right now on my steamroller i've got 42:14. i want to go to a smaller ratio, but with bigger gears. the thing is, right now, my 42t up in front is REALLY close to the chainstay. it is on the inside of the spider, and i know i can put the new one (assuming i get a bigger chainring) on the outside of the spider to get more clearance Clarence, buuuut then my chainline would be all messed up.... would i need to adjust the hub in order to adjust the chainline's vector Victor?

by the way i've got a surly hub in the back.

so does anyone have a big chainring on a steamroller with a surly hub, and if so howsit done?

roger Roger.

I run a 48 - I have a sugino 75 BB and crankset. No problems for me. See this thread:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=sugino

good info there for sure.

I've got a 46 ring on my steamroller, but on a track crankset.
You can mount your new bigger ring on the inside using a longer BB spindle or on the outside with a shorter BB spindle....either way should give you a close enough chainline.

it's not the crank clearance or the spindle length that's the issue. the issue is the chainline. if i move my chainring outboard of the spider, the chainline will be wiggidy-whack

do you have a new steamroller, or one of the old boston baked bean brown ones.

The new gray/charcoal steamrollers with the shaped chainstays are supposed to have clearance for a 50T ring while maintaining chainline.

I don't get it. Why bigger gears? You are just complicating things here.

You want an easier to pedal gear? Then increase rear cog size and/or decrease chain ring size.
You want a harder to pedal gear? Reduce the rear cog size and/or chainring size.

You should be able to make most gear changes by jsut swapping out rear cogs, unless you REALLY want to fine tune your gearing to within +/- 1 gear inch.

I'm runnung 38/14. Had the stuff lying around. Its been working well.

yeah yeah i know, i'm just eating up all the stuff i hear about bigger drivetrains causing less wear, looking cool and "feeling good"

The wear issue is a VERY minimal factor; it's not like your drivetrain is goind to last 2x longer with bigger rings/cogs...
As for the looking cool part; that's BS. Carry a pie in one hand and you will look cool no matter you ring/cog size.
The feeling good part is also minimal; there's not too much of a difference in feel.

This just seems pointless to me; as bigger rings and cogs just cost more money....

That's where you could use a shorter BB... but not too short where your cranks come awfully close to the chainstays.

I've got a 49T on a baked bean steamroller (supposedly less clearance!) w/ no problems.

i have a 48T on a baked beaner

If there is no clearance for the chainring, it doesn't matter.

Yeah, I run a 50.

Hmmm.....I see plenty more room. Maybe I'm missing something here.... Perhaps my Campy track hub's chainline is further out compared to the Surly hub's...?

Thanks, man. Almost shot beer out of my nose.