tetonrider

i've got a specialized s-works compact crankset and have noticed the 50T ring has a slight wave in it.

i'm not sure if specialized will replace it under warranty, but if they do not, it's time for me to get a replacement. i have no idea what the specialized rings cost (i bet they are $$$); i'm open to any brand.

anyone have a recommendation of what to look at and/or what to avoid? anyone know the cost of specialized replacement rings?

i ride about 800-1000 miles/month but only 5 months a year. the specialized rings i have now have approximately 6000 miles on them.

should i look to replace the 34T as well? (i cannot tell whether it, too, is warped.)

thank you!

tetonrider

anyone have any ring preferences?

urbanknight

1) Are you sure it's a slight wave and not the ramps to help shift? If I look at my 50 while riding, it looks like it's waving a little.

2) I only have experience with RPM and FSA compact rings so far. They seem to work and last a good while for me. I had better shifting with Shimano and Campy rings in the past, but those were standard doubles.

AEO

I've used an RPM 36/50. shifting was plenty good.
also used shimano 34/50 in tiagra, 105, R600, they shift so much better.

JayC

Ive had good luck with the SRAM Force rings. The Shimano rings are good too but theyre kind of expensive.

Surferbruce

TA Specialites.

tetonrider

thanks!

as for a "slight wave" being ok.... i've never seen any wave on a ring before. if you laid this one flat on a table, it would be dished slightly (at least in one spot).

is that normal? doesn't seem so to me.

tetonrider

in practice, are all 110mm BCD rings interchangeable?

if i wanted to, could i use shimano dura ace rings with my specialized s-works crankset?

probably a dumb question. however, it looks to me like most 110 bcd rings would be interchangeable, but that might not hold true for dura ace w/ non dura ace cranks.

DaveSSS 

It's common to fix a slightly warped ring by slipping a crescent wrench over the offending area and tweaking it a bit.

Most compact rings are interchangeable, except for Campy, where most cranks have one bolt located behind the crankarm and that bolt is on slightly larger BCD of 112-113mm.

merlinextraligh

Chain rings can get warped. It's usually no big deal. Is it shifting properly? Is the cahin staying on the ring? If the answer to both is yes, then don't worry about it.

If it isn't performing correctly, before you trash it you can try to straighten it. Crescent wrench can be used with the ring still in place. Or concrete, and or a hammer if you take it off the crank.

You may well trash the ring doing this. However, nothing is lost if the alternative was replacing it anyway, and it may fix the issue.

urbanknight

If it's the ring and not just the teeth, then that's not supposed to be there. But as mentioned above, does it affect your shifting?

scorpio516

Looks like they only come as a set, MSRP $125.

Jynx

use shimano rings

nycphotography

If you have any kind of decent relationship w/ your Specialized LBS, they will certainly replace any warped chainrings. Barring any evidence of a crash causing the warpage, that is.

ericm979

If you replace them, try the Sram Force rings. They are cheaper, lighter and shift better than FSA rings.

songfta

I'd change out a wavy/warped ring if you do any out-of-the-saddle sprinting: I had a SRAM Force 50T chainring fail on me during a sprint. It bent outward between two of the bolts, causing the chain to derail to the outside. I was able to temporarily fix this with a vise grip, but eventually replaced the ring with a FSA Super Ring (as seen on the SL-K crankset). So far, the FSA ring is wearing well, is super stiff, and shifts great! It's now mated to a SRAM/Truvativ 36T inner ring, as my original 34T ring wore out.

My other bike is still rolling strong with SRAM/Truvativ rings (50-36 setup).

tetonrider

just checking back in, and i wanted to thank everyone for replying with their thoughts.

good info here. sounds like i have some good options.

i will ask the shop to consider it as a warranty issue.

that said, i'm also interested in a quarq power meter, and compact options seem to be slim-to-none.

i also just realized (yeah, maybe i'm the last to know) that according to sheldon brown's gear calculator switching from 50/34x12-25 gives me 2.8 (34x23) and 2.6 (34x25) gear ratios. if i were to switch to 53/39x12-27, then i would have two easiest gears of 39x24=3.1 and 39x27=2.8. i'd only be giving up one lower gear there.

i could also make the switch to a DA 11-28 cassette; then i get 39x24=3.2 and 39x28=2.7.

on the top end, 50x34 gives me 8.2 and 50x13 = 7.5. (i do many hill climbs and often spin out on the way down.) the top end on the 53/39 gives me 53x12=8.7 and 53x13=8.0.

when i do have to drop to 34x25 on my current climbs (e.g., 8-12% grades), i'm usually spinning at 55rpm or less. at that point, if i drop to 45-50, perhaps it's not that big a deal...esp if it opens up my ring, power meter and crank options. (esp since i have bb30)

thanks!

ridethecliche

Rotor rings.

tetonrider

thanks! coincidentally i was just looking at them. (i also noticed that the power meter i wanted to use with them (quarq cinqo) is out-of-stock. hm.)

i was now evaluating the possibility of going to a 130bcd spider (see above).

tetonrider

thanks, scorpio. cool.

any chance you can find out the price of a new specialized 130bcd spider (no cranks or rings)?

are costs the same for 50/34 ($125) and 53/39?
how about 110 & 130 bcd?

thank you!

af2nr

Another option you may check out is going with a 52/36 on the front with the cassette of your choice. That should still help you spin up hills and keep you from spinning out coming down them. A guy I ride with actually bought this set up with his SRAM Red group and seems to really like it.

I was quoted $150 for a new Specialized spider and rings a couple of months ago when looking at different options of gearing.

tetonrider

quoting myself here. for some reason, when i checked earlier i didn't see this stuff on specialized's site, but it's clearly there. duh (on my part).

there are a couple s-works chainsets available:
- a "road compact chainring set" for $125 (50/34 or 48/34)
- a "road chainring set" for $200 (53/39 or 50/34)
- 110 bcd or 130 bcd spiders for $55
- a "crankset" for $500 (crank, spider -- EDIT: rings are sold separately; this implies that the crank arms themselves would be ~$445)

a new 130 bcd spider will give me more options.

thanks. that could enable me to go with a 130bcd and still get a bit of a compromise on the low end. i'll check on ring options.