I use TA Specialities- I need to replace both rings so was thinking- is there anything better out there and…

if not can you get TA Specialities cheaper????

On one stainless steel 32 and groove armada 16 for winter

Shimano xt for summer.

Smug thrifty mode 🙂

I use Surly stainless for SS and am so impressed that I bought a 36 for use in a 2×9 setup.

Bad idea.

They're as strong as anything but they have no lateral reinforcement and one bad shift resulted in it bending over to one side.

I now use Deore 32 middle ring and the local antique shop (Henry Burton) sold me a STX/RC granny ring in December but it works well enough.

if you can ignore the weight penalty (and certainly for the granny this is very little) then inner and middle in steel all the way for longevity an thrift. I'd still probably use an alu large ring if I had one which, now I think if it, I don't.

I use steel granny and Middleburn hardcoat middle but that's not as thrifty an option.

I recently replaced my XT granny and middle rings with cheapo steel ones from SJS cycles website. The steel one were loads cheaper than an XT replacement and I am hoping they will last longer.

They have the benefit of Shimano quality shifting without too much of a weight penalty.

How about a 26T in steel as the granny ring then run a 1×9 set up?

Could you get away with this?

middleburn hardcoat slickshift for me, economical as in cheaper than shimano (xtr)

Lol @ hora riding everywhere in slow motion …..with legs going like a helicopter

We just got Blackspire in as the Shimanos don't last forever…

Lol @ hora riding everywhere in slow motion …..with legs going like a helicopter

Smaller rear cassette?

No. Horrible chainline, it would look stupid and you would give the rest of us serious riders a bad reputation.

Hmmm 22 or 24T then?

I use a Blackspire SuperPro outer & a Blackspire Stainless Chuck ring granny

lasts ages

Hora, if you are planning 1×9 and its a 26" wheeled bike, then you ditch the big ring and the granny, leaving you the middle 32t. When I did it I went up to a 34t as for my local riding I could cope OK with the higher gearing.

Unless you have somthing like a 34" wheel then just running a granny would be daft. Nope you cant really get a smaller cassette, the smallest cog is 11t on most MTB cassettes.

The best shifting and longest lasting and still cheap are just plain old deores, steel middle and granny rings, and lots go through the classifieds too.

have a look at Highpath

Ordered two Deore M510 rings from CRC. Are you sure those are steel? Im sure they are alu.

How many arms and what BCD?

Stronglight?

Ordered two Deore M510 rings from CRC. Are you sure those are steel? Im sure they are alu.

Deore chainrings are steel

mmmm, i dont think the 510 inner will fit an external BB.. I bought one last year as it was cheaper by £2 but had to spend 10 mins grinding of the tabs inside of the holes the other ones have longer shorter tabs..

It needs to be a deore ring for HT2… However the middle 510 will still fit.

Ah. I vaguely remember coming across this problem before.

I use blackspire super pro rings and the middleburn hardoat – both loads better than shimano and I get them on offer from CRC or wherever on offer and hoard them in the garage ;-0

Using a Renthall 36t at teh moment but its early days. Beautifully made though.

+1 on the blackspire superpro's for service life, but they are a dear do.

The deore middle steel ring sounds like a plan, must try it myself….

I tried the cheapo option of steel Deore middle ring and it didn't seem to last any longer than those soft XT rings of a couple of years ago.

I use Middleburn hardcoat now and they seem to last pretty well. nice shifting too.

Deore. End of. You may need to file a mm or so of the lugs on the granny. 5 mins well spent.

Cheapest way of extending the life of your chain-rings?

Keep you chain clean, check for growth and change when needed, and keep it and lightly oiled?