TA Chainrings

[dnovo]

With some time at home (court closed, clients hungover, etc.) I have been working on some of my bike, cleaning, tuning, updating and installing some parts that I had obtained over the last few months but not had the time to install.

At Peter White's site, he introduces the now (foolishly) discontinued TA Zepyher Cranks with the "Why? Because they are beautiful" comment. Peter also could have said this about another product he carries, the TA Specialties chainrings, and matched sets of rings that will work with Campy and Shimano cranks and shifters.

Why? They come in a variety of sizes that neither of the 'big two' provide. For those who want a bit of color and still maintain good shifiting, TA makes -- and Peter sells- matched sets of rings that are pinned and ramped to give you the same shifting you would otherwise expect with the 'stock' rings?

Why again? Because they are beautifully made and come in red, blue or black anodized colors. The Shimano sets are called, "Hegoa" and fit the Shimano bolt circle and the Campy sets, called "Horus", fit the Campy bolt circle. I have the latter on several of my bikes, and they work just fine. I have attached a few shots of a blue set on my Tommasini Carbo Fire which replaced the stock Chorus rings. For those of you who may find the stock Campy or Shimano rings a bit blah.

Oh, and for the sharp-eyed among you, that isn't red paint on the chainstay, it's a bit of blood I forgot to wipe up after installing the rings. Knicked my thumb on one of the teeth of the big ring. Sorry, I will live and after I looked at the photo, it wiped off the frame just fine. Sorry, Shino, you can't buy it off my non-widow just yet. Dave N.

[dnovo]

Second shot, a bit closer to show more detail. Dave N.

[psychlocross]

That's a nice looking setup, Dnovo. I see the 50 big ring. What do you have for the inner ring?

Riding around France this summer, I saw a lot of people riding doubles with 50/36 or 50/34 gearing (triples being used mostly for commuters and townies) and it seemed like a good idea to me. I left wondering why we don't see more of that here in the States.

If you ever have time to post an observation on the differences between your compact double and normal triples (you usually run Record triples, yes?), well, I for one, would be interested.

All the best...

[dnovo]

39. Here is a copy of the listing from Peter's site:

"TA Hegoa
130mm matched sets for Shimano racing double cranksets
TA's Hegoa chainrings come in matched sets. The teeth and pins are precisely aligned to give the most precise shifting with Shimano STI indexed shifters. Shimano's Dura Ace chainrings are also precisely matched and give great shifting. But they only make a few sizes. To be clear, these are pairs of chainrings, not single chainrings. You get the inner and outer ring. TA does not sell the individual Hegoa or Horus rings, only the pairs. They are not suitable for use in triple cranks.
Specialites TA Hegoa 53-39 chainring set in Red (130mm bolt circle) $ 106.00
Specialites TA Hegoa 53-39 chainring set in Black (130mm bolt circle) $ 106.00
Specialites TA Hegoa 52-38 chainring set in Red (130mm bolt circle) $ 106.00
Specialites TA Hegoa 52-38 chainring set in Black (130mm bolt circle) $ 106.00
Specialites TA Hegoa 51-38 chainring set in Red (130mm bolt circle) $ 106.00
Specialites TA Hegoa 51-38 chainring set in Black (130mm bolt circle) $ 106.00
Specialites TA Hegoa 50-38 chainring set in Red (130mm bolt circle) $ 106.00
Specialites TA Hegoa 50-38 chainring set in Black (130mm bolt circle) $ 106.00

TA Horus
135mm matched sets for Campagnolo racing double cranksets
TA's Horus chainring sets are the same as Hegoa, but have the 135mm bolt circle needed for Campagnolo compatibility. I stock the Horus sets in 51-39 and 50-39 combinations.
Specialites TA Horus 53-39 chainring set in Black (135mm bolt circle) $ 112.00
Specialites TA Horus 53-39 chainring set in Red (135mm bolt circle) $ 112.00
Specialites TA Horus 51-39 chainring set in Black (135mm bolt circle) $ 112.00
Specialites TA Horus 50-39 chainring set in Black (135mm bolt circle) $ 112.00"

Peter can usually order the different colors in the different sizes from his distributor. The blue is usually a special order from him as are the other colors in sizes not normally stocked. You just need to wait a little, but it is not all that long in reality. He ships promptly on instock items.

I was riding Campy triples (and started with DA triples) but have gone over to the Campy doubles almost exclusively, not needing the 'granny' here in Flatland. The only exceptions is where I have changed over an existing drive train to a new frame (as I did with my two Luigino framesets.)

