S
Slash
Guest
So my drivetrain has finally gotten to the point where I think I need to do some part replacements.
Maybe while I'm at it, I can squeeze in a tiny upgrade or two along the way as well...
My bike is made up of this stuff at the moment. Everybody loves a dry parts list, admit it... you
know you do. And if you don't, skip down and get to the good stuff.
REI Novara Ponderosa FS 2002 (8 speed drivetrain) Frame: 7005-T6 aluminum *Fork: 2002 Marzocchi MXR
100mm Rims: Ritchey COMP / OCR Front Hub: Ritchey Comp Rear Hub: Ritchey Comp Tires F/R: Ritchey
Z-Max/Bontrager Revolt SS (soon to be swapped?)
26x1.95 Pedals: Wellgo w/ toe-clips (soon to be SPD, literally falling apart maybe Shimano 324's)
*Front Der: Shimano LX *Rear Der: Shimano LX Shifters: Shimano Alivio 8-speed Cassette: SRAM
5.0 11/32 8-speed Handlebars: Ritchey Low Rizer Stem: Ritchey Comp Crankset: Shimano Alivio
22/32/42 (4 bolt, 8 speed, square. FC-MC20-L) BB: Shimano (BB-LP27, cartridge tapered square)
Headset: WTB Momentum *Saddle: WTB Speed V Race 2003 Seatpost: Ritchey Comp Brakes: Avid SD5 B
Levers: Avid AD3 Odometer: ~1600 Alaskan miles since last mid-summer. About half on pavement, a
quarter in snow & ice and a quarter in sand, dirt, grit and good old fashioned grime. Rain or
shine, day or night.
* = Upgraded, not stock.
More for my own reference than anything else, but it's a decent overview. Now, the upgrade
questions. My middle chainring is starting to slip while under load, occasionally tossing the chain
down onto the BB shell. And by starting to, I mean that it will slip on any cassette cog and on
command. All I have to do is pop a strong wheelie in any gear from the middle chainring and it's a
guaranteed spectacle, complete with loud cracking noise from the chain. The other two chainrings
appear to be fine, from the scientific tooling around I did in the yard today.
My crankset is pretty low on the ladder as far as equipment performance is concerned, and being an
aging 4 bolt 8 speed design, would it even be possible to replace the middle chainring? Would any 4
bolt 32t ring work? That said, would it even be worth it? The way I see it, if I'm spending $20 on a
middle ring, and the other two are fast approaching a similar level of wear... why not just replace
the whole damn crankset while I'm at it? Is this insane? Would I see a noticeable difference going
to a newer, presumably better, crankset? Or should I replace the ring, run the whole thing into the
ground and then replace it all?
Or should I dive in now and try... this? http://pricepoint.com/product600.html (Race Face Prodigy
XC, bundled with tapered UN72 BB for $79)
Which leads me to more questions! Would this BB be a drop-in replacement for the one I've got now,
assuming the size is the same and all of that good stuff? I'd need a BB extractor tool I guess, but
other than that? And what about the difference in teeth? Would I still be able to shift to the 44t
ring, compared to the old 42t ring? And what about the whole 8 speed vs 9 speed thing? Assuming my
cassette still has a bit of life left in it, would new rings, old chain and old cassette cause major
problems? And just to cover my ass, if I replaced the crankset, bottom bracket, cassette and chain,
could I use the 8 speed chain and 8 speed cassette with a new 9 speed crankset's chainrings? Any
difference in rotational smoothness?
aaaaaaaaiiiiiigggghhhh!!!!!
Should I just try to bend the hell back into the 2nd ring with pliers and a hammer and spend the
money on a nice set of fat tires, strong whiskey, new pedals and ride it until it dies? (or kills me
in the process)
-Slash
--
"Ebert Victorious"
- The Onion
Maybe while I'm at it, I can squeeze in a tiny upgrade or two along the way as well...
My bike is made up of this stuff at the moment. Everybody loves a dry parts list, admit it... you
know you do. And if you don't, skip down and get to the good stuff.
REI Novara Ponderosa FS 2002 (8 speed drivetrain) Frame: 7005-T6 aluminum *Fork: 2002 Marzocchi MXR
100mm Rims: Ritchey COMP / OCR Front Hub: Ritchey Comp Rear Hub: Ritchey Comp Tires F/R: Ritchey
Z-Max/Bontrager Revolt SS (soon to be swapped?)
26x1.95 Pedals: Wellgo w/ toe-clips (soon to be SPD, literally falling apart maybe Shimano 324's)
*Front Der: Shimano LX *Rear Der: Shimano LX Shifters: Shimano Alivio 8-speed Cassette: SRAM
5.0 11/32 8-speed Handlebars: Ritchey Low Rizer Stem: Ritchey Comp Crankset: Shimano Alivio
22/32/42 (4 bolt, 8 speed, square. FC-MC20-L) BB: Shimano (BB-LP27, cartridge tapered square)
Headset: WTB Momentum *Saddle: WTB Speed V Race 2003 Seatpost: Ritchey Comp Brakes: Avid SD5 B
Levers: Avid AD3 Odometer: ~1600 Alaskan miles since last mid-summer. About half on pavement, a
quarter in snow & ice and a quarter in sand, dirt, grit and good old fashioned grime. Rain or
shine, day or night.
* = Upgraded, not stock.
More for my own reference than anything else, but it's a decent overview. Now, the upgrade
questions. My middle chainring is starting to slip while under load, occasionally tossing the chain
down onto the BB shell. And by starting to, I mean that it will slip on any cassette cog and on
command. All I have to do is pop a strong wheelie in any gear from the middle chainring and it's a
guaranteed spectacle, complete with loud cracking noise from the chain. The other two chainrings
appear to be fine, from the scientific tooling around I did in the yard today.
My crankset is pretty low on the ladder as far as equipment performance is concerned, and being an
aging 4 bolt 8 speed design, would it even be possible to replace the middle chainring? Would any 4
bolt 32t ring work? That said, would it even be worth it? The way I see it, if I'm spending $20 on a
middle ring, and the other two are fast approaching a similar level of wear... why not just replace
the whole damn crankset while I'm at it? Is this insane? Would I see a noticeable difference going
to a newer, presumably better, crankset? Or should I replace the ring, run the whole thing into the
ground and then replace it all?
Or should I dive in now and try... this? http://pricepoint.com/product600.html (Race Face Prodigy
XC, bundled with tapered UN72 BB for $79)
Which leads me to more questions! Would this BB be a drop-in replacement for the one I've got now,
assuming the size is the same and all of that good stuff? I'd need a BB extractor tool I guess, but
other than that? And what about the difference in teeth? Would I still be able to shift to the 44t
ring, compared to the old 42t ring? And what about the whole 8 speed vs 9 speed thing? Assuming my
cassette still has a bit of life left in it, would new rings, old chain and old cassette cause major
problems? And just to cover my ass, if I replaced the crankset, bottom bracket, cassette and chain,
could I use the 8 speed chain and 8 speed cassette with a new 9 speed crankset's chainrings? Any
difference in rotational smoothness?
aaaaaaaaiiiiiigggghhhh!!!!!
Should I just try to bend the hell back into the 2nd ring with pliers and a hammer and spend the
money on a nice set of fat tires, strong whiskey, new pedals and ride it until it dies? (or kills me
in the process)
-Slash
--
"Ebert Victorious"
- The Onion
