Singlespeed Chainsets

krakow

I'm having trouble finding a singlespeed chainset for my Armstrong build. I've asked at a couple of local bike shops, and the only one they both really knew of were the Miche ones (the Primato track chainset at about £100-130). This is by many accounts quite a reasonable chainset, but my problem is the styling. It has a deep black chainring, which I fear would look incongruous on the cream older Armstrong frame. I'd prefer a slightly more traditional look if possible. I guess one could swap the black chainring for a silver one on the Miche, but this would make it even more expensive.

I'd like a simple traditional looking singlespeed chainset if at all possible. I've heard that an all 1/8'' transmission is preferable, so would like 1/8''' if I can get it.

What options are there for chainsets for fixed/singlespeed? Am I missing some obvious choices? Am I just asking the wrong shops?

pete.whelan

someone has just posted a Campag Pista track chainset for sale on the CTC forum For Sale site - £125

meagain

I doubt that the Moth would "traditionally" have run a track chainset?
Most contemporary singles probably a bit low-end for what seems to be under construction. Personally I'd go with quality double with one ring removed! 1/8th is good, but not by any means vital!

bagpusscp

What lenght cranks do you need? I have a new pair of TA 165 arms and bolts for fitting the chain ring. 5 bolts in total .TA rings are available from Mercians. I think the 50 tooth one i have will be a little on the large side.I will post some pictures if you what more info.

krakow

bagpusscp, if you get a chance to post some pictures then that would be great. I don't know what crank length I'd need - I'm 6 foot tall if that's any kind of determining factor.

meagain - I think I must have given the wrong impression. I'm not wanting to put together something particularly fancy per se, it's just that I genuinely don't have much knowledge about or experience of what's available and worthwhile component-wise. I know that I cycle a fair bit and tend to mistreat my bike in terms of maintenance, so am concerned to get components that can survive this.

As with most people, I guess, I'm after a sensible balance between price and quality. I'm more than open to any suggestions - if there are reasonable quality bits available for better prices than those that I've mentioned then that would be grand. So far, all that my LBS was able to suggest though was the Miche chainset and I seemed to be struggling to find alternatives myself.

In terms of what I mean by traditional, all I mean is something that doesn't look like this: which I'm not sure would look right. I know that any modern (track) chainset wouldn't be truly traditional to a 1950's Armstrong, but something in silver without such a deep branded black ring would be more what I was after.

Dickie

How about the Sugino in the lower pic?

http://www.hubjub.co.uk/sugino/sug75zm.htm

krakow

Very nice, a lovely simple look, but the downside is that it is £160, without a bottom bracket even, which is not an insignificant investment. A 'money no object' choice.

andyp

How about a Stronglight ST-1000;

http://www.outspokencycles.co.uk/produc ... 15256d187d

I've been using mine for the past year or so and it's been trouble free.

salsarider79

What about SRAM Rival? They are good for using with little/no maintenance, but might not be the right style.
Have you looked on www.freshtripe.co.uk? they may have something.

bagpusscp

This gets my vote.For a chain set.Excellent price.IMO
http://www.freshtripe.co.uk/Freshtripe/ ... ank-1.jpeg.
Retro style pedals.Also excellent price.I have these sell for £30.On e bay :shock: http://www.freshtripe.co.uk/Freshtripe/ ... lose-1.jpg
Salsarider.
Excellent link by the way.

NorwegianBlue

If you're doing a rebuild wouldn't a secondhand part of nearer the correct period be better. With the advantage that you wouldn't have to pay over £100 for one.

meagain

Are you scouring ebay?
This is "modern", but the arms are quite slender

AMBROSIO TRACK CHAINSET 48T 130 pcd 170MM RRP £120.00

And (just an example) "Campagnolo Grand Sport Strada" double on there - would look the part even with just the one ring!

krakow

Thanks very much everyone.

I like the look of both the Stronglight ST-1000 from Outspoken and the Sugino RD from freshtripe and both are doable price-wise. The Sugino is cheaper and has 170mm cranks, which I guess would be preferable given my 6' height?

With a 47T ring on the Stronglight, I could run a 18T cog to give just shy of a 70'' gear. With a 48T I'd need a 19T to generate the kind of wussy gearing I'm after.

Both use the same Sugino 103mm BB. What would need checking to make sure this is suitable for the Armstrong frame (you don't happen to know off the top of your head bagpusscp?)

This would give a 42mm chainline by the sounds of it. I understand that this is the standard chainline, suitable for most hubs, right? If I were to spring for Goldtec hubs, how would this square with their 45mm chainline?

