going to single 34T chainring, any advice?

lvquestpaddler

Hi,

My FSA(ISIS) chainset is pretty goosed looking especially the mid/outer. I rarely use the inner so would rather get rid of all them at once and put a 34T on it to run with an 11-32 or 34T rear cassette.
I've found some good advice here and on a singlespeed site called VeloSolo, planning to get this:
http://www.velosolo.co.uk/vsmtbringano.html

The main question is whether this is best mounted on the middle or outer mounts as exist? From what I've read, if I mount it on the outer side I gather I could use the existing double chainring bolts, or mount it on the inside(middle) with a chainguard and use the existing bolts or on the inside(middle) with single chainring bolts ( :? )

I'm too fat(bearing in mind the "hilly" nature of where I live) and not old skool enough to go true 32/16 (2:1) singlespeed just fed up with a bike with 27 gears which is overkill......
Just wondering who has done this and what works best?
Cheers

nicklouse

it depends on what chainline you want.

middle is normal. and without a bash you will need shorter chainring bolts.

rowlers

I went with the outer ring, moved it to the middle ring position and run it with a 7 speed cassette. Used the dremel to trim the chain ring bolts down, suits me fine

nickfrog

I could not live without a tiny gear so went 29t with a 11-34 which works great on the South Downs for me. A bit spinny but OK. Deffo in the middle though.
I haven't needed a bash or chain device so far with high chain tension and short cage. Look at my bike on the sig for more details.

lvquestpaddler

Nice bike Nick! What make of chainring is that? That's good feedback from all, how hilly are the south downs? I'm figuring the Cairngorms may trump that in places, so maybe some of the harder routes I go should be tested at the moment with the chainring left in the middle, may need to go lower too?
I think the granny gear is ridiculous, I mean when the legs are spinning, heart rate is maxing out and the computer is twitching between 3-4mph it's time to walk...
I road bike too so going fast on tarmac aint an issue on the mtb, and living in a place where my back garden leads into Glen Feshie I don't need to be on the tarmac anyway!!!
(smug git yes indeedy :oops: )
Ta for the replies peeps!

nickfrog

Same here. I refuse to go on the road and I try hard to avoid anything boring like a fire road or a stretch of smooth trail, because for me it defeats the object of mountain biking. I have picked my gearing for it to be ideal on technical, rooty, rocky and twisty single tracks really.