Last time I replaced my chain rings I simply went out and bought a new crank set as I spotted one for a bargain price. This time however I’m wondering if I can do it cheaper still.

If I’ve got an SRAM crank set with 104 BCD rings on it, can I fit any rings from any other manufacturer such as Shimano as long as the BCD and number of bolt holes is correct?

Single rings seem to be so expensive for what is essentially a consumable part. What does everyone else do?

I buy deore- they’re cheap, they last forever, the weight penalty is surprisingly small. But also, they keep their shifting quality, more expensive rings tend to go off a bit as they wear. Nothing says “scotsman” quite like XTR cranks with deore rings 🙂

It’s not a given that all like-BCD rings will fit unfortunately but I’m yet to find one that can’t be made to.