I like the compacts quite a bit, the gearing working out very well for most of my riding (I usually run an 11-21 or 23 in the rear, preferring a 'straight block'.) The compact lets me keep it spinning the way I prefer with nice, smooth shifts. Much like a close ratio gearbox on a car, you drop less 'rpm' between shifts and the transitions are smoother. I have an FSA Compact on the way, and will be putting that on a light frameset I acquired on ebay. Should work out well.

Happy New Year.

Dave N.

[psychlocross]

Thanks, Dave. You always kindly share your experiences.

A 50/39 sounds like a good combination for the flatlands. As I live in Montana, I'm thinking of a 50/36 with an 11-23 for a custom frame I'll be building up soon. I don't care for triples' shifting, though I do enjoy the gearing options. It does seem like a compact is the ideal compromise, though it isn't really a compromise from what I hear.

I do keep triples on my 'cross bikes for commuting and singletrack, but on my road bikes, I've been running 53/39 with 12-25 usually and find that I rarely need to drop into the two small cogs. Even on the big mountain descents here, the roads twist and wind too much to spin out the 53-12.

That FSA compact is looking better and better. Thanks again.

[dnovo]

If you go to Peter White's site (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/ ) you will see he offers a staggering variety of TA chainrings that would work on whatever you want to do, Shimano, Campy or a TA crankset. The TA Zephyer or one of the Alize (cheaper, but still very, very nice) may be what you want in precisely the chainring combinations you are looking for.

Peter is a very savy guy and may be able to discuss it with you (phone, he is hard to get via email.) The TA cranks look and work very well. I have a Zephyer on my Rivendell Atlantis and it is a marvel.

I'd also give Dave Kirk a call. He too is out in Montana and may have some insights on the question. There doesn't seem to be much that I have found that Dave doesn't know about bikes, and he is a great guy to talk to about it.

Happy New Year. Dave N.

[Climb01742]

i second dave's suggestion about talking to david kirk. don't worry, he won't try to sell you anything. just make you laugh, make you think and probably drop a tidbit that will make your riding more fun. great guy.

[psychlocross]

That Zephyr crankset looks very nice, as does the Alize.

And thanks for the info on Dave Kirk. I live in Bozeman, too, and have heard of him but never seen one of his frames. He works out of his house up by Springhill from what I hear. I live close to Carl Strong's new frameshop/LBS, which is the new center of the local scene. I'm sure one day I'll run into Dave Kirk there. They say he stops by.

As for the compacts...it's sort of a mark of (foolish) pride to be able to ride to Battle Ridge or do the sprint up to Hyalite on a double. Given my work schedule, and my aging knees, I'm pleased just to ride up to those places. There is definitely a compact in my future.

Thanks again, Dave, for kindly sharing your experience and extending the discussion.

Cheers

PS Stan Johnson is another local builder. Only lugged steel; very, very old school.

[dave thompson]

psychlocross: Is Stan Johson still around? Is he still working at Bangtail? I saw one of his frames hanging on the wall there and was knocked over by the beauty and simplicty of his work.

[psychlocross]

Last I heard he was still working at Bangtail. I've seen a frame of his there and, yes, it was a work of art. True, understated, classic look to it. It seems so out of place hanging in there surrounded by all the low-end Specializeds and Treks. But it's pretty cool of Bangtail to let him sell his frames out of there.

[shinomaster]

I want green ones for my green serotta...Red ones for my cannondale....

your still worth more to me alive than dead!!! :beer: :beer:

Your bikes dont fit me!!

[dnovo]

Dave Kirk surely 'drops by' at Carl Strong's as the two of them used to work together and remain friends, as do Dave and Ben Serotta.

Thanks, Shino, I like you too, despite your penchant for those annoying bananas. And, while TA does make both Shimano and Campy chainrings (as well as those that fit their own cranks) in Red, Black and Blue, I haven't seen a set in Green.

I do have a green inner chainring on the Chorus double on my Torelli 25th Ann bike, with a red 'big ring', but that was a set done specially for Torelli to be offered with the 25th Ann frames by one of their reps, who used to rep Stronglight and had these made up by Stronglight. If you are serious about green chainrings, you may want to do a web search on Stronglight rings. I recall seeing quite a variety offered by some of the British dealers, Chicken Cycles, Maestro, etc. Dave N.

[Ahneida Ride]

Dnovo,

Thoses rings do look sharp

I'm running the Ta Zephyr. A most practical invention.
and of course they discontinue it !!!Something are just
about perfect and never need to be fiddled with.