Quantcast

Steel Chain Rings

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
Anyone try out using a steel chain ring?

I've gone through two chain rings in the last two seasons. Latest being a North Shore Billet ring, which worked pretty well (no drops), looks nice and costs less than other rings. But the teeth on it are starting to look more like fish hooks than anything else.

The steel ring should last longer, but will my chain also wear out faster?

Other huge benefit is that steel rings seem to be less than a third of the price of their aluminum counterparts. For a few grams worth of weed, that seems pretty good savings.

For reference, Jenson has some steel Race Face rings for $19 Canadian pesos. Or just $14 freedom dollars.

https://www.jensonusa.com/Race-Face-Cinch-Steel-Chainring
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
i was just looking at these. after cracking a few alloy chainrings on my trials bike back in the day, i switched to steel. can't really comment on whether or not steel will make your chain wear out faster, this wasn't exactly a bike i was putting miles on.

a quick google is indecisive. some people seem to think the more durable chainring will cause the chain to wear faster, but others disagree. this was a totally unscientific review of an MTBR thread and comments on a pinkbike article.

also, its more than just a few grams difference. steel rings weight almost twice (in some cases more) than comparable size / interface alloy chainrings.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
Yeah you're right about the weights. 146g for the steel Race Face ring vs 85g for the aluminum North Shore Billet, both 30 tooth.

But still that price...
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
its still not a ton of weight; but i would also check your chain for wear, and probably suggest replacing the chain if it shows signs of wear
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
I've gone through two chain rings in the last two seasons. Latest being a North Shore Billet ring, which worked pretty well (no drops), looks nice and costs less than other rings. But the teeth on it are starting to look more like fish hooks than anything else.
wait, when was the last time you replaced your chain?
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
wait, when was the last time you replaced your chain?
Never? :busted: I've put 2800km on this bike since buying it as a used demo from Transition. Drivetrain looked used but newish when I got it, but who knows really. I do know that while putting the bike back together over the last few days, I did notice that the chain doesn't even mesh correctly with the chain ring until about a quarter of the rotation of the crank.

So yeah time to replace the chain, ring and cassette. I'm thinking one of the Ethirteen cassettes for a little more range than the 42 tooth sram cassette it currently has...
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
Never? :busted: I've put 2800km on this bike since buying it as a used demo from Transition. Drivetrain looked used but newish when I got it, but who knows really. I do know that while putting the bike back together over the last few days, I did notice that the chain doesn't even mesh correctly with the chain ring until about a quarter of the rotation of the crank.

So yeah time to replace the chain, ring and cassette. I'm thinking one of the Ethirteen cassettes for a little more range than the 42 tooth sram cassette it currently has...
one of the comments on the PB article stated that using a heavily worn chain on a new alloy chainring will cause premature wear on the ring since the rollers in the chain won't sit properly in between the chainring teeth
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
You should be using a few chains for every narrow wide chainring you go through.
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,573
1,069
La Verne
okay.............
you need to buy chains more often, your worn out chain pins are hell further than the intended 1/2" pitch, and are destroying your chain rings. This also destroys the small cog on the casette. The e13 9t wouldn't stand a chance with the way your running your operation currently.

also theres no way in fuck that an aluminum or steel chainring is going to wear your chain faster or slower, the chain is what wears the ring not the ring wearing the chain, I mean a FUBARED chain ring thats already been worn out by a worn out chain wont do a new chain any favors. But a New steel chain ring i'snt going to wear out a chain, if anything it will hold its profile longer, and be easier on the chain.

so if your going to buy all new shit buy 2 or 3 new chains and swap them every hundred miles till till the stretch guage says they are junk or until you wipe out your small cassette cog, then replace with all new again.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
Don't chains generally wear by stretching out? Aren't most cassettes made of steel? I wouldn't think a steel chaining would stretch your chain any quicker, nor induce much more wear than the steel cassette, if everything is working right the rollers should be rolling and the chain gliding rather than scraping.

Main reason not to run a steel chaining is weight and inability to anodize it purple, wear should be a non-issue.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
okay.............
you need to buy chains more often, your worn out chain pins are hell further than the intended 1/2" pitch, and are destroying your chain rings. This also destroys the small cog on the casette. The e13 9t wouldn't stand a chance with the way your running your operation currently.

also theres no way in fuck that an aluminum or steel chainring is going to wear your chain faster or slower, the chain is what wears the ring not the ring wearing the chain, I mean a FUBARED chain ring thats already been worn out by a worn out chain wont do a new chain any favors. But a New steel chain ring i'snt going to wear out a chain, if anything it will hold its profile longer, and be easier on the chain.

so if your going to buy all new shit buy 2 or 3 new chains and swap them every hundred miles till till the stretch guage says they are junk or until you wipe out your small cassette cog, then replace with all new again.
you sound like a big fucking jerk.










you'll fit right in here. :busted:
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
the obvious answer is carbon

Could be interesting. What if we had a softer and easier wearing material to use for the chainrings and cassettes. Could that make chains and whatnot last multiple times longer? Or do chains wear themselves out too?

11 and 12 speed chains aren't cheap up here in Canaderp, and as noted by @englertracing ass reaming I do not replace mine anywhere near often enough.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
Could be interesting. What if we had a softer and easier wearing material to use for the chainrings and cassettes. Could that make chains and whatnot last multiple times longer? Or do chains wear themselves out too?
chains would probably get snappy like they were in the early days of 9 spd.
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,573
1,069
La Verne
Could be interesting. What if we had a softer and easier wearing material to use for the chainrings and cassettes. Could that make chains and whatnot last multiple times longer? Or do chains wear themselves out too?

11 and 12 speed chains aren't cheap up here in Canaderp, and as noted by @englertracing ass reaming I do not replace mine anywhere near often enough.
also there is no way in fuck that an aluminum or steel chaining is going to wear your chain faster or slower, the chain is what wears the ring not the ring wearing the chain, I mean a FUBARED chain ring thats already been worn out by a worn out chain wont do a new chain any favors. But a New steel chain ring i'snt going to wear out a chain, if anything it will hold its profile longer, and be easier on the chain.


Read and comprehend