New Fixie chainring

tunney

Its time to change chainrings on my fixie (Giant Bowery).

Question is do I need a single speed specific one or will a normal 9/10 speed one (ramped) do?

stuf

tunney wrote: »

Its time to change chainrings on my fixie (Giant Bowery).

Question is do I need a single speed specific one or will a normal 9/10 speed one (ramped) do?

depends on the chain which is probably 3/32" width on the bowery - a 9/10 speed ring would probably be a bit thin - best go for the right type but remember that if you add a few teeth to your ring then you'll need a couple of links onto your chain or a new chain

blorg

From what I have read ramped will work but non-ramped will be "better".

The Bowery chainring/cog is 3/32", a cheap 7-speed chain should work fine I believe, from looking at it I think it comes with this KMC one although doesn't seem to use a power link on the Bowery while this chain does come with this method of attachment (I bought one for another bike.)

DirkVoodoo

Check out ebay. I bought a nice 44 tooth stronglight chainring for about 20 euro delivered.

Now all I need is a new chain!

tunney

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Check out ebay. I bought a nice 44 tooth stronglight chainring for about 20 euro delivered.

Now all I need is a new chain!

44??? Why would I go smaller

I've looked into a fair bit and the bowery will take a standard 9/10 speed chainring no problems. yes an unramped would be better but it should work.

stuf

tunney wrote: »

44??? Why would I go smaller

I've looked into a fair bit and the bowery will take a standard 9/10 speed chainring no problems. yes an unramped would be better but it should work.

you do realise that the higher your gear ratio the more pressure is on the chain both in peddling and slowing.

A 9/10 speed ring just increases your chance of losing the chain when slowing from speed. Up to you - good luck with it?

DirkVoodoo

tunney wrote: »

44??? Why would I go smaller

I've looked into a fair bit and the bowery will take a standard 9/10 speed chainring no problems. yes an unramped would be better but it should work.

Oh no, I didn't mean that particular one. Just worth checking out the shop. I think it was called DHC cycles or something, they have every number of gear teeth imaginable.

Itsfixed

I usually go for a Sram PC850 8 speed chain for both my fixie and singlespeed. It has a powerlink gizmo which enables you to take off the chain without needing a chain tool. Chaintools are a pain.

Explosive_Cornflake

Ah yes, fixies, the maintaince free system :rolleyes:

niceonetom

Explosive_Cornflake wrote: »

Ah yes, fixies, the maintaince free system :rolleyes:

they basically are maintenance free once they're initially set up right. the problem is that the only people who seem to catch the fixie bug are the type of oil-stained bike geeks who enjoy messing with spanners and discussing the finer points of 1/8" vs 3/32" drive trains, drops vs risers, shimano vs campy, steel vs aluminium etc. etc.

ah the ironing... the delicious ironing

1/8" ftw

Gavin

Yes, the replacement of a chainring is a highly complicated job. I better check if I have a degree for that

Explosive_Cornflake

Just saying, that's a big argument for them around here, but of course we know there is no such thing as maintaince free.

Chips Lovell

Explosive_Cornflake wrote: »

Just saying, that's a big argument for them around here, but of course we know there is no such thing as maintaince free.

So if I puncture on my fixie can I start giving out about it being maintenance free?

flickerx

niceonetom wrote: »

the problem is that the only people who seem to catch the fixie bug are the type of oil-stained bike geeks who enjoy messing with spanners and discussing the finer points of 1/8" vs 3/32" drive trains, drops vs risers, shimano vs campy, steel vs aluminium etc. etc.

amen to that

blorg

@Explosive_Cornflake- I guess what often goes wrong with a bike is the gear system in some way or another, particularly if it is cheap. So you lose all of those problems. With a fixie it is like your gear is EXACTLY right with no rubbing, all of the time, and then a bit better yet. Of course on the flip side you only have one of them.

I'd also hazard in my own experience that a fixie is more tolerant of crap on the drivetrain. This does not mean you don't have to clean and oil the chain but just that it is more tolerant of neglect in bad weather, with a derailleur system you really start to notice it quick enough.