Road Fan

I'm installing a set of Race Face 10 speed chainrings (46/32/26), and the large and middle rings are pinned. My question is, how should I clock the large and middle ring to get the best shifting? Is there a general rule?

dsbrantjr

Many chainrings have a stamped indicator, like a triangle or similar, to indicate clocking. Or try lining up the stamped tooth number labels.

Of course if there is a chain drop pin on the large ring it needs to be lined up with the crank arm.

Velocivixen

I just replaced the outer & middle chainrings on my triple & had the same question. The SRAM instructional guide said that the tab that protrudes from the large chainring aligns with the crank arm. So if chain falls off it won’t scratch your crankset. The middle chainring had a small triangle piece protruding (hard to explain), which aligned up also with the crank arm.

For the middle chainring I just looked for any rivet or marking that was different from the rest, and easily found the spot.

Hope this helps.

Road Fan

Thanks, all! Great to hear from you, VV!

I do see a little pointer that lines up with the chain-drop pin and it corresponds to matching up the text on the fronts of the chainrings. So that's what I'll use!

Thanks again!

2_i 

You rotate the rings relative to each other and the number of options for a relative orientation of 2 rings is equal to or less than the number of arms. You usually go from outside in in the settling of the relative orientations of adjacent rings. The best option is one where the chain coming off the smaller ring climbs naturally onto the larger ring, i.e. chain matching the teeth, while being picked by a pin and ramp. You look for 2 such configurations around the rings - the more you can achieve is obviously better. If there is no good match whatsoever, upshifting is problematic. Coming off from a larger ring onto smaller is less dependent on the orientation of adjacent rings.