Who makes round chainwheels?

[ASC1951]

I'm building up a lightweight fixed for the road, based on XACD's Ti track frame, and am wondering what make of chainset to get so that I can maintain decent chain tension.

At the moment I have a Miche Primato which has disappointed me by being off-round enough to make a visible difference when I turn the cranks by hand. My basic knowledge of geometry suggests it is the chainset rather than the sprocket.

Funds would stretch to a carbon chainset (thanks to a dead aunt) but only in the interests of getting something reliably better made - we aren't talking performance cyclist here!

Any suggestions?

 

[betty swollocks]

Try MDT

 

[Pottsy]

£110.00 58 – 67 Teeth
Please call for quote if you require a larger ring

Bl00dy hell!!!

 

[ASC1951]

Pottsy, is that "Bloody hell, look at the price" or "Bloody hell, what superman would want a chainring bigger than 67 teeth"?

It's all very well having a chainring accurate to 10 microns, but that is irrelevant unless the spider is centred to that accuracy. Or do they mean that they will custom-make the ring to your individual spider?

Either way we are looking at about £250 for a chainset. I must say, MDT do make top quality stuff but unlike L'Oreal, I'm not sure I'm worth it.

 

[yenrod]

>but unlike L'Oreal, I'm not sure I'm worth it

 

[Pottsy]

Pottsy, is that "Bloody hell, look at the price" or "Bloody hell, what superman would want a chainring bigger than 67 teeth"?

Well it was mainly surprise that someone would need more than 67 teeth - that's a big gear whatever sprocket you have on the back.

As a matter of interest, what gear would someone like Chris Hoy use doing a kilo? Anyone know? Higher than the 48x19 on my fixie I'm sure!

 

[ASC1951]

As a matter of interest, what gear would someone like Chris Hoy use doing a kilo? Anyone know? Higher than the 48x19 on my fixie I'm sure!

Something around a 95-100" gear, I believe.

I'll ask him next time I ease past him on my 48x18. I'll be the one on the egg whisk.

 

[Graham O]

I'm building up a lightweight fixed for the road, based on XACD's Ti track frame, and am wondering what make of chainset to get so that I can maintain decent chain tension.

At the moment I have a Miche Primato which has disappointed me by being off-round enough to make a visible difference when I turn the cranks by hand. My basic knowledge of geometry suggests it is the chainset rather than the sprocket.

Funds would stretch to a carbon chainset (thanks to a dead aunt) but only in the interests of getting something reliably better made - we aren't talking performance cyclist here!

Any suggestions?

Have a look at Sheldon Brown's website. He describes how he has overcome the problems of non circular chain sets. If I remember correctly, he loosens the chain ring securing bolts and adjusts from there.
Personally I use eccentric chain rings, although not by choice.

 

[ASC1951]

Have a look at Sheldon Brown's website. He describes how he has overcome the problems of non circular chain sets. If I remember correctly, he loosens the chain ring securing bolts and adjusts from there.

Already done, Graham - Sheldon is usually where I start. It eased the problem but didn't cure it. I still get a creaking chain, which interferes with the Zen. IMO a properly set up fixed bike should make no noise at all apart from me wheezing and snorting on top of it.

I suppose I could slacken the chain off a touch, but I have this morbid fear of the chain popping off the sprocket at speed on a Leeds' bumpy roads and interfering with my Zen even more.

 

[Will1985]

Some of the chaps over at Timetriallingforum use enormous custom chainrings 65t+ on their fixed TT frames. I imagine they can only grind them!

 

[briank]

Already done, Graham - Sheldon is usually where I start. It eased the problem but didn't cure it. I still get a creaking chain, which interferes with the Zen. IMO a properly set up fixed bike should make no noise at all apart from me wheezing and snorting on top of it.

I suppose I could slacken the chain off a touch, but I have this morbid fear of the chain popping off the sprocket at speed on a Leeds' bumpy roads and interfering with my Zen even more.

I'd be glad of a suggestion here too! I've also done the Sheldon number and it helps, but not enough. The new Wipperman nickel plated chain I put on my track bike a few months ago looks lovely but sounds horrid. Bad enough that you can feel the roughness - though adittedly that's on Velodrome boards not the road.

Is there any way to check the circularity of rings without actually mouting them on the bike?
Would it be worth monkeying around to fit, for example TA Hegoa rings? Made for Shimano shifting of course, but very nicely made, twice machined - after anodising as well as before - and expensive. So maybe run truer than cheaper alternatives?

 

[skwerl]

I'd be glad of a suggestion here too! I've also done the Sheldon number and it helps, but not enough. The new Wipperman nickel plated chain I put on my track bike a few months ago looks lovely but sounds horrid. Bad enough that you can feel the roughness - though adittedly that's on Velodrome boards not the road.

Is there any way to check the circularity of rings without actually mouting them on the bike?
Would it be worth monkeying around to fit, for example TA Hegoa rings? Made for Shimano shifting of course, but very nicely made, twice machined - after anodising as well as before - and expensive. So maybe run truer than cheaper alternatives?

My TA Alize ring is also s'posed to be good quality but nonetheless is not round. Funilly enough it's the section of the ring, just where 'Made in France' is stamped, that is out of true.

 

[ASC1951]

This has become more of a concern. I was pedalling downhill outside Otley on a bumpy road yesterday and the chain popped off on the slack part of the rotation. A couple of seconds to pick my bit of verge as I slid down the road on melting rubber, then it was upside down into the hogweed.

Luckily I wasn't wearing a helmet or I would have had to pick the bits out of that as well.

 

[Jakob]

My TA Alize ring is also s'posed to be good quality but nonetheless is not round. Funilly enough it's the section of the ring, just where 'Made in France' is stamped, that is out of true.

Nah, TA Alize rings are remarkedly oval. Had one of those, never again.