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Steel Chain Rings

Old 07-09-09, 10:35 PM
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Steel Chain Rings

Does anyone make steel chain rings to fit the Campagnolo Nuovo Record crank (144 mm bolt circle, 5 legs)?

Aluminum replacements are fairly pricey, don't last all that long and are getting harder to find, especially in 42T, the smallest that fits this crank. It seems to me a steel ring would probably last the rest of my lifetime. It might be a tiny bit heavier but this is a tradeoff for the practicality of long life. I saw a BF sponsor, EighthInch.com, sells a great selection of new production rings but they are, understandably, 1/8" not the 3/32 I need.

It seems good chains are still relatively easy to come by but not so for chain rings.

Last edited by Mike Mills; 07-10-09 at 01:13 PM.
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Old 07-09-09, 11:24 PM
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I hear you on the better wear of the steel rings - maybe that's why they're NOT common (i.e. makes you have to buy rings more often - their "job security").
I typically find used rings at my local bike salvage. So long as you're willing to dig thru a 5-gallon bucket of rings, you usually can find something that will work. Although, with Campy and other hi-end stuff, the staff usually intercepts them for their own projects.
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Old 07-09-09, 11:27 PM
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I am always looking for good quality steel chain rings because they do last longer... and in some cases it seems like they have an indefinite lifespan.

Sugino makes excellent steel rings to this day.
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Old 07-10-09, 04:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Mike Mills
Does anyone make steel chain rings to fit the Campagnolo Nuovo Record crank (14 mm bolt circle, 5 legs)?
I think you're confused. The BCD will be either 130mm or 144mm...14mm BCD would be the tiniest crank in the world.
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Old 07-10-09, 11:03 AM
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How far do you ride that you need steel chain rings?

Aluminum is good for well over 10,000!
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Old 07-10-09, 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Exit.
I think you're confused. The BCD will be either 130mm or 144mm...14mm BCD would be the tiniest crank in the world.
There's one in every crowd.
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Old 07-12-09, 08:02 AM
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Chris Bell at Highpath Engineering tested the life of chainrings in the late 1980s and discovered that some aluminium rings will last better than steel ones. He chose an aluminium alloy that gave the longest life...

But what is being forgotten here is that the easiest way to prolong chainring life is to replace your chain before it has significant wear - a worn chain will destroy any chainring as the load will be concentrated on far fewer teeth than with an unworn one... Cassettes or freewheels with aluminium sprockets can do many thousands of miles. After 250 miles replace the first chain with a second new chain. After a further 250 miles replace the second with the third new chain. After the next 250 miles replace the third chain with the first chain and so on rotating the chains every 250 miles.
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Old 07-12-09, 08:24 AM
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Here are some innovative small chainrings for 144 BCD:

Campagnolo Super Record 39-tooth 144-bcd ring. A rare prototype, modified from standard 42-tooth 144-bcd



Campagnolo C-Record 35-tooth 144-bcd ring. Digitized by "Danny Rebound"



These are from the "holy grail" selection at
Bike Works NYC Chainring Archive
Don't miss their parallel "chainwheel" archive either.

Actually, and seriously, I believe that TA makes (or made) a 41T/144BCD alloy ring.
Maybe it has special "tooth-shaped" chainring bolts (no, I'm probably thinking of the 40T version).

Last edited by Charles Wahl; 07-12-09 at 08:33 AM.
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Old 07-12-09, 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Ronsonic
How far do you ride that you need steel chain rings?

Aluminum is good for well over 10,000!
At one time... 10,000 miles a year.

There are good quality alloy rings out there too... one other advantage to steel rings is that they can be straightened out whereas alloy rings don't like that very much.

Sugino is my all time favourite chain ring manufacturer... their quality is consistent and whether you use steel or alloy you get a good product as this is what they do best.
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Old 07-12-09, 11:48 AM
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Three Regina Oro chains, cycled through service,... let's see, that's probably $300.