Thanks for the help. As you can see, I can keep the questions coming! (I'm learning, I promise).

andyp

krakow wrote:

I like the look of both the Stronglight ST-1000 from Outspoken and the Sugino RD from freshtripe and both are doable price-wise. The Sugino is cheaper and has 170mm cranks, which I guess would be preferable given my 6' height?

It depends a bit on the height of your bottom bracket as you want to avoid pedal strike when cornering. I'm the same height as you and ride a 165 mm crank - I can switch to my road bike, with 172.5 mm cranks - and not notice any difference.

krakow wrote:

With a 47T ring on the Stronglight, I could run a 18T cog to give just shy of a 70'' gear. With a 48T I'd need a 19T to generate the kind of wussy gearing I'm after.

I run a 47x18 set up and it's a good gear if you're riding in both flat and hilly areas.

krakow wrote:

Both use the same Sugino 103mm BB. What would need checking to make sure this is suitable for the Armstrong frame (you don't happen to know off the top of your head bagpusscp?)

I'd imagine your frame is standard British threaded? Measure the width of the bottom bracket shell, if it's 68 mm then it's British.

krakow wrote:

This would give a 42mm chainline by the sounds of it. I understand that this is the standard chainline, suitable for most hubs, right? If I were to spring for Goldtec hubs, how would this square with their 45mm chainline?

42 mm is the standard track chainline and a 103 mm Sugino bb gives that. I have one fitted on my commuting bike.

You're right, Goldtecs have a 45 mm chain line. To get the chainline you need then I'd suggest going for a longer bottom bracket axle, so a 109 mm one will give you a 45 mm chainline. You should be able to find one of these easily enough.

Croxted Avenger

What about the on-one polished track cranks - £70 with chainring.

http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Mk2_Track_Crank_176.html

krakow

andyp wrote:

krakow wrote:

This would give a 42mm chainline by the sounds of it. I understand that this is the standard chainline, suitable for most hubs, right? If I were to spring for Goldtec hubs, how would this square with their 45mm chainline?

42 mm is the standard track chainline and a 103 mm Sugino bb gives that. I have one fitted on my commuting bike.

You're right, Goldtecs have a 45 mm chain line. To get the chainline you need then I'd suggest going for a longer bottom bracket axle, so a 109 mm one will give you a 45 mm chainline. You should be able to find one of these easily enough.

Thanks for the detailed response andyp. Strangely, Ben's Cycle (a US cycle store) seems quite adamant that the Sugino RD and 103mm BB give a 45mm chainline rather than the standard 42mm. Is there some other factor at work here?
To get 45mm would it be best to get a whole other BB with a 109mm width, or do you mean that just the axle can be replaced on the Sugino 103mm to extend the chainline? What would be the best solution?

I've given my scribbled list of possibilities and links to my LBS guy, for him to take a wee look at, but his first thoughts were that the Sugino RD set-up for ~£80 including the BB sounded like a good deal and that Goldtecs on Open Pros for £200-£225 delivered from betd was a total steal. Once he's had a scout about to see if he could get better prices, I'll make my decisions, get purchasing and set the LBS to work! Exciting times.

andyp

krakow wrote:

Thanks for the detailed response andyp. Strangely, Ben's Cycle (a US cycle store) seems quite adamant that the Sugino RD and 103mm BB give a 45mm chainline rather than the standard 42mm. Is there some other factor at work here?
To get 45mm would it be best to get a whole other BB with a 109mm width, or do you mean that just the axle can be replaced on the Sugino 103mm to extend the chainline? What would be the best solution?

Have a look at this thread over on londonfgss.com;

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread3372.html

It's essentially a database of setups run by members and includes 7 people with Sugino RD cranks. Those using track hubs, with a 42 mm chainline, seem to be using 103 mm bbs, whilst those using Goldtecs (one person) has a 107 mm bb. The guys on there are very knowledgeable so personally I'd listen to them ahead of Ben's Cycles (although they have a good reputation).

To answer your last question - get a complete bottom bracket with a 107 or 109 mm long bottom bracket axle such as a Shimano UN52. In my experience you have to hunt around online a bit to find the correct length bottom bracket with the threading you require.

graham_g

RE: Stronglight ST1000 cranks

Do not trust the 'self-extracting' crank bolts (unless you've been very careful torqueing them up), I managed to completely trash a set - the bolts completely shagged the threads so no chance of using a crank extractor, had the option of grinding them off or junking the frame.

Just thought I'd add that for anyone currently using them. I now just have a pair of cheap shimano double cranks with the ring mounted on the inside on a 110mm BB for a 42mm ish chainline. I just can't justify the high cost of specific SS/track cranksets for a bike that is at risk from theft when at the pub!

krakow

Thanks for the pointer andyp, londonfgss has proved to be a very knowledgeable, useful and welcoming community right from the start.