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merziac ....thanks! i've perused their website before. we have a local source just like them, but usually you have to buy in bulk quantities. they're really set up to supply the pro's
what i'd like to try and find, which may be non-existent, are some studs with one end being the size of regular chainring bolts and the other being smaller...that end going into the spider. i know i've seen studs similar to that, but i wouldn't even know how to search for them. iow's, if there's a specific term for that style. as with many things, i'll simply begin by using my best guess...
edit: okay, they're called step studs. i just have to find out what thread pitch and size chainring bolts are. find studs that have the large end of that size, the other end will be smaller with whatever pitch/size and i can trim length if i have to.
here's an example....
that's a course thread and they're $3 a pop. likely i can do better in quantity/price by shopping around, though