Reddit mentions: The best bike chainrings

You only need up upgrade the biggest one, your third gear on the front. Now the link I gave you is for a 5-bolt chainring, see the 5 holes? some mountain bikes have 4 bolts, like mine. Wherever (if) you buy one, they will guaranteed have options in both 4 and 5 bolts.

I'll tell you the advantages before I tell you how to put it on. Instead of reaching your maximum speed on your lowest gears while pedalling around the city, you can put a bigger gear on for more speed. Yes it will be "heavier" or "harder to pedal" but all you need to do is go up a gear in the rear, and eventually you will learn how to use it to reach higher speed, kind of like a new pair of shoes. You have to work it in. Higher speed might not be your goal however, but with a larger chainring it can be easier to go farther because you don't need to pedal as much AND you have more control over your speed, since you no longer max out on the smallest gear in the rear.

Putting the thing on is super simple, and if you want to save money in repairs on your bike, the skills necessary to put it on will help. Nothing worse than tuning your derailleur needs to be done. Bolts are bolts, there are a few of them around your old chainring. Pop the old one off and put the new one on, and you've done a third of the work. Now the front derailleur will need to be adjusted, but it's not much work. Loosen the nut holding it's cable in place (this is something you should be able to do anyways, for keeping your bike running for as long as possible) this is what you'd do to tune the derailleur when it stops shifting nice anyways. There is another nut holding the derailleur to the bike, loosen it enough to move the derraileur up and down and make sure it can move over the top of that beautiful new chainring, that's all. Tighten that nut, make sure the cable is tight, make sure it shifts to the gears correctly, and there's a very good chance that's all you need to do.

Some people say you need to adjust the rear derailleur, as long as you remember not to use the big front gear and the big back gear (you shouldn't be doing this anyways, even with your current chainring) then you won't need to adjust anything.

"What size should I get?" you might ask. Well, your current bike probably has a 42 tooth chainring, pretty typical for a mountain bike. Every extra 2 teeth in the front will feel like an extra gear in the back. So if you go from 42t to 44t, it will feel as if you now have a 9-speed where you used to have an 8 (or whatever you have) speed. That's why I reccommended a 46t, because one single extra gear is a nice boost but not really all that much. If you're gonna spend 20-40 bucks on a chainring you might as well add a decent amount of speed, not just a taste.

The 34 tooth chainring looks to be correct for your bike, but you need "Hidden Bolt" chainrings for the newer Force 22 crankset. See here:

https://wickwerks.com/faq/rings-4-sram-red-force-crank/

This is the correct chainring for your application:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sram-Road-Hidden-Non-Hidden-Aluminium/dp/B00JYD8GF0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493188228&sr=8-1&keywords=11.6218.016.001

(Ouch.)

It's possible there are other less expensive options, such as WickWerks chainrings.

You should adjust the front derailleur, yes. It'll help the bike shift, and will reduce the chance of dropping the chain.

The outer chainring can actually be pretty complex; a lot of work goes into designing the ramp pins and chain teeth so that the front mech can pull the chain onto the larger ring. The cost always surprises me.

BTW, this is part of the reason you shouldn't shift under load, especially in the front. During a shift to the big ring, the ramp pins are under a lot of stress. It's easy to sheer off the pins and break teeth. Once that happens the bike won't shift very well.

While you could remove a link to shorten your chain, I'd strongly encourage you to replace it. An old chain can wear down new cogs pretty quickly. If you're spending £100 on a new chainring, it makes sense to replace the chain as well.

You should also double check the B-tension adjustment screw on your rear derailleur. This screw helps control how far the rear pulleys run from the cogs. They can help fit larger cassettes, and can help shifting into the smaller rings.

I have a 2018 Trail 6 that I got last November and really love and it's been a great bike to learn on. I have ended up doing a lot of upgrading on and there are some idiosyncrasies to the Trail series that I wish I would have known.

First big upgrade was the dropper post, and that's been awesome. You can internally route a dropper on the Trail series so just find a good deal on a dropper that you like and you're good to go. I was able to get a KS Lev Si used for $100 and it's been solid.

Putting the dropper on prompted me to want to get rid of the front derailleur/shifter and go 1x. I ended up ordering this chainring as the FSA cranks have a weird chainring size. Thankfully I was at a friend's house to help me because FSA does a little proprietary thing with their chainrings and he ended up having to grind a bit around the bolt holes (the flat part towards the center of the circle) to get them to fit. The other thing is that the rear derailleur didn't have a clutch so my friend suggested running the chain a little smaller than stock to keep from dropping the chain. I ran it like that from January to July and never dropped a chain. It also helps that I was intending to upgrade the rear derailleur within the year, definitely not a long term plan as it would wear a lot faster.

So, if you're really set on going 1x, my advice would be to do the cranks and bottom bracket too unless you have access to a grinder and someone competent to use it. I ended up installing a Shimano XT bottom bracket and a used set of XT cranks/chainring this summer and have been really happy with them. I don't know that I can actually feel the difference, but they are lighter for sure. I also upgraded to an 11 speed SLX cassette, derailleur, and shifter and have really loved having the bigger gears (46T) on the hills (also went from a 30T chainring to a 32T).

