Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

No need for the large gear ring

Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

No need for the large gear ring

Old 05-25-08, 12:51 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,053
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
No need for the large gear ring

I am a weak rider and pretty much never use the large ring. I stay in the 38 tooth ring and normally don't go past the 5 th gear in the rear on a 8 speed bike. I am thinking about getting rid of the front derailer because I have to trim it when I go into the 5th gear on the back (did I mention that I might be lazy). If I get rid of the derailer will the chain start to rub on the large ring when I go to the 8th gear? If so can I remove the large ring and just have the 38 tooth ring which would make the bike a true 8 speed.

I am currently doing hill repeats and have not shifted from the 38/28 combo for about a month now. I need to go to an even lower gear because my cadence on a 5% grade in only about 50 rpm. Up the hill at 5 mph and down at 30 mph while coasting and no I don't want to go any faster down the hill.

Am I missing something or can I just ditch the big ring and its associated parts?
jim p is offline  
Old 05-25-08, 01:50 PM
  #2  
Low car diet
 
JiveTurkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Corvallis, OR, USA
Posts: 2,407

Bikes: 2006 Windsor Dover w/105, 2007 GT Avalanche w/XT, 1995 Trek 820 setup for touring, 201? Yeah single-speed folder, 199? Huffy tandem.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
You can ditch the front derailleur easy. What kind of shifter is it--is it integrated to the brake lever, or stand-alone (like bar-end)? It may be annoying to if you can't remove an non-functional shifter, but that's up to you.

You can remove the large ring, too, but there's a catch. You'll need shorter, BMX/single-speed chainring bolts (because the thickness of the large ring will be removed). Here's an example: https://cgi.ebay.com/Odyssey-Silver-B...QQcmdZViewItem

With the larger ring missing, you could shorten the chain, though it's not necessary. Use this method: https://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html#chain
JiveTurkey is offline  
Old 05-25-08, 03:26 PM
  #3  
Cat 6
 
Ex Pres's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Mountain Brook, AL
Posts: 7,519
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 183 Times in 118 Posts
One caveat - you may start dropping the chain off the front chainring without a derailleur, particularly if your chainrings are ramped and pinned.
__________________
72 Frejus (for sale), Holdsworth Record (for sale), special CNC & Gitane Interclub / 74 Italvega NR (for sale) / c80 French / 82 Raleigh Intl MkII f&f (for sale)/ 83 Trek 620 (for sale)/ 84 Bruce Gordon Chinook (for sale)/ 85 Ron Cooper / 87 Centurion IM MV (for sale) / 03 Casati Dardo / 08 BF IRO / 09 Dogma FPX / 09 Giant TCX0 / 10 Vassago Fisticuff








Ex Pres is offline  
Old 05-25-08, 08:22 PM
  #4  
Low car diet
 
JiveTurkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Corvallis, OR, USA
Posts: 2,407

Bikes: 2006 Windsor Dover w/105, 2007 GT Avalanche w/XT, 1995 Trek 820 setup for touring, 201? Yeah single-speed folder, 199? Huffy tandem.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by Bob Barker
One caveat - you may start dropping the chain off the front chainring without a derailleur, particularly if your chainrings are ramped and pinned.
I've heard this line a few times on here. I really don't get it. Why would it suddenly start dropping with the absence of the outer ring and front derailleur?
JiveTurkey is offline  
Old 05-25-08, 08:31 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
DieselDan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA and surrounding islands.
Posts: 8,521

Bikes: Cannondale R500, Motobecane Messenger

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Keep riding. Try the harder gears a little at a time. You will get faster and stronger.
DieselDan is offline  
Old 05-25-08, 11:45 PM
  #6  
``````````````
 
CaptainCool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: san jose
Posts: 763
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by JiveTurkey
I've heard this line a few times on here. I really don't get it. Why would it suddenly start dropping with the absence of the outer ring and front derailleur?
Certain situations, like hitting a bump while pedaling in 38x12 or 38x(biggest), might try to throw the chain off of the 38 ring. Right now your big ring and derailer prevent that from happening.

If you ditch the big ring, and you find your bike throwing the chain off of the outside of the chainring, consider putting a bash guard where the big ring used to be.

You should be able to adjust the derailer to keep it from requiring trim across the cassette, if that's your only problem with your current setup.
CaptainCool is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 12:17 AM
  #7  
Over the hill
 
urbanknight's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 24,341

Bikes: Giant Defy, Giant Revolt

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 987 Post(s)
Liked 1,186 Times in 681 Posts
The derailleur helps to guide the chain and keep it on. When I tried downhill mountainbiking, I had neglected to put some kind of chain watcher on the front and kept dropping the chain during practice. At a friend's suggestion, I went to the bike shop and got a broken front derailleur from them, which I bent to my liking and it kept the chain on pretty well.
urbanknight is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 07:33 AM
  #8  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,053
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks for the insight. I dislike dropping the chain more than I dislike having to trim the derailer.

I like the idea of riding higher gears and getting stronger but for the last 3 years of riding I have not seen the big jump in performance. I am in much better condition now than I was 3 years ago so I will just keep pushing and hope for the best.
jim p is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 08:24 AM
  #9  
bac
Senior Member
 
bac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 7,481

Bikes: Too many to list!

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by DieselDan
Keep riding. Try the harder gears a little at a time. You will get faster and stronger.
+ 1

... Brad
bac is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.