so i'm looking at picking up a crankset on the cheap and i might be able to score a bontrager king earl for cheap. For reference:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=263602_304632

my questions is, does a 104 bcd ring work out ok for fixed? is it gunna be too wimpy and taco? I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to these things. thanks.

It's all relative. A 38T chainring on a 104mm bcd crank arm such as the one in that auction is probably no worse than a 48T chainring on a 130mm bcd crank arm. My question is do you want such a small chainring? That price isn't that fantastic to me and you can find the more common 130mm bcd cranks for the same price.

You can find better cranks for cheaper deals on ebay alone. Find a entry level track specific crank.

Besides any components related to a "big earl" from bontrager are going to be heavy as hell. They are meant for MTB applications. I have a stem that is a big earl free-ride and its heavy/bulky as hell.

no. i definitely would be acquiring a larger ring, probably close to 46-48t.
and the $69.00 is not what i'd be paying. i'll probably get it for about $30 shipped...
just not sure what chain-type i would need to use... could i still use a 1/8 or 3/32 chain that would fit a cog nicely or would i need a 9speed chain?

thanks for the heads up on the weight.

so all in all it just seems like a bad idea, especially if i'm needing to enlarge the ring?

Well, IDK how easily you can find 46T or 48T chainrings for that bcd, but the chain is not an issue, since any chain will work. A 9-speed chain is the same as 3/32, it's just the outer width that's different, which only matters on geared bikes. You can always use a 1/8 chain on a 3/32 chainring or cog.

It's no bargain to get a crank that you have to change the chain-ring on. My LBS quotes me approx. $1/per tooth for chainrings.
104 BCD cranks are designed for MTB compact sort chain-rings. I'd be worried about adequate support for the rings when you start getting much larger rings, if they even exist.

Curious to know how you would get it for 30 shipped?

May be trouble finding the proper chainring for your desired gear ratio but I havent looked around myself.

chain-rings priced per tooth

i wish my chainrings cost $1 per tooth

Does that mean the chainrings you buy cost more than a dollar per tooth?

I use a 104mm BCD 43T Sinz ring. It's a thick aluminum ring so it won't taco. It was only 20 euros too, so about $28. I'd never a chainring that costs $1 per tooth, that's much too expensive.

Look into Pake, Origin8, and Eighthinch cranksets. All around the same price as that one or cheaper, 130bcd, and better suited for your fg/ss.

For good chainrings....yes. Although the price is not related to number of teeth. A high end 42T chainring costs the same as a high end 52t chainring.

I realize that the price of some chainrings may be more dollars than the amount of teeth. The question was directed towards the member who pays that price. "i wish" hints that he pays more than that. What chainrings is he buying that are so damn expensive and why, is what I was getting at.