Chainring replacement /compatabity - Shimano

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I've just discovered a crack in the outer 50T chainring of my Triban Sora chainset. It's a 50/34 and I'm wondering what cross compatability for newer models there is. Iask because I've seen a few 10, 11, 12 speed rings or chainsets cheaper than single 9 speed specific ring. For aesthetics I'd like to retain the current appearance e which the modern Shimano rings/chainset appear to all have but I'm unsure of any fitment or shifting issues if I don't keep to the Sora/9 level. Both 50 and 34 are fairly worn so if I can cheaply replace both the that would be ideal.
 

Bristolian

Über Member
Location
Bristol, UK
If you have a 50-34 arrangement then I assume it's a 4-bolt setup (?)

This one looks pretty reasonable: https://www.bikeparts.co.uk/product...334&gbraid=0AAAAAC6PGhwUVb4EPD6A17CXNVeJc9KF4

Finding grey ones is a little more difficult. I gave up on that when I needed a replacement for my 3x Sora with 5-bolts :wacko:
 
Triban is a bike brand, so not particularly relevant here. Bike manufacturers assemble parts from component manufacturers. The most prominent of those, Shimano, make your chainset, and Triban are just one of hundreds or thousands of bike brands using identical Shimano products. Other posters are correct: the important thing is which generation of Sora chainset you have, because the Sora model name has been used for decades, I believe since 7-speed.

If I read your post correctly, you're saying that you have 9-speed Sora. If that's this chainset here, that same page lists chainrings to match (although the larger ring costs half the price of a whole new set). This is just one (very good) bike shop, and you'd be able to get the rings in loads of other places.

If that's the wrong generation of Sora chainset, we need to identify the correct one as a first step. Photographs, and/or the model numbers off the front or back of the cranks, would be the only reliable way to do that.

As a general answer, you can fit other brands of ring to your cranks, but the BCD (bolt circle diameter) - the diameter of a circle through the bolts that secure the rings in place) must be correct, as that varies between brands and models. It's often engraved into the rings. Also, newer Shimano chainsets tend to have four arms, whereas most older ones from most manufacturers have five. Pretty obviously, you can't mix and match between four and five! You probably know that, because you talk about making the styling match, which would require Shimano rings.

Hope this doesn't sound overly fussy as an answer. It's just not possible to help without this information.

By the way, I don't think I've ever heard of a cracked ring before. What happened? Usually it's just worn-out teeth. A photo of that crack might help too.
 
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Any two ring specific 9 or 10 speed chainring with the same BCD and number of arms will work. 11 speed rings might also work, but you might want to change to a 10 or 11 speed chain at the same time.

I run a 10 speed chainset and derailleurs with a 9 speed cassette and shifter with no ill effects.
 
OP
OP
S

Superlight-Andy

Regular
If you have a 50-34 arrangement then I assume it's a 4-bolt setup (?)

This one looks pretty reasonable: https://www.bikeparts.co.uk/product...334&gbraid=0AAAAAC6PGhwUVb4EPD6A17CXNVeJc9KF4

Finding grey ones is a little more difficult. I gave up on that when I needed a replacement for my 3x Sora with 5-bolts :wacko:

The ones you've posted the link look a good deal but I jumped the gun last night and bought a pair of 12 speed rings on ebay so hopefully they'll do the trick.
 

Elybazza61

Legendary Member
The ones you've posted the link look a good deal but I jumped the gun last night and bought a pair of 12 speed rings on ebay so hopefully they'll do the trick.

It may 'work' but it's not really ideal as the chain will be much wider than the chainrings so will probably move around a lot and the shifting may be erratic, also if I remember correctly the spacing of the rings on 12-speed chain sets is slightly different so the rings will have been designed for that.

Actually found this;

Finally, 11-speed Shimano cranksets do not work with 12-speed Shimano (outer) chainrings, even though the BCD is 110 in both cases. This is due to the design of the crankset - you physically cannot put a 12-speed Shimano outer ring on an 11-speed Shimano crankset.

(Taken from here ;https://bettershifting.com/building-a-12-speed-di2-road-bike-components-and-wiring/)

So the outer chainring might not even fit.
 
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