The other thing to consider is the tool cost if you're doing it yourself. You'll need a tool to pull the square taper cranks and another one to pull the bottom bracket. Then you'll need a new one to install a Hollowtech BB. And you'll want a cable cutter for the upgrade to a 11 speed too.

I've been tracking stock and upgraded parts here, feel free to ask about any other upgrades you're planning on.

Here's some of the parts I used when I converted my Schwinn, I don't know the year or model of yours so there may be some slight differences, but but the way your frame is constructed I know they're close

Bottom bracket conversion: https://harriscyclery.net/product/truvativ-bottom-bracket-conversion-american-to-euro-adapter-1335.htm

Crank Parts:
https://www.amazon.com/Sugino-Single-Speed-165mm-130mm/dp/B0068S1YH6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1510250991&sr=1-1&keywords=sugino+crankset&dpID=41uvhXCdn2L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002G37X5Y/ref=twister_B00RNFQ79I?th=1&psc=1

You'll also need a new rear wheel, you can buy a new wheelset but I kept the front to keep the budget down. If you choose to keep the front, look for a 27" rear wheel, just make sure it has a flip flop hub.

Also, consult your local bike shop! you mileage may vary, but my LBS is filled with fixie goons that are more than happy to help you find parts. They may have used parts that'll save you some money.

Hard to say. 80% sure it'll be fine, but as I mentioned, the pins and ramps on the middle and outer rings are meant to be matched with the stock chainring sizes for optimal chain paths during shifting. Unless you're strapped for time, here's what you should do:

Buy the 26t and 46t rings and try them out before buying anything else. The 26t can be a cheap sugino, however for the 46t make sure to get a 130mm BCD chainring with pins and ramps. This might be the only option: https://www.amazon.com/Origin8-Alloy-Ramped-Chainrings-Silver/dp/B002G33YWA Not sure why you want a 46t in the first place though -- 50t is already fairly close to 39t and 46t would be almost too close and negate the benefits of a triple. Just because you don't use the highest gears doesn't mean the 50t can't be used to find optimal chainline in fast-cruising situations, say, a long 2% downhill or something.

After you try out the rings, if it doesn't shift well then get the CX70 fd.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I was also thinking of changing the pedals as the current ones are a bit damaged.

I'm not too sure what I'm looking at but here are some photos of the bottom bracket: https://imgur.com/RP6gxNX https://imgur.com/yFVA9iq https://imgur.com/LkV2ZKl - I assumed that it's cup and cone due to the age of the bike but I might be wrong.

Okay thanks, I was getting a bit confused about the conversion kits. So would something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sturmey-Archer-Freewheel-Chains-Silver/dp/B00BQL0EGM?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1 or this https://www.decathlon.co.uk/16-tooth-freewheel-id_8215220.html be what I'm after? I've also seen this which comes with spacers: https://www.amazon.co.uk/A2Z-Mountain-Single-Speed-Conversion/dp/B0071A3W7K/ - I'm not sure how I know if it's thread on. Yes, my understanding was that I can correct the chain line with spacers, I didn't think about the bottom bracket though.

Thanks,

Your chain falling off was probably caused by your bottom bracket falling apart

The kit you found would work, but you probably don't need the whole thing. The bits that screw onto the crank are called cones. The bits in the frame are called cups. If your cones or cups are pitted, you need to replace them. They are pitted if they feel rough. If only the bearing cages are broken you can buy 5/16'' bearing cages with 10 balls per cage. At a shop, they probably would be between two to three dollars each.

You can use a ruler to measure chain stretch, but your chain is probably fine. Is this a single speed with a coaster brake? If so, as long as you can pull the rear wheel back so the chain is tight enough, and it does not pop off when you pedal hard, it's fine. I'm aware you probably need to put together the bottom bracket first to test this.

If you do decide to replace the chain, you may want to examine your chain ring and rear cog. If the teeth look like a sharks fin, you should replace them. If not, they are probably fine.

If you want to super duper sure and just replace everything that could be causing the problem, and you do have a single speed with a coaster brake, you will need the above mentioned bearings, plus this chain, this style of chainring, that has the same number of teeth as your old chainring, and this style of cog, with the same number of teeth as your old cog. Unless your crank is bent, there is no reason to replace it. Those cranks are very sturdy.

If you don't have a single speed coaster brake, you might need a different chain, chain ring, and cog. Let me know what you have and I can try to help you get the right parts.

I'm running a Solodrive 36T on my rigid 29er, which costs half what a raceface does. Color, fit, finish are all great and it's held up fine for the 400 or so miles I've put on it. I would definitely buy one again.

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A73Y1P4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Well-packed gravel is no problem. Done plenty of that. You'd be surprised at how well the suspension block works. Not as taint punishing as you would think. The only thing I would recommend is a smaller front chainring, and larger flat peddles, like Lambdas.

