Can I Upgrade These Chainrings?

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theboytaylor

Well-Known Member
Location
Charlton, London
Hi

I'm currently bringing back to life a late 80's Peugeot bike as a bit of a project. I'm hoping my wife can use it as a low-cost commuter, maybe buy something a bit more swish towards the end of the year. I was trying to think ahead in case it's poorly geared (there's a tough hill to get up on the way home) - it's currently got 52-42T chainrings (I think they're Simplex?) on the front and a 5 spd 14-28T freewheel (Maillard) on the back. An option that had occurred to me was to maybe change the 42 if possible to a 39/38T.

So, I checked the BCD (pretty sure it's 130) and I was looking at the chainrings and I can't see any obvious way to change the individual rings - they look rivetted together with nothing to fit an allen key or flat screwdriver into. Here are a few pics.

Can these chainrings be changed? If so, do I need any particular tools?

Or is it a new chainset/BB job :smile: ?

Thanks in advance
 
If there rivetted then no you cant change them sorry.
 

tyred

Legendary Member
Location
Ireland
Look like rivets. If you can get another chainwheel that fits, personally, I would drill out the rivets and replace with suitable sized steel bolts.

You could also look at something like a Shimano Mega-range freewheel block.
 

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
Look out for a cheap old double chainset on ebay - if the pic is any good you can soon spot the ones with removable chain rings.

Or even pop an old MTB square taper triple on there as a temporary measure...mech will cope with two out of the three rings, chainline will be a bit off but if only a temporary job until N+1....
 

battered

Guru
Looks rivetted to me. If so then it's the whole lot.

Why sweat it before the thing is in use? Your wife may like it as is. Now I know we men like to find excuses to take things apart and "improve" :biggrin:them, but come on. You want a cheap commuter. You have one. Use it, when it wears out you can decide.
 
OP
OP
theboytaylor

theboytaylor

Well-Known Member
Location
Charlton, London
Hi all,

Thanks for the replies - most helpful.

battered said:
Why sweat it before the thing is in use? Your wife may like it as is.
Wise words

battered said:
You want a cheap commuter. You have one.
It's not proving that cheap :rolleyes: !

Thanks once again for all the help, including on my other post.

Chris
 
OP
OP
theboytaylor

theboytaylor

Well-Known Member
Location
Charlton, London
£20? Really? Thanks, I'll bear that in mind
 

Hacienda71

Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
I put a mirage double on an old 70's cheapo Eddy Merkx worked fine had to change the BB to get the chain line right but I picked up the BB for about £5 or £6 on ebay.
 

nuovo_record

Well-Known Member
i've been running a mirage 8 speed chainset since they first appeared - condition still really good. think it's one of the best pound for qualtity on the range
 
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