shimano chainrings

[StoereVent]

Hello



Does anybody know why it is that Shimano is able to build great derailleurs, cranks, cassettes etc but is unable to do the same for chainrings? My Raceface chainrings last at least 1 year, where shimano chainrings (XT) start to generate chainsuck within months and are completely worn out far within a year.

Is it just because its too difficult for some reason, is it a trick to sell more components in a year (I don't think so) or is it because of the specific riding conditions here in Holland and do you not have this problem?



I have nothing against Shimano: for example: I don't think anything can beat the XTR rear derailleur and the XT-cranks are a very good buy I think. It is just such a shame that after buying XT-cranks that come wich a complete set of chainrings, you know you are going to have some chainsucking months before you can 'upgrade' to raceface, FSA etc.



Jeroen.

[Simon]

We've always had high wear on
shimano chainrings here in the UK,
they appear to be made of mush,I think its just down
to the quality (or lack of it) material used,
obviously here in the UK chains/cassettes and rings
are subjected alot of mudriding,
I found middleburn rings last along time,4 years before I had to change the middle ring and
the others are still going strong,now all running on my son's bike,I'm now running a raceface crankset and rings so I'll see how these compare in longevity.
Simon.

[Matno]

I'm going on 5 years with my LX chainrings now. Granted, I haven't ridden as many miles per year as I'd like, but they've been well used. Starting to look worn, but chain suck has never been an issue. The beauty of Shimano rings is their shifting, which is absolutely the best there is. I had a set of brand new RF Turbine LP's that didn't shift NEARLY as smoothly. But I'm sure they would have lasted much longer. (I sold them on eBay for $130 and bought a set of Shimano Hollowtechs for $12 - it was an upgrade...)

[StoereVent]

Matno:
!! 5 years with LX chainrings? What kind of cassette dou you have, also LX? 8 speed or 9? And are the chain and cassette the same age? And do you mostly ride in dry conditions?

I must admit that I don't clean my drivetrain as often and as good as I should, but I doubt wether I could ever reach that period of time even if I did.

Shifting with Shimano indeed is very good - until the first chainsuck. But then again, over here I don't use my front derailleur that often (during my weekly track). To be honest: I use it once to go from the biggest to the middel, once to go to the granny, once to go back to the middel for the rest of the track and finally the last time to go to the biggest ring at the end of the track... Wish it wasn't so flat over here...

Jeroen.

[proflex252]

My XTR is from 98 with the first chainrings.
The same with my XTs from 98 and my XTs from 96.

And all of them are now with more than 000 km (some 5000 miles) each and are still in a propper condition.
And I use them fairly often in muddy conditions, but I must admit I clean them regularly.
The 98 XT had been used for a trans alp in rainy and muddy conditions last year and I had no chance to clean the bike for 6 days, 270 miles and 10000 meters of height (whats it called in english, can someone give me the correct phrase for it).

The same with my friends. No one had ever had difficulites like worn teeth with shimpansi chainrings.
It's a complete new topic for me.

[Colin]

Good discussion guys!

I also think the Shimano ones work very well and the Raceface one's on my 5500 (ex-Jeroen's (StoereVent)) also work well.

I've never had a chainwheel wear out yet! XT on my 10yr old Pine Mountain, XT on my 7 yr old XP-X (856).

But..........See my other post on:
"Chainring -  Compact Drive 5 arm, 32/34T need "
so that's what I'm after because the teeth are so worn on the middle ring of my 4000 that the chain just jumps off...! They're like little spikey triangles with nothing left to grip the chain!
So much for the bike being serviced before I bought it!

I was looking at these:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=7186
or these
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=145

I want ones that are "ramped and pinned" because I believe these will change smoother?

anyone got any comments?

Col.

[Frankd3000]

I want ones that are "ramped and pinned" because I believe these will change smoother?

anyone got any comments?

Col.

Absolutely! Years back for some strange reason (maybe when I was trying the whole "weight weenie" thing for the first time?) I removed the pins from the chainrings. Boy oh boy, that was the dumbest thing i've ever done to a bike. I immediately noticed that the shifting was beyond horrible. Those pins are what I believe has Shimano sitting on top of the world for chainrings.

My old rigs both had about 4-5 years use each. About 400 kms/week both on and off road. Abusive shifting techniques (full power on acceleration for both front and rear, most of the time) and I NEVER replaced a chainring. Never replaced the cassette (although I did buy a second to make a "custom spread"). Only thing I ever changed was the chain - only because I wanted the silver/black look.

Key factors? I believe keeping it all clean and keeping it all clean were a big help. I used that Finish Line chain cleaner thingy (<~ official tech word of the day!) at least once a month. I'm sure it helped that I was never in the rain and rarely in the mud.

Yeah, okay, i'll put my flame suit on now for being a "clean conditions only" rider. [smiley=turtle.gif]

[Matno]

!! 5 years with LX chainrings? What kind of cassette dou you have, also LX? 8 speed or 9? And are the chain and cassette the same age? And do you mostly ride in dry conditions?

I'm sure my weight has something to do with it - 145lbs isn't exactly heavy. When I lived in Germany, I had a bike that I loved which worked flawlessly for 2 years. Sold it to a 220lb football player who literally destroyed it - to the point that it was unrideable - in less than a month of riding. I also make a point of NEVER shifting under pressure (it just bothers me - I'd rather slow down to a near stop in the middle of a climb or just muscle through it), and I keep my bike clean enough to lick most of the time (not that I really do!) Having a chain scrubber really helps. I've got one from Finishline that will literally have my chain shining in about 10 minutes (which is actually a long time and I do it way too often...)

As for the flat riding, I feel for you. I lived in both Emden and Leer (just across the border) and I grew up on the coast of Texas (hours from any sort of real hill). I spent 7 months in southern Austria, then moved to Utah for 11 years and got ridiculously spoiled; I may never be happy again as long as I'm not living in the Rockies or the Alps...

Oh, LX rings, XT cassette (9 speed), Z-chain (KMC I believe).

[colinv]

If its quality rings you are after go for the middleburn ones, I have just bought a set on ebay for $40 + $13 postage, it was cheaper to buy them from the states and get them sent to the UK, which is a bit of a piss take when they are made here in the UK but retail for around £70 for the set, plus it only took 4 days to recive them.

[Colin]

Did you get stung for Import Duty / VAT as this exceeds the £18 duty free allowance?

Col.

[colinv]

No m8, got them on ebay and the seller said he would put gift and a lower value to avoid import duty, I'd recomend them to everyone.

[StoereVent]

Just back from a week mountainbiking in the Alps, Morzine, Avoriaz, Les Gets. And on a rocky descent a stone smashed into the biggest chainring of my friend and the result was three bent teeth of which one broke off later. The ring was a brand new Blackspire, but even that could not take that big an impact. But after bending the teeth back, everything worked ok again...

Jeroen.

[Dennis]

thought I'd chime in on this one, even if it is a bit late.

I have been using Blackspire and FSA chainrings on my bikes. never had a problem, they shift well and last a long time.

back in the days when I ran Shimano rings, I replaced them every couple years, but never had too much of a problem with them either.

to me, the longevity of rings is primarily based on shifting techniques. as long as one tries to be smooth as possible when shifting, and doesn't shift under load too much, the wear on the rings should be minimal. of course, when one rolls over a log, there wll be wear and possible damage.

I am sure plenty of you will disagree with me, but thats my opinion.

[smiley=groucho.gif]