A bashguard is a device used on bicycles to protect components, usually the drivetrain, from damage in the case of a strike with an object, whether intentional or in a crash. There are two types, bashrings and bashplates.

Bashring

In cycling, bashrings are a protective ring, often made of

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, mounted on the outer part of the

chainring The crankset (in the US) or chainset (in the UK), is the component of a bicycle drivetrain that converts the reciprocating motion of the rider's legs into rotational motion used to drive the chain or belt, which in turn drives the rear wheel. ...

s on mountain bikes. They are commonly used on

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and freeride bikes to protect the

chain A chain is a wikt:series#Noun, serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression (physics), compression but line (g ...

and chainring in cases of it hitting rocks and other obstacles. The position of the chainring makes it particularly susceptible to rock strikes in this kind of riding. They are also often used on

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bikes for a similar purpose–to protect the chain and chainring–although they are often used as a tool to get up and over obstacles. It is for this reason that a lot of bashrings aimed at trials riding have a tooth-like profile. They are also used for landing on a log, so are generally wider than those used for downhill and freeride. Finally, bashrings are used a lot on street bikes, where they are used to protect the chain and chainring when grinding obstacles, and again in the case of a crash.

Bashplate

A bashplate is a device used most often on Mod-class trials bikes, again to protect the chain and chainring. This device, however, is attached to the frame rather than to the crankset. Being more central on the bike (and generally far wider) means that balancing on this is easier, though the fact that it is not attached to the crankarm means it cannot be used to get up obstacles in the same way as a bashring. Bicycle parts {{Cycling-stub