Discover how narrow-wide chainring tooth profiles improve chain retention in 1x drivetrains and how they compare to traditional setups.
Narrow-wide chainring technology is one of the most impactful innovations in 1x drivetrains. The alternating thick/thin tooth pattern matches the inner and outer links of the chain, reducing the chance of drops on bumpy terrain.
This design is now standard in MTB and gravel cranksets like QO-GRAVA and ROTOR Kapic. Traditional chainrings, used in 2x and 3x setups, lack this retention ability but allow smoother front shifting. Riders should choose narrow-wide for single-ring simplicity and maximum security.