Looking for 52/42/30 chainring set
 

I made the big mistake of not replacing my chain when it started to wear. The LBS measured the 12 links to be 12.75 inches.

I replaced the chain (SRAM 991) and cassette (Ultegra 9 speed 12-25).

Now the chain skips badly on all three chain rings. Two local bike shops have looked at the chainrings and tell me they are toast. The chain rings have peaks, hooks, and wide valleys – Did I mention I waited way too long to replace the chain?

2008 Specialized Roubaix Elite Triple
FSA SL/K crank and chain rings (52/42/30)

The chainrings say:

52/42T 130BCD
42/30T 130BCD
30T 74BCD

My local LBS (a Specialized Dealer) does not stock 52/42/30 chain rings. The LBS says they CAN NOT order the chain rings. That ‘kinda surprises me since they are big (5 branches in three cities) and sell almost exclusively Specialized.

The local Performance store stocks a lot of FSA chainrings but no 52/42/30s. The sales guy said to order them online and have them shipped to the store but when I go to the Performance web site I find no 52/42/30 chainrings. All they stock online are 64x22 104x32 110x34 130x39 104x44 130x53

I did find a set of TA Alize 52/42/30 at Peter White but they are expensive!

I visited hundreds of other web sites and can find a 74x30 and 130x42 at a couple sites but can’t find the 130x52 anywhere. I can find 130x52s but they all say “use with 39t” and from what I read those are chainrings for doubles so will have a different spacing than a triple.

I do like my gearing, I do ride quite a bit and I do need to change out the chainrings.

Where can I look for a 52/42/30 chainring set that will replace my existing FSA and will cost less than $150??

Could try Chain Reaction for FSA.

Google is your friend here. :thumb:

The spacing is the same but the ramping and shaped teeth will differ slightly if intended for a 39T inner/middle ring. It will work with a 42 but the shifts won't be a clean.

You may be able to replace the entire crank for less than the cost of just the chainrings. Look for a NOS Shimano Ultera 6500 triple or 105 5500 triple and Octalink 5500 bottom bracket. They were geared 52/42/30 and are better cranks than the FSA.

Loose Screws sells Suguino chainrings in 130 mm BCD and 74 mm BCD in the sizes you want at reasonable prices:

http://www.loosescrews.com/index.cgi...d=240003510098

Check the 74 mm listing also. Keep in mind that these are not ramped and pinned so they won't shift as well as modern enhansed chainrings but they are functional.

I haven't looked but 52/42/30 would seem to be common.

I prefer 50/39/30. This will allow me to make more use of the smaller cogs. You may want to consider this combo.

Another option: Shimano 2303 triples have 52/42/30 rings. Either cannibalize the rings or use the crank intact if it's as nice as your current FSA. Probably ~$85.

I think he'd be far better off using the 52T outer ring designed for a 39T ring than going with all flat chainrings just to avoid the mismatch. Alternatively, there's no reason why he couldn't just use the now more common 52/39/30 set up unless he really like the 42T ring (like myself).

Stronglight still sells triple cranks with the 52/42/30 set up. Likely cheaper than buying all new rings but may require a new bottom bracket: http://www.xxcycle.com/impact-triple,,en.php

Thanks for the suggestions

Loosescrews is on bicycle tour until Oct 11 and is not accepting any orders

Chainreaction has the:

30T & 42T in a Shimano Triple FC6503 but I can't order the 52T - their website says it will be in stock on June 10, 2011 but when I try to buy it I am told it is out of stock

30T in a Shimano Triple FC7803 but is out of stock in the 52T and the 39T

52T FSA Road triple but is out of stock on the 30T, 39T, 44T

30T & 39T Shimano Triple FC6603 and is out of stock on the 52T

42T Shimano 105 Triple FC5305 and is does not stock the 30T and 52T

Shimano Ultegra or 105 & FSA SL-K (what I have now) cranksets in 52-39-30 but they are a lot more than just buying the Peter White TA Alize. The 39T instead of the 42T middle would be a significant change in my gearing.

Xxcycle.com has the
Stronglight 74x30 and 74/130 42T but no Stronglight 130x52 that works with a
42

They do have other 130x52s that might work with a Stronglight 130x42 but shipping from France adds $35 and three weeks to the effort – I might as well buy the TA stuff at Peter White.

Performance Online Product support told me that they do not stock chainrings any more – it is up to the local Performance store to find and order them.

I’ve checked with two more local bike shops – they don’t stock 52/42/30 chainrings for a triple.

My Specialized Roubaix is only 4 years old – WHY is it so hard to find parts?

52 and 42T triple rings: http://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...9&category=675
30T to match: http://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...6&category=675

just because they don't stock them on spec, doesn't mean they cannot order them from their wholesalers.

probably take no more than a couple weeks ..

But QBP a major Bike Wholesaler to dealers, also
sells to dealers who mostly sell online, (such as mentioned above)
you pay retail and then add shipping .
[may be less than sales tax in some places]..

there have been 3 bike trade-shows since then
and each one manufacturers seems compelled to be able to say newest and improved each year.
Because engineers have houses and boats to pay for.

OEM's Buy pallets of cases of components,
So you may find whole cranksets for the price of 3 chainrings.

