Dumb question - track rings
11-10-12, 06:01 PM
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Dumb question - track rings
Here's my ignorance - what's the difference between a track ring and normal road chainring? I bought a used 46t Sugino ring from a shop in Seattle. It's got chain marks on the inside of the ring but the thickness of the metal on the body of the ring where it mounts to the cranks seems thicker than my other road rings.
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1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
11-10-12, 06:28 PM
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The teeth on a track ring are 1/8", a road ring 3/32". The track is thicker.
11-10-12, 07:50 PM
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I imagine a road chainring would have some ramps on the teeth to aid in smoother shifts whereas the track rings won't.
11-10-12, 08:12 PM
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11-10-12, 08:13 PM
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Modern road rings do, anyway. But that's a fairly recent innovation. As noted above, the teeth on track rings will be 3mm thick to accommodate 1/8" chain, while on road rings they will be a little over 2mm thick for 3/32" chain (although I have in my possession a Zeus chainring, clearly marked "PISTA" that handles 3/32" chain fine with teeth 2.1mm thick. Go figure.). High-end track rings also tend to be machined to tighter tolerances than road rings, since a ring whose teeth are not concentric with the axis of the crank will have varying tension through the pedal stroke, and increase risk of throwing the chain at an inopportune moment.
11-10-12, 08:18 PM
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Modern road rings do, anyway. But that's a fairly recent innovation. As noted above, the teeth on track rings will be 3mm thick to accommodate 1/8" chain, while on road rings they will be a little over 2mm thick for 3/32" chain (although I have in my possession a Zeus chainring, clearly marked "PISTA" that handles 3/32" chain fine with teeth 2.1mm thick. Go figure.). High-end track rings also tend to be machined to tighter tolerances than road rings, since a ring whose teeth are not concentric with the axis of the crank will have varying tension through the pedal stroke, and increase risk of throwing the chain at an inopportune moment.
Last edited by photogravity; 11-10-12 at 08:26 PM.
11-10-12, 10:38 PM
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Thanks for the good info - that helps. Pretty sure it's a road ring (haven't measured it) but was just confused because the body of the ring looked thicker.
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1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
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