Bicycle Mechanics - Tips/tools for changing chainrings?

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA
Sincitycycler
12-28-06, 03:24 PM
I'm not too bad and doing minor adjustments on my bike, but I have never changed chainrings. Anything to beware of? I'm thinking need some kind of torque allen wrench. Is that all I need?

Cynikal
12-28-06, 03:27 PM
A 5mm allen and maybe the chainring bolt tool from park. Fairly straight forward to do.
Sincitycycler
12-28-06, 03:39 PM
:)
A 5mm allen and maybe the chainring bolt tool from park. Fairly straight forward to do.


chainring bolt tool from park What does this do? I there some type of torsional limit on how how tight you should tighten the bolts.

Cynikal
12-28-06, 04:23 PM
The tool will hold the rear of the chainring bolt in place while you tighten. I've never used a torque wrench on these bolts. If you are really nervous about it, go have your LBS do it and ask them to watch.
neil0502
12-28-06, 04:31 PM
Here's your torque values page.

Grease the chainring bolts first....

http://www.parktool.com/repair/howtos/torque.pdf

BTW: some people swear by torque wrenches for bikes. Some people spit at the idea.
JanMM
12-28-06, 05:03 PM
The chainring bolt tool will also help secure the nut while you loosen the bolt, if it is on there really tight. A torque wrench might be overkill, as long as you check for tightness on a regular basis; nothing catastrophic can happen unless all 4 or 5 bolts come loose in a major way at the same time.