Last fall, e*thirteen jumped into the single chainring market with their new Guidering M’s, offering 1x converts an easy way to upgrade their 104BCD cranks to a less cluttered front end and maintain chain retention thanks to the narrow/wide tooth profiles. The big selling point for their rings was a flip-flop design that allowed 1mm fine tuning the chainline to 49mm or 50mm.
At launch, it was offered in 32/34/36/38 tooth options. Come June 30th, they’ll have a new 30-tooth ring for 104BCD setups.
Sales of the direct mount Guidering equipped cranksets, which run all the way down to 28T, and aftermarket rings were all in the small sizes, so demand was there. The challenge with making a 104 BCD compatible 30T was getting the offset necessary to fit the bolt mounts while keeping a good chainline. To do it, they had to forego the flip-flop design, so it’s a fixed chainline (we’re awaiting final numbers and will update when we get them).
Compatibility is claimed for 8/9/10/11 speeds, with best chain retention offered with 10/11 speed chains and clutch rear derailleurs. Available in black and red, claimed weight is 54g for a 36T, so expect the 30T to be less. To celebrate, they’re giving away a few Guiderings (any size) via Facebook, just like their page to enter to win.