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Recommended (smaller) big chainwheel

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Recommended (smaller) big chainwheel

Old 04-16-22, 12:42 PM
  #26  
BikeRider22
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Blackspire has 110 BCD chainrings that look they would work.

Super Pro CycloCross Series 110,130,135mm BCD
https://www.blackspire.com/product/s...0130135mm-bcd/
$58.30 – $99.00


The red asterisks make it clear whether the chainrings
are for the inner or outer position

At least this Canadian manufacturer knows which side they go on.

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Old 04-16-22, 12:42 PM
  #27  
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WOLF TOOTH 110 BCD CYCLOCROSS CHAINRING
https://www.jensonusa.com/Wolf-Tooth...oad-Chainrings

Lots of useful info in the description
as to chain compatibility


But NOT whether it can be used on a double chainring setup


Even the manufacturer's website does not
make it clear if their chainrings can be used for double,
or just for single chainring setups
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/...14782347149347


It bothers me when I have to try to figure it out.

Or, send an email
That may or may not be responded to.


Grade for Communication:
F for failure to communicate
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Old 04-16-22, 12:43 PM
  #28  
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Wickworks

Cyclocross & Gravel & Road Chainrings – Made For Shifting
https://wickwerks.com/product-catego...l/cx-shifting/

Sells pairs of chainrings, inner and outer

ie.
https://wickwerks.com/products/cyclocross-42-34-std/
42/34 Standard 5-Bolt Compact
$146.50 for both chainrings
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Old 04-16-22, 12:44 PM
  #29  
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While there is not a great selection of chainrings
on the South Salem Cycleworks website
Chainrings, 110 BCD, 5-Bolt - South Salem Cycleworks

After I emailed to ask which chainrings are compatible with
my Truvativ and CrossCheck, I did get a long email response
explaining the complexities.

Thank you!

Not only that, but the website shows real (not stock) pictures
of both the front and the back of the chainrings.

Rare to see. Wow.
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Old 04-16-22, 12:45 PM
  #30  
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Deckas 110BCD Chainring Round Road Bike Force Red Rival S350 S900 For Sram Cx Gravel Quarq
https://deckaschainrings.com/deckas-...-gravel-quarq/

Looks like they might work

Hope it's useful.

Feel free to add any other links to small outer chainrings
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Old 04-18-22, 06:52 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by BikeRider22
WOLF TOOTH 110 BCD CYCLOCROSS CHAINRING
https://www.jensonusa.com/Wolf-Tooth...oad-Chainrings

Lots of useful info in the description
as to chain compatibility


But NOT whether it can be used on a double chainring setup


Even the manufacturer's website does not
make it clear if their chainrings can be used for double,
or just for single chainring setups
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/...14782347149347


It bothers me when I have to try to figure it out.

Or, send an email
That may or may not be responded to.


Grade for Communication:
F for failure to communicate
This is for a single ring setup
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Old 04-18-22, 06:55 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by BikeRider22
Deckas 110BCD Chainring Round Road Bike Force Red Rival S350 S900 For Sram Cx Gravel Quarq
https://deckaschainrings.com/deckas-...-gravel-quarq/

Looks like they might work

Hope it's useful.

Feel free to add any other links to small outer chainrings
This is also for a single ring
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Old 04-19-22, 05:49 AM
  #33  
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Bike rider, you can see now why it's often just simpler to look into getting a whole new crankset. Sure it depends on prices and whatnot, and you have to balance all the factors of BB etc etc.
pre COVID things were easier with more stock available.

