Chainrings

[Deleted member 1258]

Why are some now sold as outer, middle or inner? Is this just a marketing thing? Or are these ones that technically specific that they are outer, middle or inner? What happens if I buy an outer and use it as an inner? Will I burn in hell? or will my bike fall apart? It was all so simple years ago, you knew what your BCD was and you went and brought your chainring, all this choice is doing my head in!

 

[fossyant]

Not a wise idea at all......

Modern rings have pins and ramps on the chain rings to speed up shifting.....so not wise to fit in the wrong position as they'll not work well, or at worse foul the chain. Just get the BCD right.