jgedwa

When playing with the chainline (in setting up a fixed gear bike), I often will shift the chainring from one side of the spider to the other. A couple of questions:

-when the ring is on hte outside, there is a little shoulder at the end of each arm that helps locate the ring on each arm. When I move the ring to the inside, there is no such shoulder. I think that 5 tightened bolts will do enough to keep the ring in place. Opinions?

-Usually spacers have a little shoulder on them that fits snugly into the spider arms. If I switch the ring to the other side and use those spacers they will slop around until each bolt is tightened. This one makes me a tad more worried, but an experienced mechanic I know says that even this is not relevant once the bolts are tightened.

-How long of a spacer(s) can I use between the arm and the ring before the whole thing is just not strong enough to trust? If I need to bring the chainline way in (say, if there is a long BB spindle that I do not feel like changing out) can i just use a couple of spacers on each bolt on the wrong side of the arms?

jim

tellyho

As far as not having the shoulders on the inside, I think you'll be fine as well. Just make sure to tighten like you would a car wheel - across the circle. Also, if you've never set up a fixie chainring before, check out Sheldon's method for making sure your ring is centered on the spider. This should solve your "no shoulder" problems.

https://sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html#tension

jgedwa

Yup, I know to spread the presure around using that method. Good advice. But I guess my worry is more specifically whether or not this matters will effect the strength. My horse sense tells me it is okay, but visually it just looks strange to see a ring that far away from the spider (compounded by the lack of the structural support of the shoulder on the arms and the spacers.)