Rant: Crappy track chainrings are crappy!
 

Sending back another 'bargain' ring because it's out of round to the point of being unusable on my fixed. The good stuff is worth the price!

Never again.

Really what were you expecting? Quality comes with price and maybe if you do some calculations buying a nice chainring will be cheaper than buying a bunch of cheap crap ones or vice versa.

Very informative thread. Bookmarked and will read again.

I'm a bit hard headed that way. Until recently, the mid-priced rings I'd used were quite serviceable.....not near perfect like a Sugino Zen, but good enough. So when I decided to switch a couple around recently, I figured I could get away on the cheap(er), but of course that's where the line is apparently drawn. Not a particularly expensive lesson, but one well learned just the same.

Promise?!!

Thanks! I'm flattered.

Don't be.

Perhaps invest in some of Scrod's 1 dollar cogs? ;)

Next lesson: Good chainrings are good.

Damn!

Beat me to it.

Two sentences and a fragment? That's not a rant, it's a whinge. At least give us a hissy fit.

what did you buy? ive had good experience with omnium chainrings and better. i will buy nothing less than an omnium or fsa

chanrings
 

Thanks SS. If they're as nice as they claim, that's a very solid value. Any experience with them?

cycle underground
 

yes, one of the best chainrings I own!

People often wonder, "Why should I buy [moderately priced brand] over [budget brand] when they do the same thing?"

The issue isn't whether a budget part will do a better job. It's usually about quality control. When bicycle parts are measured in millimeters, quality control is very important.

MOST of the budget gear is fine. But, many budget manufacturers will simply "PASS" equipment (and sell it to you) that a better-known manufacturer will "FAIL" and eat the costs.

There is a point of diminishing returns, of course. Like for example when Shimano 105 gear performs just as well as Dura-Ace at 1/4 the costs. Then you are paying for luxuries, the same way that a $200 designer jeans work just as well as $35 Levis.

It really comes down to reviews and reputation...and good customer service.

Well put, and you'd think I would have known better. My road bike.....95% Dura Ace. My #1 fixie....Sugino 75 crank, DA track hubs. But when it came time to mess with my #2 fixie, I cheap'd out and suffered the consequences. It's how us hard headed types live and learn.

I use these for 130 BCD. The quality is great, I have yet to have had any issues with them. Usually ~$40 at my LBS
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31ZFIHrD3dL.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/Sugino-46t-Cha.../dp/B001GSOEZW

And these for 144 BCD made by my home town heros Profile Racing for ~$75

http://www.profileracing.com/estore/...?productId=361

Highly elliptical.

Normally, I'd agree with you here, but based on some of the threads I've seen recently, this has some merit. If only to remind people that 'you get what you pay for' is an axiom for a reason.

Thanks for the support. The title was my attempt at a bit of humor while addressing the issue you spoke of. Apparently Scrod took it a bit too literally, and seems quite adept at finding a cloud in every silver lining.

OK....gotta admit....I DID chuckle when I saw this.

Man I'm glad to see this thread is still getting bumped.

Bump

Highpath