JoeJack - thanks for the links - neither BING nor Google found universalcycles when I searched for chainrings or triple or anything else - I guess I didn't ask for the correct combination of words

fietsbob - I am still considering going to a new crank but then I have to worry about BB compatibility with the FSA BB

I'm putting the old clean chain and old cassette back on and going for a ride - the old stuff was working fine - good shifts and no skips - so I'll think about all these great suggestions while I ride in our unusual late September warmth and sunshine

PS - I did find a smaller LBS that is only about 10 miles from me that can have a set of new Shimano Ultegra (53-42-30) chainrings in the store by Monday or Tuesday. I haven't dealt with them for years and had forgotten about them.

BTW, ANY 30T chainring with the correct bolt circle diameter will work. Granny ring aren't ramped and don't have any other shifting aids so the field is wide open.

I currently have two unused Shimano and a Campy 30T 74 mm bcd rings I've taken off cranks to replace them with 26T rings and they are completly flat and "featureless". If you can't find a better source PM me and I'll send you one gratis.

Hill rider - thanks for the offer - my problem is I am now getting cheap

I rode for a while with the new SRAM chain and new Shimano 12-25 cassette. I did not notice any shifting problems or chain skipping on the 30T or the 52T chain rings. The 42T is almost impossible because of the skipping.

I'm thinking about getting only a FSA 42 that works with the 52 - but I'm trying to convince myself to spend the extra $80 for the new 30 and new 53 - I'm riding out to the shop on Saturday to talk with them some more.

Nothing cheap about replacing only the chainring that needs to be replaced. If you mainly used the 42 like most do, there's probably little to no wear on the 52 and 30. If you wanted to replaced all three chainrings for cheap, you are better off with a whole new crankset most of the time. Find a good closeout deal and you can be set for $72. Since I know of one, here are the links:

Crankset ($40) - http://store.icyclesusa.com/truvativ...ed-p36528.aspx
Bottom bracket ($32) - http://store.icyclesusa.com/sram-gxp...sh-p36037.aspx

Or buy just the crank and swap the rings over.

12.75"??

12.75" ?? - That is what the LBS measured

My measurement was 12.0? with a steel ruler and the chain laying on the ground stretched

But - I REALLY lost track of the miles I was putting on the bike. I thought I purchased the bike in Apr '08 - it turns out it was Feb '07 and I put over 6,000 miles on that poor chain! At least 1,000 of those miles were in rainy, dirty Puget Sound riding conditions.

I used to be very careful with my chains and gears and changing them as they wore. I guess as I get older I get more careless.

joejack

That Truvativ Elita crankset looks interesting - BUT a web search (here and other sites) finds a lot of complaints about Elita cranks and various problems. Most of those complaints are prior to 2008 but they make me nervous.

Was the Elita 3.1 redesigned or changed to address the many problems riders were having 2005 - 2007 with the crank?

I know nothing about Truvativ and have no predjudice but the number of complaints is disturbing.

How does the Elita 3.1 quality compare with the FSA SL-K that I currently have? Same question for the GPX BB?

From what I can tell, the Elita cranks were used as a stock crankset on many bikes. Most of the complaints I've read are regarding shifting issues which all sound like adjustment problems rather than crankset problems. Stories of the cranks coming loose are nothing new either. FSA was known for a while as a crankset maker to avoid for the same problem. In my experience, cranks coming loose almost always are the result of poor installation. Re-tightening can almost never fix the problem either because the interface becomes damaged. Most people don't get that though so they go around posting bad reviews of cranks.

I commuted using an older ISIS-drive Elita crank for about a year and a half (~9,000 miles total). I had no issues with the crank. I only replaced it because I went with something lighter (and I'm keeping the crank to use on some other build eventually). I'm not guaranteeing you won't have some problem with it but based on what I've read, if you install it correctly and properly adjust your deraillers, you'll eliminate 99% of the problems you've been reading about.

I don't think there's enough pin diameter in a chain to allow it to stretch to 12.75". The longest chain I've ever measured was close to 12.25" over 24 links. The chainrings on that bike were definitely toast but not slipping. The guy who rode that bike mashed the pedals in the 48T ring almost all the time wearing things out surprisingly quickly (I'd say less than 1,500 miles). His weight didn't help matters. I've put something close to 6,000 miles on a chain before and didn't even need a new cassette let alone chainrings but I'm lighter and spin (for the most part). It all depends on how you ride and lube.

What is the bolt circle diameter ? 130 or 110 ? you state the third one is 74..
I got 3 new campag 74bcd 30t, I took off cranks to fit an even smaller 26 and 24t.
FS if wanted..

then you just get the BB that matches the crank you want.. also.

joejack - I measured again yesterday with a metal hook ruler 12 5/16" (12.3125) across 12 links (pin to pin). I am also a spinner (7 knee surgeries so mashing is only an option for 10 seconds or so) - but I ride a lot in the wet dirty Puget Sound winter and I was negligent at times about cleaning both the chain and the gears/rings

I've decided to install new Shimano Ultegra 53/42/30 rings and a BB as long as I'm down there working

Everyone - Thanks for all the advice