Pairs of aluminum chainrings from Campagnolo, let's see, that's $200, if you can find them in the right sizes.

We don't need to go there, really.

In my experience,, it is the chainrings that wear out first. I understand the importance of periodically replacing your chain, too. The thing is, I have a box of worn-out chainrings (spiky little teeth) and a box of perfectly fine steel chains. I have no trouble finding a new, replacement chain when I need one. They are not inexpensive but they are readily available. I do have trouble finding a new chainring in the sizes I want at a decent price.

I don't think I have ever worn out a freewheel cog. I don't have all of my old ones, so I can't go back and check but I don't recall throwing any away because of wear (I could be wrong on this). This contrasts strongly with the box of worn-out chainrings I have.

I am looking for a new chainring right now. Perhaps the post is just an expression of frustration over the limited availability and high price of these period-correct items. Certainly, steel chainrings are not period correct.

Last edited by Mike Mills; 07-12-09 at 12:02 PM.
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Old 07-12-09, 12:01 PM
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Old Suntour freewheels seem to last forever but I have seen my fair share of worn out Shimano freewheels... 10,000 miles on a decent chain ring seems about right for expected lifespan.

With many of my fixed gear bikes I use old threaded coaster cogs (there goes my secret) and these cast steel cogs have outlasted many sets of chain rings and chains with no apparent wear.
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Old 07-12-09, 12:15 PM
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So ay what wear point do you replace your chains and how long in miles is that?
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Old 07-12-09, 04:11 PM
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Chains get replaced at 12 1/16 or even a little sooner... I seem to average about 3000 miles per chain as some last longer (ss/fg, and igh bikes) and the chains on my geared bikes tend to wear a little faster.

I live in a semi arid climate with harsh winters and the big killer of drive trains here is clay dust which really contaminates chains quickly.

I have a lot of bikes but there a few that take up the lion's share of the riding and workload... I have only
had my 1999 Trek 7500 for a couple of years and have already replaced the entire drive train 3 times since it has seen so many miles.
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Old 07-12-09, 05:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Mike Mills
In my experience,, it is the chainrings that wear out first. I understand the importance of periodically replacing your chain, too. The thing is, I have a box of worn-out chainrings (spiky little teeth) and a box of perfectly fine steel chains. I have no trouble finding a new, replacement chain when I need one. They are not inexpensive but they are readily available. I do have trouble finding a new chainring in the sizes I want at a decent price.

I don't think I have ever worn out a freewheel cog. I don't have all of my old ones, so I can't go back and check but I don't recall throwing any away because of wear (I could be wrong on this). This contrasts strongly with the box of worn-out chainrings I have.
That's certainly very different from the experience that I've had. My chains typically go about 3000 - 5000 miles before they fail the ruler test and get replaced. Every 3 - 5 chains I find that the freewheel/cassette teeth have become worn and start skipping. So around 10000 - 20000 miles per freewheel/cassette. And I've only once worn out a chainring. I recently had to finally replace the outer (52t) ring after a little over 100,000 miles. It had started giving me problems at 60,000 miles and flipping it over let me use it for another 40,000. Never tried a steel chainring, but see no need for them in the type of riding that I do.
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Old 07-13-09, 12:22 AM
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That is very different than my experience.

Let's see if this makes sense as a way to explain it. I do have a bunch of freewheels, so perhaps the swapping has preservedm their life over time. Chains have come and gone. Maybe you are right about those having low life. Perhaps using relatively new chains has saved my freewheels. I don't think I have ever had a chain slip on a freewheel cog (maybe once or twice I thought related to shifting).

I cannot get behind the 100,000 miles on an aluminum chain ring, at all. I can get behind the idea of flipping it over to extend its life. Thanks for that tip.

I wonder how hard it is to make chain rings. I bet it's mostly in the jigs you make. It seems like drilling holes, then filing teeth to the proper shape. Ever sharpened a hand saw?

Last edited by Mike Mills; 07-13-09 at 12:26 AM.
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