using an inner chainring in outer position?

[d_douglas]

This is more a general question in my endless intellectual pursuit of gearing (and in anticipation of my gravel bike coming next year):

EG., can you use a 42t inner Campy chainring in the outer position? ie., a 42x34 setup? Are the ramps specific to only being shifting UP into a bigger ring or can they accurately be downshifted to a 34t ring?

More to the point, are there any 42t 11speed chainrings still around? I assume that pros use rings this crushingly big still?

[.RJ]

having not tried this, i think the shifting will be garbage due to the lack of ramps, and shifting to the inner ring may not be very delicate.

[AngryScientist]

if 46 will work for you, you could buy this whole crankset for the price of a chainring...


https://planetcyclery.com/campagnolo...gaAuNYEALw_wcB

[sev]

Inner chainring will lack the pins to lift the chain from inner to outer chainring, compromising shifting performance. See picture below.

[domesgique]

Originally Posted by d_douglas

EG., can you use a 42t inner Campy chainring in the outer position? ie., a 42x34 setup? Are the ramps specific to only being shifting UP into a bigger ring or can they accurately be downshifted to a 34t ring?

More to the point, are there any 42t 11speed chainrings still around? I assume that pros use rings this crushingly big still?

T.A. Specialites makes 42T inner rings for 11 speed cranks. Both the pre-2015 five arm versions and four arm current version.

[d_douglas]

Thanks all - I am looking for a way to get 42x34 rings on a bike. The answer is White Industries, I know….

[john903]

I am using something similar to your question. I am using a Veloce triple with a 30, then 42, and no outer chainring. In back I am using a Campy 12-30 and using thumb shifters in friction mode. This is on my commuter flat bar basket bike with gravel off road tendencies depending on the commute home. Chainline is good and no shifting problems. It sounds like you are using a compact and want to go 34-42 give it a try shifting may be fine it is only 8 tooth difference. I run 34-46 on my compact using TA chainrings.
Have a great day.

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by d_douglas

Thanks all - I am looking for a way to get 42x34 rings on a bike. The answer is White Industries, I know….

you can do that with TA zephyr rings on a 5 bolt 110mm or 96mm bcd crank

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by sev

Inner chainring will lack the pins to lift the chain from inner to outer chainring, compromising shifting performance. See picture below.

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far aw………
Big rings didn’t have ramps and pins and the like. For positional LH shifters, like shimano, these doo-dads are essential. For the ‘far superior Campag LH ‘ratcheting friction’ shifter, not so much. Adjust to overshift a bit, good outer limit screw adjust, reduce pedal pressure…it’ll shift just like a old SR/NR with a 52/42, did.
42/34? Piece of cake.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by d_douglas

Thanks all - I am looking for a way to get 42x34 rings on a bike. The answer is White Industries, I know….

The only way to do this with a Campagnolo crank is to use the middle and inner chainrings on a 135/74 triple crank. There's no way to do this with a Campagnolo double crank. However, it can be done with other brand cranks.

The only Campagnolo double cranks that can use a 34 tooth inner chainring are 110/112 Compact 5 arm cranks and 145/112 4 arm cranks. As far as I know, 42 and 34 tooth chainrings aren't available for the Chorus "sub-compact" 4 arm crank. Campagnolo themselves only made 42 tooth chainrings for 135mm 5 arm cranks and the inner position of 4 arm cranks. You can't fit chainrings smaller than 39 teeth on 135mm 5 arm double crank, and you can't fit the 42 tooth inner ring to the outer position of a 145/112 4 arm crank. TA doesn't appear to make 42 tooth chainrings for either position of a Campagnolo compact crank, nor does Stronglight.

There are several ways to make a 42x34 with non-Campagnolo cranks:

110mm BCD compact cranks: Sugino makes 42 tooth outer chainrings for their OX series cranks. These have shift pins and an ant-jam pin. Or, you could use a 42 tooth middle position chainring in the outer position, which will have shift pins but no anti-jam pin.

110/74mm sub-compact cranks: These are made by several brands, including Sugino, Dixna and IRD. these will fit 42 tooth outer and 34 tooth inner chainrings, when mounted to the 110mm BCD with special long chainring bolts.

94mm BCD sub-compact cranks: These cranks and chainrings are made by several companies, and 42 tooth outer and 34 tooth inner chainrings are available.


For compact/sub-compact chainrings, the Sugino OX series cranks are really the most flexible option. These cranks have a 110mm outer BCD which can fit chainrings from 42 - 56 teeth, and a 74mm inner BCD which can fit chainrings from 24 - 32. Larger inner chainrings (33 - 42) can be fitted to the 110mm BCD with longer bolts and spacers to hold both chainrings.

[TheseGoTo11]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

if 46 will work for you, you could buy this whole crankset for the price of a chainring...


https://planetcyclery.com/campagnolo...gaAuNYEALw_wcB

That's a sweet crankset for $80!

[unterhausen]

You can get the 42 outer if you use a crankarm with a separate spider, various companies make them. I got some SRAM crankarms, a spider, and 26 42 chainrings from the classifieds here.

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

That's a sweet crankset for $80!

It's only the drive side.

[d_douglas]

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

That's a sweet crankset for $80!

Oooh that is nice, but I am aiming for low gearing. I mean, MTB low!

I will post a last ditch ad for a White Industries G30 crankset…

[sparky33]

Originally Posted by d_douglas

Thanks all - I am looking for a way to get 42x34 rings on a bike. The answer is White Industries, I know….

I’ve got an available set of 44/34 Wickwerks rings for SRAM exogram crankarms. Close but specific arms…
fwiw Wickwerks makes 42/34 sets

[rustychisel]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far aw………

... and in that galaxy everyone knew how to soft-pedal the racing shift, rather than just hit it as hard as they could under maximum torque so that it made so much noise even the brain dead knew you'd big ringed it for an attack.

And you try telling the young kids of today and they won't believe you. No they won't.