Double Cranck to single Narrow wide chainring

Body

On my CX I have a Gossamer 36/46 and I will install a Narrow Wide chainring, to make it single. I am wondering if this possible because of the chain alignment.

Hope to hear some advice
thanks

jimothy78

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19728371#p19728371]Body[/url] wrote:

On my CX I have a Gossamer 36/46 and I will install a Narrow Wide chainring, to make it single. I am wondering if this possible because of the chain alignment.

The chainline won't be perfect, but it will be good enough. Thousands of people using narrow-wide rings these days, and very few of them have swapped their cranksets.

Giraffoto

I did something broadly similar on my MTB - in the end I adjusted the chainline inwards by swapping a spacer (about 2mm, I'll have to measure it) from the drive to non-drive side. The complete process was . . .

1. Rush of inspiration from the 1x9 setup on my son's new bike

2. Try just using the big ring on my MTB

3. No good, the chain rubs on the front derailleur. Take the FD off and try again

4. Not quite right, the chain makes a grinding noise on the big sprocket (extreme chainline crossing). Move the chainline in and try again (see above)

5. Success! Swap to a Superstar N/W front ring

Body

Thanks for the information.


Is it recommended to use a clutch style rear derailleur?

Fabius

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19728697#p19728697]Body[/url] wrote:

Thanks for the information.


Is it recommended to use a clutch style rear derailleur?

Yes. They are amazing things. I have never dropped the chain with raceface narrow wide and xt clutch derailleur.

FishFish

I agree with the clutch recommendation. I have three or four NW front rings 32 to 38 which I got on ebay second hand. Not a bad idea to try out what size of gear you need and new ones are expensive.

Body

I was supposing that the clutch derailleur was only for mud roads and not necessary for on road, is that right?

I am afraid a Clutch Derry is not compatible with Campa speed.

The Rookie

My 1x9 MTB runs no chain guide or clutch, never yet dropped a chain, on road you should be fine.

Body

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19729051#p19729051]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

My 1x9 MTB runs no chain guide or clutch, never yet dropped a chain, on road you should be fine.

Good to hear, because for me it will be difficult to find a Clutch derr for Campa.
I have now double 36/46 12/25. What kind of single shall I take and what kind of cassette?

FishFish

If you are only going to be on roads then the chainring could be 38 t at least. Generally you won't find NW much bigger than that. For the cassette you need to consider the cage length options because some combos of chain ring and cassette do not work. Maybe someone else can cover this issue. But agreed for road then 1x does not need a clutch.

Body

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19729468#p19729468]FishFish[/url] wrote:

If you are only going to be on roads then the chainring could be 38 t at least. Generally you won't find NW much bigger than that. For the cassette you need to consider the cage length options because some combos of chain ring and cassette do not work. Maybe someone else can cover this issue. But agreed for road then 1x does not need a clutch.

Thank you for the information.

Do you think a 12-29 will fit the chainring?

FishFish

I'm sure that any combination will fit but please check the 'capacity' of the mech which is a calculation involving the number of teeth on front and back - it results in choosing a medium or long cage. If you get is worong you might not have access to all gears.

Monty Dog

No worries on rear mech capacity as you're only running a single chainring - just make sure you get the chain length correct. You'll still get a lot of chain slap because of the lack of clutch/weaker spring in the rear mech so fit a chainstay protector. Race Face do 110BCD NW chainrings in 38, 40 and 42 sizes.

The Rookie

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19729468#p19729468]FishFish[/url] wrote:

If you are only going to be on roads then the chainring could be 38 t at least. Generally you won't find NW much bigger than that..

They do CX specific ones at circa 44 and 46T as a simple search will tell you, they are also 5 arm 130 to suite the road cranks used on CX bikes.

Giraffoto

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19729005#p19729005]FishFish[/url] wrote:

I agree with the clutch recommendation. I have three or four NW front rings 32 to 38 which I got on ebay second hand. Not a bad idea to try out what size of gear you need and new ones are expensive.

The Superstar ones aren't too expensive, give them a try.

Body

Whats the best thing to mount, on the inside or outside part of the double cranck?

Giraffoto

Well, when I did this with a Shimano XT (MTB!) crank, I used the position of the outermost ring and swapped one of the bottom bracket spacers from the drive side to non drive side to get the chainline right. If the chainline is the same on your CX - note that IF - then you could do the same trick with your CX crankset and use the position of the outermost ring.

If, on the other hand, you already have a BB spacer on the non-drive side, you could swap it onto the drive side and use the innermost position. Bear in mind that both of these ideas are informed by my experience of an MTB crankset, not a CX.