Do look into gear calculators to figure out the gearing
I don't think you ever got back with more details did you? Shifters, cassette etc
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Old 04-19-22, 06:47 AM
  #34  
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Knowing what cassette you have and what range in gear inches wanted would be useful information.
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Old 04-19-22, 07:22 AM
  #35  
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I think your frustrations are indicative of one of the biggest downsides of indexed systems, at least up front. If you are willing to use friction shifting up front, most of your problems disappear. A crank is a crank. I've never understood what an X speed crank is. I have used 45 year old (would those be 5 speed?) cranks with 10 speed chains without issues. Buy whatever 110 BCD ring you want and mount it where you want it. The retailers aren't going to tell you it works if it doesn't fit within the matchy matchy of indexed ramps and pins, derailleurs etc. I've set my bike up for an upcoming tour with a triple with a 42t big chainring. My mix of components is way outside the published limits of what "works" and no retailer would tell me in an email or over the phone to do this. My 42 ring is actually a timing ring off my tandem. Is that an inner, an outer, or what? I don't care. It is 110 BCD and bolts up to my X? speed crank (cyclocross?, touring? road? hybrid? - who cares?). Yes, I have to fiddle and refine adjustments and technique but, for touring, it does work. I start with a gear calculator to see what will get me the gears and steps I want and go from there. Having the right gears is more important to me than whether or not I miss a shift from time to time (and I've toured with indexers and heard their missed shifts). If your goal is to miss fewer shifts maybe you should stick with indexed. The resulting downside will be your current frustrations. For whatever it is worth, my experience is that friction front shifting is easier than indexed, even when everything is matchy matchy indexed. I've often wondered why modern, outer chainrings have chain catchers if indexed shifting is so reliable.
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Old 04-19-22, 09:38 AM
  #36  
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For double chainring cranksets, the large ring has features to help shift the chain up to the big ring. (The small ring doesn't need these.)
Most of the chainrings you linked don't have these features, which indicates they are designed for a single front chainring.

On your 50 tooth: see the different tooth profiles and the "shifting pins". The pins help grab the chain and the different tooth profiles also help with shifting.
Note that these are usually designed to work with a specific smaller chainring, so that the chain plates are in the right position to work well with these features.

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Old 04-19-22, 09:55 AM
  #37  
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L134, I understand your delight with friction shifting on the front derailleur. I run Shimano STI 10 speed shifters and the left hand triple is not very forgiving and can be prone to fail if everything is not just right, largely due to the silly trim feature. To go from my large 46 ring to my middle 36 ring requires, not one but two deliberate non-rushed clicks on the smaller lever, and then to go to the smaller 24 ring, just one click gets me there. To go back up the crank, it takes not one but one and another partial sweep to get to the middle ring and then a click on the smaller lever to set it or trim correctly. To go back to the larger ring, a long sweep and you're there. I've often contemplated just throwing a bar end friction shifter on the left side and use the brifter only as a brake lever.
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Old 04-19-22, 09:59 AM
  #38  
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More bikes are available now with a 30-46 crankset, instead of 34-50. I like it, since the two chainrings still have a good separation in their range, but all the the gearing is lowered.
To do this, you'd need a new crankset, since the 30 chainring is too small to fit the 5 bolt holes. More expensive than a new large chainring, but really nice.

I guessed on your 8 speed cassette. If it's similar to this 12-26 8-speed:
This chart shows typical flat road cadences (rpm).
Your 50 tooth in blue.
A replacement 44 tooth in black.
your 34 tooth in red.
(Charts are from the very useful Mike Sherman's Gear Calculator. My favorite.)


~~~
The 44 isn't a huge change from your 50. It's 12% easier: 44/50=0.88 100-88=12
Here's road speeds at 80 rpm for 50, 44, 34 chainrings.
Comparing 50 vs 44:
For the largest cogs, the difference is about 1.5 mph.
For the middle of the cassette, about 2 mph. That's about one shift of the rear cogs.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
New crankset
The same cassette with a 30 - 46:
46 in black
30 in red.
Nice ranges for each chainring. And almost "two shifts easier" for the lowest gear.
Around 12 mph to 25 mph for the big ring,
7 mph to 14 mph for the small ring. (at flat road cadences. On steep hills, the 30 front: 26 rear is pretty good. I like 1:1 ratios, though: a 30 front, 30 or 32 rear!)


Last edited by rm -rf; 04-19-22 at 10:12 AM.
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Old 04-20-22, 08:35 AM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by robow
... . I've often contemplated just throwing a bar end friction shifter on the left side and use the brifter only as a brake lever.
When I built up my rando bike in 2015 and 2016, I was not sure what to use for front shifter, used a Campy brifter for rear. Initially as a temporary measure I put a Tektro brake lever on it and a downtube vintage friction shifter. The plan was to decide later if I would buy a brifter, use a bar end shifter, or something else. But now that the downtube friction shifter is still there, what was temporary is becoming more and more permanent every year.

For you, unfortunately nobody makes a plain brake lever that looks like a Shimano brifter. Thus, like you suggested, keep the brifter for brake purposes. I had the advantage that my older style Campy brifter and older style Tektro brake levers almost look like they came out of the same factory.
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