I have the above crankset and the granny ring is starting to look a bit worn. I'll eventually replace it with a steel one (prob deore or should I think about something else?), but in the meantime, can I just flip it over as it has no ramps/pins etc?

Cheers

Yeah, flip it. I've done it.

You can generally pick up Deore steel granny rings for a couple of quid when the fashionistas get rid of them. 🙂

Sorry – meant to say its the XT crankset with the crap aluminium granny ring with no ramps.

Yes, it's fine – if there are no ramps/etc then it'll work just the same.

there are never ramps on granny rings, but yers, replace it with a deore one if you want it to last.

Providing there's no countersink that the bolts fit into, flipping it should be fine.

my alloy XT inner has countersunk holes, not sure what effect they would have if the bolts are long enough

On an M770 they are countersunk.

Yup – its the 770 with countersunk – will it be that much of a problem?

Reversing may make your granny/middle shift a bit less slick. I think the teeth spacing is optimised for it to work best in one direction only. But shouldn't be a major problem – just might be a bit clunky………might be fine.

just file the hook's off the teeth and leave it be. If there's no hooks, then it's not worn…

Even more bodge-tastic – leave it the right way round, but rotate through 90 deg so the teeth that see most loaded most often are now in a 'dead-er' spot in the pedalling cycle…..

or remove it completely, granny rings are for wimps. In fact remove your middle and fit a 86t big ring and a 11-11t 9spd cassette. Thats for real men.

I think the teeth spacing is optimised for it to work best in one direction only.

surely it would be OK if you reversed the chain too ? Just look for the direction markers…

this reminds me of the 4 day underpants plan:
day 1: normal
day 2: backwards
day 3: inside out
day 4: inside out & backwards

If you reverse it the bike will go backwards when you pedal.

If you reverse it the bike will go backwards when you pedal.

silly, you just have to pedal backwards!

If you reverse it the bike will go backwards when you pedal.

silly, you just have to pedal backwards!

But then what about the direction arrows on the chain?

Hmmm tricky one.

But then what about the direction arrows on the chain?

unless you buy the cheaper "clockwise only" variety ?

bristolbiker – Member

Even more bodge-tastic – leave it the right way round, but rotate through 90 deg so the teeth that see most loaded most often are now in a 'dead-er' spot in the pedalling cycle…..

as an artist not a engineer ( 😆 ) i'm intrigued to know if this is accurate/would actually work?

Flip it, she'll thank you for it…….

As it happens some road Shimano chains are designed to only rotate in one direction.

I doubt rotating the chainring 90 degrees would make any difference.

As it happens some road Shimano chains are designed to only rotate in one direction

photos ? It's not April 1 yet you know…

eeek:

# Inner and outer plates optimise shifting over the chainset and cassette
# Outer plate designed to reduce the chance of chain suck

I'm still not sure it's not a joke…

I doubt rotating the chainring 90 degrees would make any difference

I can squeeze another monthor so out of outer road chain ring like this. Yes, it isn't ideal and the shifting pins are in the wrong place….. but I like to change the transmission on the commuter in the spring, so the new-ness of a fresh chain/cassette/rings lasts as long as possible through spring/summer before the kack of autumn/winter gets at it again! 😉

# Inner and outer plates optimise shifting over the chainset and cassette
# Outer plate designed to reduce the chance of chain suck

I'm still not sure it's not a joke…

Errr all chains have inner and outer plates! The inner ones are the narrow bit of the chain and the outer ones are the wide bit of the chain!

Nope it's fact, sorry FACT.

Profiled to shift better, which kinda makes sense.

inner and outer outer plates I assumed…

I think the teeth spacing is optimised for it to work best in one direction only

Aye, on reading that back it does sound a bit div-tastic! What I was trying to say was that the tooth spacing relative to the bolt pattern is different if you reverse it – hence the recommendation that the chainrings must be fitted with the writing pointing out (or in, or what ever) with the wee tag things lined up………….

As for going back to the countersinking – if you dont have a good solid surface to torque up against you'll deflect the material when some is supported and other bits are not. If the countersink is smaller than the surface it bolts up against you should have no problems other than greater possibility of slippage. Oh, and look for whether the ring is slightly off-centre from the arms (as in chain line, not as in biopace!)

Can I flip my granny ring??

Sounds a bit pervy to me…

Is it legal?

What I was trying to say was that the tooth spacing relative to the bolt pattern is different if you reverse it

but as 4 doesn't go into 22 the quadrants are already different, and anyway the little ring doesn't have any lifting pins or owt. But my joke revealed the info that there are handed chains only designed to run one way round, which I'd never have believed!

What I was trying to say was that the tooth spacing relative to the bolt pattern is different if you reverse it – hence the recommendation that the chainrings must be fitted with the writing pointing out (or in, or what ever) with the wee tag things lined up………….

Most rings are designed to run one way due to ramping and pins that prevent chain fall-off. But the granny has none of these usually, and it's orientation relative to the arm is unimportant.

The BlackSpire Chuck ring is a brilliant steel replacement granny. If your not anal about weight they take a good pounding too. You can get them for under a tenner usually.