1x chainring for road racing.

cycleclinic

I have been using a set of fibrelyte chainrings on my look and today several teeth on the outer ring sheared off.

So given i have to fit new rings before my first race on the 12th march i have decided to fit a garbaruk 52t narrow wide ring.

So i will give this ago. Given i only use the inner ring for very steep hills which i dont find in the races i enter.

DavidJB

ok.

imposter2.0

Why not just fit regular chainrings?

fenix

Good point. What did you expect from the CF chainring ? Personally I'd go with Shimano/Sram etc...

Do you keep the front mech on or can we expect a David Millar scenario....

Matthewfalle

Cool - thanks for that.

The Rookie

Fenix wrote:

Do you keep the front mech on or can we expect a David Millar scenario....

Shouldn't be an issue with a narrow wide, am running 1 on my commuter and 1 on my MTB, never dropped a chain on either.

52T does sound a bit big though, if the races are that flat are you ever going to use 52x12 (or whatever the smallest sprocket is)? My 44x12 will carry me to over 40mph on the commuter.

cycleclinic

Fitted. 52T is right for me. I am quite happy turning a high gear. yes 52x12T is a gear I often end up in when racing and 41mph is 120 rpm which is just right. I have thought about the gear ratio. I am sticking with the 12-27T cassette. I might switch to a 12-29T which is the limit of what the RD can take when this one wears out.

Took the bike out for a quick spin and it sure feels odd with the asymmetric ring. the last time i rode asymmetric rings was with biopace years ago. I dont think those did anything but these rings are a different shape and the orientation is in line with the way they should work.

If have had TA specialities regular rings 53/42t on for a the last three weeks and they feel like rings I just dont use the inner ring so there really is not point in having it is there. It is reasonably hilly round here but the gearings does not seem to pose a problem.

anyway garbaruk supplied the ring in a bright colour which kind of goes with the frame. I will have to see how I get on. I have not removed the cable just yet just in case I dont like it.

the bike is a bit dirty so I might clean it tomorrow. Given the ring is the narrow wide variety the chain should not drop.

the CF chainring were used as I wanted to see how long they lasted. 4000km of all weather use which is 4000km longer than I expected.

ugo.santalucia

I see where those shifters are going... they are in the post for you

cycleclinic

Rode the bike back and it took a couple of miles for me not feel like i am pedalling an egg. Once that feeling went i quite liked the ring. While i could feel a difference i cant say if it is making me any quicker or easier to get up hills. I always thought asymmtric rings were pointless maimly due to having used biopace rings which were 90 degrees out. These rings feel different so they might actually do something with the margin of error of power measurements or nothing at all. Who knows.

giropaul

As another ( endangered species :-) ) road racer I'd certainly see no problem at all for flatter races. It's about suiting the equipment to the race. I'm never sure why most seem to use the same rings and cassettes for every race. I used to use 48/53 in Belgium for kermesses. 48 for the Flemish headwind and keeping a decent chainline.
Just one question - what about the warmup? After all, it's the only time most of us use the little ring on a race day :-)

DeVlaeminck

Agree on not needing a little ring often in uk racing and that's with a 23 on so a 12-27 should be fine.

One question though - I seem to be the only person who has no idea what a narrow-wide chainring is?

Moonbiker

Its a cx mtb thing they are designed for single ring setups as they supposedly clear mud better & prevent the chain from dropping off as there is no front mech to hold if & rough terrain can bounce the chain off.

cycleclinic

That right about the narrow wide ring. They really work.

48/53 that old fashioned. 50's doubles often had 47/50T or somilar must be for similar reasons.

I did 105 miles on it today and on the climbs the gearing was just right. I thknk the asymmeyric ring maybe doing something. Although i cant prove it.

Frank Wilson

You could change your forum name to "Lord Of The Rings"

mrb123

Frank Wilson wrote:

You could change your forum name to "Lord Of The Rings"

Probably not a great idea from a business perspective.

cycleclinic

It is a shame the braze FD mount is rivited to the frame as I really want to take it off but if I sell the bike I would need to refit it. Look did not think of 1x11 did they silly Look.