Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - my TA Specialties Track chainring is wacky

Hey all-

I'm finishing up my first fixie build and have ran into an issue with the chainring. I picked up a TA Specialities 48T x 1/8" chainring off ebay for around 35 bucks. the guy says it has never been used and I believe him, it's shiny as helll and doesn't show any sign of wear. The problem is there is about .5mm of play, front to back, between the chain and the chainring. Since cranks are basically levers this slop amounts to around 2-3mm at the pedals. Closer inspection of the chainring shows that the teeth have a ridge and two separate radii at the bottom of each tooth. It's seems to me that I bought a reject chainring that had been machined wrong. Ben's Cycle has some pretty decent pics of this same chainring on Ebay which clearly show a constant radius running between the teeth.

My chainring has 48 S-130 Track H3 printed on it if that's of any help.

Thanks

Here's a pic of my chainring

What's the question?

Is there something fuxed with my chainring?

Thanks el twe...

Did I buy a reject chainring or is it supposed to be that way for reasons a newbie would be unaware of?

many chainrings are made that way since they are only meant to be used in one direction. I have a ta alize piste but it's not here right now and I don't remember what the tooth profile was like. Either way if you can only feel 2-3mm of play at your pedals then your chain is way the **** too tight.

Either way it doesnt look like it would be of any trouble.

is there such a thing as the chain being "too tight"?

yes

Really? How does it become a problem? Im just wondering. I keep mine as tight as I can get it.

Really? How does it become a problem? Im just wondering. I keep mine as tight as I can get it.

Probably too tight then.. how do you tighten it?

There will be more friction and everything will wear faster.

I use chain tensioners. I like it to where there is as little play as possible.

your bearings will have short and painful lives

Also, your chain can explode. That's what happened to me.

Basically, the chain pulling to tightly puts additional stress (or is it strain?) on the cog, grinds the bearings, and roughs up the chain itself. It will eventually find a weak spot in the chain, and that link will rupture, if your bearings or cog teeth don't go first.

Its def hard on your BB bearings as well as your chain, cog and ring. Theyll all prematurely wear out or fail under those conditions.

I use chain tensioners. I like it to where there is as little play as possible.

definitely too tight... its really easy to do with tensioners.

This is relevent to my interests. Thanks!

If you think you're having trouble, try flipping the chainring.. it looks a little like that was what it was designed for, although they should have said something. "Excess material machined off for sppeeeeeedddd!"

Really? How does it become a problem? Im just wondering. I keep mine as tight as I can get it.

You want it to be tight enough that it doesn't fall off on every bump, but not so tight that there is a marked difference in how much stuff spins when your chain is superslack.

Fine balance. Too much chain tension and everything binds.

Good deal My Alize chainring doesnt have those ridges though.