Originally Posted by joeruge

36 tooth timing chain should work fine. Though theroretically you could go even smaller, it's not a practical way of saving weight, or possibly even cost of components. As the chainrings get smaller, chain tension goes up. So, parts do wear a little faster, including bottom brackets. This isn't a major factor at 36t, but it might be worth adding it to your cost calculations. Of course, I wouldn't know how to!