Bicycle Mechanics - chain ring compatibility

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dexmax
08-07-03, 06:34 AM
are all shimano chainrings compatible?

I mean, can an Ultegra chainring be fitted to a, say, Sora crank?

My next question is, can a Shimano 600 chainring fit on the new ultegra and vice versa?

How about MTB chainrings? would they fit road cranks?

I have an old Shimano crank on the hybrid.. I would like to replace the chainrings.. But this crank was bought on the late 80's, early 90's.. It is made by shimano, but I'm not sure what model.. It currently has a 52T big ring and 42T small ring..

Any thoughts? Links perhaps?

Thanks.

dexmax
08-09-03, 01:14 AM
i guess no one has tried it yet..

wish me luck.
khuon
08-09-03, 02:02 AM
While this applies to mainly road rings and specifically cites Dura-Ace, it should give you an idea of some possible things to look for regarding compatibility between chainrings and arms.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/dura-ace.html#chainrings

Also, in case it's not obvious, the number of arms and BCD between the rings and the cranks must match.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_bo-z.html#bcd

sch
08-09-03, 01:17 PM
New rings are going to be mostly 8-9 spd width and have the ramps and pins machining that facilitates shifting. 600 series will be 6-7 spd width, ok with 8spd but chain ring wear rate will be faster with the narrower 9spd rings. ATB rings will have a different mounting bolt circle diameter (BCD) than road rings.
There are after market sources for older chainrings, and they are usually significantly cheaper to boot. Of course they tend to be lower quality but unless you are a 4kmi a yr or up rider this is not likely to be a problem. Look at the Harris Cyclery site for rings. They deal with a lot of "older" items. It is accessed via www.sheldonbrown.com. Sheldon's site is a bit dated but may well have a discussion of BCD and chainrings. Sheldon is a gifted webmeister. Steve.
John E
08-09-03, 01:53 PM
Your main concerns are the number of spider bolts (3, 4, 5, occasionally 6) and the Bolt Circle Diameter (130mm modern road standard, except 135mm Campag. proprietary; 110 old-school mountain standard; etc.). If you spin gently during gear changes, ramps, pins, and factory-ground teeth make very little difference.
dexmax
08-11-03, 12:07 AM
thanks guys.. I really appreciate it...

So i guess I have a 130BCD chainring.. I'll be ordering one soon..

Dex