Chain rings

Chainring

A chainring from Velomio is arguably the most important part of your bike. It is the part that transmits the energy you create when pedaling to the rear hub via the chain.

How does it Work?

In layman’s terms, it is the round, spiky part on your bike that is connected to the cranks and pulls the chain when you are riding. The size of the chainring directly impacts your bike’s gearing. 

Smaller rings mean smaller gears that are easier to push while bigger rings mean higher gears that are harder to push. This size is usually expressed in terms of the number of teeth the ring has. For instance, a normal leisure bike has a 50T (50 teeth) ring while a road racing bike has a 53T ring.

Bolt Circles and Spiders

When shopping for bike parts, two main factors determine the size of the chainrings bike you should go for. These are the Bolt Center Diameter (BCD) and the spider type. Your bike’s crank has either a four or a five-bolt chainring attachment called the spider. 
The BCD is the diameter of the circle that would be made if you joined the bolt holes on the chainring. This diameter is different between standard and compact chainrings. For replacements, you can read the BCD on your chainring to get the exact dimensions. 

Chainring Limitations

The chainring you use will be directly determined by the type of chainset you use. here are the different types:

• The standard double cranks – This is a chainset that has two chainrings. The most common grouping is a 53T outer and 39T inner rings. However, it can go up to 55T for the largest outer chainring and 38t for the smallest.
• The single ring cranks – While single chainrings are available in sizes from 38T and above, they must use a devoted single ring crank. Not only do they have longer teeth, but they also do not have pins and shifting ramps. Get the right one for your bike. The chainrings MTB riders use differs from those used on road bikes.
• The triple ring cranks – This chainset consists of three chainrings with the most common combination being a 30/39/50T grouping. These are sold as a prepositioned unit that cannot be changed due to the pin positioning unique to each of them.
• The compact double cranks – This is a chainset that has two compact chainrings usually 50T outer and 34T inner rings in size.

For easier comparison of these bike parts, we at Velomio have found chainrings for you to explore. Take a look around you will not be disappointed.