Curtis_Elwood

How hard is it to install a Race Face bash ring? I'm thinking of replacing the big ring of my Truvativ Stylo crankset with one. Any special tools required? Would the bolt pattern on the crankset match up with the pattern on the bash ring?

cryptid01

If you get the correct bashring, the holes will match up perfectly. (The Stylos are probably 4 x 104 BCD pattern, I'm not sure). Depending on the difference in thickness between the bashring and the outer ring you're replacing, you may need longer chainring bolts, which may be included.

Required tools are a crank puller or other means of removing the drive side crankarm, a 5 mm hex key for the chainring bolts, and a Park CNW-2 or similar. You will have to readjust your front derailleur as well.

Curtis_Elwood

Thanks. So, what you're saying is that I should have had the shop do it while I was still getting free work done!?!?

I was hoping it would be easier to swap back and forth since I'm not sure if I'll miss my big ring on certain rides. I guess I could get a bigger middle ring in that case and hope it does the trick.

a2psyklnut

You don't necessarily have to pull the cranks off to swap them, it just makes it a WHOLE lot easier!

FreeRidin'

Pffft you don't need all that stuff gastro listed. You can just do it with a 5mm alen and a big phillips screw driver. Why you possibly need to remove the crank arm (unless your installing a inner plate)?? But you might have to remove the drive side pedal.

cryptid01

What's the phillips for, to stick up your butt while you're trying to figure out how to hold the chainring nut?

That chainring nut holder is four bucks. Don't be a hack.

jiiiim

Hick? =P

Curtis_Elwood

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that any guy from North Kakalaka probably knows a little bit about installing bash rings. I hear it's the freeriding capital of the world.

dminor 

In some twisted parallel universe? I think that title is sewn up by my neighbors to the North in B.C. - -with WA a close second.

Back on topic, if the RF bash ring has recesses in the bolt holes, you may get away without longer chainring bolts. And you should be able to do it without removing the crank arm; 7-8 times out of ten, the inner half of the bolt will get enough bite to tighten from the outside with no more than finger pressure from the inside.

cryptid01

Only because mtnbiker66 lives here.

As a2 said, it's much easier to remove the crankarm. Depending on the type of BB you're running, that herculean task may only require an 8mm hex key and could even take up to one whole minute. I guarantee it will take you longer than that to do the swap while it's on the bike.

cryptid01

...and 2-3 times out of ten you will be left with a partially disassembled chainring, an uninstalled bashring, and no way to complete the task. Aren't you glad you saved four bucks?

dminor 

Actually, I have an old large slot screwdriver that I ground a vee in (I know, I'm cheap). It all is much easier with the crank off of course. Crank puller should be in everyone's tool box anyway (sometimes even the ISIS interface needs a coaxing)

Oh and I threw in the freeride dig just to see if I could get a rise outa ya, Gastro

FreeRidin'

Well I guess it depends on the chainring nut, because all of the ones I have (truvativ) look like they were made for a simple screw driver. Also what useally happends to me is I dont even have to hold the nut, it will "crack" loose and I can then hold it with my finger.

Flak

I just did it with a 5mm allen key. Slid the bashguard over the pedal/crankarm.

But im a hack

cryptid01

Try a 6mm allen key next time.

But I did forget about the Truvativs (which are relevant to this thread) so you can remove the screwdriver now.

FreeRidin'

All I know is that what ever I used worked

Dannihilator

Step one take race face bashring.

Step two throw away raceface bashring

Step three, go to lbs and buy an E.13 supercharger

Step four follow the directions that come with the supercharger.

Step 5, go ride.

mtnbiker66

Yesssssssss! The freeride world does revolve around me. I was hoping that was true. Sorry dminor and Maelstrom, freeride is not about where you are it's about who you are............ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drunken Chicken

What don't you like about the RF? I personally really like mine. Sure, it's heavy but I don't care about weight and yes, it can only take up to 34T chainrings which is why I might pick up an E13 but apart from that I think it's a nice little bashguard, bombproof.

Curtis_Elwood

They just came out with a new one that will cover up a 36T ring. I'm all about Lexan most of the time, but the RF just looks cleaner and stronger.

Drunken Chicken

Oooh, I didn't know that. I think I might look into that, thanks.