A top guide doesn't help with drops during backpedaling... that's all derailleur clutch.
Although I think clutches are mostly helpful for noise reduction, and chainring shape (narrow-wide, and tall teeth that don't need to handle shifts) does the most for chain retention (besides a guide, of course). Mostly because with a maybe 1 out of 100 ratio of rides where I accidentally leave the clutch off, I've always noticed it because of the noise first, but not always stopping immediately to switch it on, and still no drops.
July 14, 2023, 2:06 p.m. - Justin White
A top guide doesn't help with drops during backpedaling... that's all derailleur clutch. Although I think clutches are mostly helpful for noise reduction, and chainring shape (narrow-wide, and tall teeth that don't need to handle shifts) does the most for chain retention (besides a guide, of course). Mostly because with a maybe 1 out of 100 ratio of rides where I accidentally leave the clutch off, I've always noticed it because of the noise first, but not always stopping immediately to switch it on, and still no drops.