Recently after doing some DH style runs and noticing that had so easily spun out the drive train. Started noticing and considering a few things.
Over the last year have been thinking about the Stylus drive train and the huge cassette that has become the industry normal. Especially the fact that when I look at the cassette don't use the top 3-4 cogs. So between the Stylus and Wideangle have noticed a few things.
On the Wideangle while running a Retro Grouch 9 speed cassette with a 32T front ring rarely spin out easily and use most of the cassette except for maybe the last big cog. And as can see in the photo it isn't some pizza pan size cogs on the Wideangle. So got me thinking a bit more about gearing.
Then read a couple of articles on gearing by Andrew Major on NSMB.com about gearing and bash guards.
Which has added further fuel to the thinking and over thinking.
Which then after that day spinning out the Stylus drivetrain with a 30T Chain Ring. And looking at the problem realize another issue that hadn’t considered about the SRAM direct mount chainring. That it makes changing to larger tooth size chain rings more of an exercise.
With the current Sram direct mount system that does away with the spider. While seems great till one realizes to change the chain ring means one has to pull the crank arm to then do the swap. The re-install the crank arm and the fiddle around to make sure it is all good. Brilliant so let’s make this harder then it needs to be.
Reality is to me that the standard type 4 bolt 104BCD for most will be fine. Even if your running one of those narrow wide chain rings with a bash guard it still is a pretty simple thing to leave the crank arm on and undo chainring bolts. Swap to what ever size you need and reverse the process to install. No removing crank arms and fiddling around with with cranks and beating tension.
And an added bonus if you decide to run an upper guide to keep the chain in place. One can run the pile of 32-34 T chainrings one has hanging on their home shop wall.
When I looked at it closer and have been thinking about it more . Integrated chain rings while shiny and new is at least to me a solution that is looking for a problem. In many ways how before this came about the whole idea of running one chain ring which led to creation of 4 bolt narrow wide chain rings. Which isn’t that ground breaking if you look at mtb history in Canada where back in 1998 and maybe earlier it was already being done. Which led to the Blackspire North Shore chain guide which really was the beginning of it all. So in truth there was already a solution to a problem thanks to aftermarket companies like Blackspire.
However back to the actual issue that is ease of swapping chain rings. Which really is with updates like upper only chain guides with easy to mount brackets that can work with a bashguard so one could use either a narrow wide ring or not. Realistically at least to me makes this a more complicated exercise.
With that in mind am looking into the solution from North Shore Billet that in theory will at least to me create a more workable long term solution for my retro grouch ways. So queries have been sent to the appropriate experts to see what might work.
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