When you start doing single track type stuff at speed, that gets sketchy. But honestly, they're pretty robust fucking bikes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081UT5U2/ - I use this chain ring

https://www.amazon.com/MKS-Lambda-Easy-SUPERIOR-Silver/dp/B002YQ44GE/ - and these peddles (most of the time) They are detachable.

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Ok your issue is that your front ring is too small, even though it’s 38 which is already on the bigger side as it is but whatever. So what you want is just a bigger chainring, don’t mess around 2x or roadie groupsets, just get the bigger ring, it’ll be a lot easier.

It’s your choice how to go about that but I found a 42 tooth on amazon that should be good even though it’s a little pricey for only one ring.

I got a Redux 1 when it was on sale on the Raleigh website a couple of months ago. I got it primarily as a grocery hauler. I put on a Topeak Explorer Disc rack, and use my Ortlieb Back Roller Classic pannier bags for said grocery hauling. The gearing was too tall for hauling weight in any kind of a hilly area; it came with a 40 tooth chainring and an 11-34 cassette. I bought this chainring from Amazon, in the 36 tooth version. Easy install, works perfectly, did not remove any links from the chain. If you’re not hauling any weight and you’re in a flat area, the 40 tooth may be right for you, just throwing it out there.

First, did you mount the NW to the outside or inside of the spider? Generally you want it on the inside for conversions.

Second, if it's already inside, you may need spacers like these:
Juscycling Middle Chainring Spacer 0.5 0.8 2 5 mm , 25pcs/bag (2mm) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076NKC4SX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_bk4i7fWKF7t39

What you need to do is put it in 5th gear and determine how far you would need to move the chairing to have perfect chainline. Then get that much in spacers.

Other solution is to buy a 1x crank. It will already be spaced correctly.

Thanks for all this, adding components to bikes is pretty foreign to me unfortunately, so we could take a 1x11 bike and add on something like this?

I'll check out some Endurance bikes, 32mm tires are what I'm riding now. They got me through the trip but they were also quite worn, if I had some newer tires better suited for those conditions it would've been easier I bet.

From the picture it looks like you need 104 bcd narrow wide, says it on there. You can find cheap ones on Amazon that come with single chain ring bolts. Like this. I've used this one on budget builds and it works nice. As for the size you probably want a 34t, maybe a 36t if that's too low for you or even a 32t if that's too high. Just whatever you prefer.

Absolutely! It's an IXF external bottom bracket / crank set combo, paired with a Snail 30t tooth narrow wide chainring, all available on Amazon. Super affordable. The conversion required a few specialty tools for removing the old hardware (square taper crank puller and internal bottom bracket removal tool) with one hollowtech wrench for installing the new bottom bracket.


There's a few good tutorials out there, just be mindful since you are working on the aluminum frame itself and stripped bottom bracket threads mean you'll need a new frame. I also took a few links out of the chain to help with chain slap and this thing is damn near silent now.

Tires are Bontrager XR4s, but they seem to have been discontinued in 29x2.3. They grip really nice off road but suck on the road due to high rolling resistance. Going to have to try something new once these wear out since anything wider might start scraping the frame.

Anybody have any experience with USAmade chainrings? Found this on Amazon, and was wondering if it would be a good budget option instead of a race face narrow wide-

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UDMYTK2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Fq7izb13HRFJF

Any recommendations for cheap 30t chainrings would be greatly appreciated.

I've had anodized bolts break on me as well. I've gone through a few choices for chainring bolts & have found that the Truvativ bolts that come with a spacer are your best choice. I've got these bolts on three bikes now & have had zero issues with them. Two of those bikes are setup as singlespeeds FWIW.

http://www.amazon.com/TruVativ-Steel-Chainring-Bolt-Black/dp/B001GSQO3W/

Thanks, just level of detail i was after!

So these?

Sram Road 34T 5 Bolt Chainring, 110 mm BCD Aluminium - Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004YWGV4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_EDdazbSSS2G9Y

Sram Road Chainring Road 50T 5 Bolt 110 mm BCD Aluminium (50-34) 4 mm Black, 11.6215.197.060 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005ELVNHO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_BEdazb28PZ2CJ

Big price jump on the 50t!

I presume front derailleur will require adjusting if replacing chain rings? And with a switch to smaller rings will thus also require a new chain?

As others have said below, I'm not really sure about your bottom bracket situation. There are tons of "standards" and I'm not familiar with the bike to know which yours is.

But the more I think about it, the more I think you should use the existing crankset and bottom bracket and just put a narrow wide ring on it. They have some really cheap ones, I bought this one for a bike and although i haven't thrashed it, it's held up fine so far.

Solodrive 104BCD Single Chain Ring For 9/10/11-Speed,Black,32T https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A73XV7S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OT0OAbCFVKJPF

The Zee derailleur, that xt cassette, chain, and then a shifter (an slx 10 speed shifter is like $30 USD) should be all you need. Probably some single speed chainring bolts as well as someone else noted.

I would go with a OneUp chainring instead. After further investigation you can remove the whole spider and buy something like this

Truvativ makes C/R bolts that use hex keys for both sides.