in the USA, and can be purchased from Faster Than You Inc.’s website for $40 USD. Currently the guards only come in gold, but other colors are planned for the future. The company also says if anyone breaks one, they will gladly replace it. As a special offer to our faithful readers, enter ‘bikerumor’ as the discount code and get 20% off!
