In this article I will review the Wolf Tooth LoneWolf Aero Chainguide that will support my 1x 12 speed Shimano GRX RX-820 set-up for the Canyon Grizl CF SL8 1by gravel bike. On all my bikes I’m using a chain catcher, simply because a damaged frame will easily justify the investment of a proper chain guide.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Design Wolf Tooth LoneWolf Aero Chainguide
On the Wolf Tooth LoneWolf Aero Chain guide product page you can read:
The new LoneWolf Aero Chainguide prevents dropped chains on road, gravel, and CX bikes with 1x drivetrains. This chainguide has been tested and developed with Team Jumbo-Visma, has been trusted in road cycling’s biggest races, and ridden to victory in the 2023 Giro d’Italia, and the 2023 Tour de France. LoneWolf Aero Chainguide was also ridden to victory through truly epic conditions at Unbound Gravel 2023.
We think of this little chainguide as 30g of insurance for races where a dropped chain could cost you a shot at the podium. The LoneWolf Aero Chain guide is similar to our existing GnarWolf, and combines a low profile head that only covers the top and inboard side of the chain with our GuideLock quick adjustment system. This eliminates the need for shims and gives you security in a light, easy to use, and aerodynamically optimized chainguide solution.
I didn’t know that the Wolf Tooth LoneWolf was tested during Unbound Gravel 2023, which is a rock solid test and one of the biggest gravel races globally. And while a 1x drive train set-up exists a bit longer the Aqua Blue Sport team were the first ones to use it on their 3T road bikes. In 2022 and 2023 we saw Team Jumbo Visma using a 1x set-up for Jonas Vinegaard and Primoz Roglic in Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. We can also recall the dropped chain moment of Primoz Roglic in the 2023 Giro d’Italia.
For professionals it is a matter of winning or loosing. For us, hobby and amateur cyclists it is all about having a damaged frame yes or no. And yes gravel bikes will get some damage at some point, but I don’t want to wreck the bottom bracket area simply for a dropped chain. And some extra insurance for protection is highly recommended, despite narrow-wide tooth designs on chainrings. But we all ride different chainring sizes in the 1x set-up, so what sweep size to choose ?
LoneWolf Sweep Sizes
There is also a Wolf Tooth Chainguide Calculator page, which can help you identify the sweep size for the LoneWolf or GnarWolf chain guides.
- Low Sweep with a chainring adjustability range of 32T-50T
- Medium Sweep with a chainring adjustability range of 46T-56T
- High Sweep with a chainring adjustability range of 50T-60T
In addition to the sweep sizes, there are also some custom versions for Cervelo, Otso Cycles Waheela C or the Rose Bikes Backroad. These bikes have a unique seat tube profile, and therefor it is not advisable to install these on other bikes. It is directly clamped onto the bolts where you would normally fit the front derailleur hanger.
Installation Wolf Tooth Lonewolf Aero Chainguide
I will try to keep the installation instruction as brief and as simple as possible.
- Remove the bottom PrototipoWorks Ultra Low bolt from the Elite Rocko Carbon bottle cage on the seat tube, and rotate the bottle cage up for easy access to the front derailleur hanger.
- Apply some Weldtite TF2 Lithium Grease on the thread of the LoneWolf bolts, this will allow durability and easy loosening when needed. You could put some Dynamic Carbon Assembly paste between LoneWolf Aero Chainguide and front derailleur hanger.
- Adjust the vertical height by choosing 1 out of 3 threaded holes in the LoneWolf Aero Chain guide. I choose the middle hole, where the bolt would clamp almost at the bottom of the frond derailleur hanger. Hand tighten the bolt, and fine adjust when needed.
- Adjust the horizontal distance to the chain with the GuideLock quick adjustment system, which is nothing more than tightening a bolt after you’ve dialed in the horizontal distance. Make sure to test any rubbing with the Shimano GRX RX-820 rear derailleur on the largest and on the smallest cassette-sprocket.
- Tighten the bolts to specification with the Wera 7515 Kraftform Safe-Torque Speed Torque screwdriver or any alternative torque wrench or torque screwdriver.
Concluding thoughts and wrap-up
A chain guide is a must have item on a bike, regardless of the discipline. Simply because you don’t want to damage a expensive carbon frame, because of a chain running off the chainrings on a bumpy single track or a bumpy road. Canyon Ultimate CF SLX has a Carbonice Stummer Eugen installed, Scott Scale 925 has a Scott Scale direct mount Chainguide and now the Wolf Tooth LoneWolf Aero Chain guide is installed on the Canyon Grizl CF SL8.
The Wolf Tooth LoneWolf Aero Chainguide has a price point of € 44,00 which is fair for a high quality and well engineered product. The GuideLock quick adjustment system is very easy, and Wolf Tooth offers replacement parts for LoneWolf and GnarWolf chainguides, making this a long-term investment that will keep your gravel bike protected. For comparison the K-EDGE 1x Race Chain Guide has a price point of $ 105,00 and a Gnarwolf like cage (at almost double the price).
- Would you install a Wolf Tooth LoneWolf Aero Chainguide on your (Canyon Grizl CF SL8) gravel bike ?
- re you using any other Wolf Tooth products ? If so which ones?
Check out the Wolf Tooth WT-1 Chain Lube review. Other interesting product reviews on cycling-review.net can be found in the categories below:
I’ve received some good news regarding the LoneWolf portfolio:
“Adding to our lineup of braze-on, Cervelo, and Otso chainguides; LoneWolf Direct Mount Aero Chainguides are now available for select models of Enve, Rose, Ridley, and Scott bikes.“
Please note that you can only use these Direct Mount versions with the specific supported models, given the specific seat-tube shape for these selected models.