I’ve been running 1×11 SRAM X01 for 2 years or so having replaced several chains without really paying attention to how the chain meshes with the ring’s teeth.

It’s all worn out now so I’ve just replaced the chainring, cassette and chain and it occurred to me that perhaps the wide teeth should be aligned with the outer plate links on the chain, and the same for the jockey wheels? Maybe all my other chains ended up in the right position by luck? or it didn’t matter as much as I think?

And while we’re on the subject, why can I never find a 33T N/W ring?

The chain only fits in the correct teeth to chain position on the chainring. Jockey wheels aren’t n/w specific. You won’t have been running anything incorrectly as it is impossible to do so.

Do the jockey wheels have thick-thin teeth? If so then align them.

The narrow and wide teeth on the chainring are meant to mesh with the corresponding narrow and wide gaps between chain plates. This along with the fact that the NW chainring doesn’t have the ramps to aid changing gear really helps chain retention – I’ve not had a chain come off in over two years of running 1×10.

Edit – Thought the NW jockey wheels was a joke but … near the bottom

Yep my jockey wheels are N/W on SRAM Rival

Blimey the jockey wheels can be n/w ^ !

Surely in the captive location of a mech, there is no need? 😕

And while we’re on the subject, why can I never find a 33T N/W ring?

Email wolftooth direct, they don’t advertise but will do a custom one for you.

And while we’re on the subject, why can I never find a 33T N/W ring?
Email wolftooth direct, they don’t advertise but will do a custom one for you.

Now you know someone’s gonna stumble on that comment via Google searches for ever more…

@yak my thoughts as well. I have seen a chain come off the lower jockey wheel and jam in the cage but that was mainly due to the bearings failing and the jockey wheel wobbling all over the place, NW wouldn’t have helped in that instance.

Thanks chaps. I guess when I’ve put the chains on before it just popped on in the only way it can. Job done. As it just worked I didn’t need to think about it.

My jockey wheels on my X01 mech definitely have thick thin teeth. I guess as you thread the the chain through it’ll only mesh in the correct way. I might double check that.

@simon1975, glad to be of service 😉

Email wolftooth direct, they don’t advertise but will do a custom one for you.

Costs an arm and a leg, and there’s a bit of a wait, but it is spot-on. Excellent bit of kit.

narrow (1) – wide (2) – narrow (3) – wide (4) – narrow (5) – wide (6) – narrow (7) – wide (8) – narrow (9) – wide (10) – narrow (11) – wide (12)…

…I’ll let you work out the rest

Just have a think about why a 33t could never work.

😀

Just have a think about why a 33t could never work.

You could make every third tooth wide. N-N-W-N-N-W etc. Couldn’t do a 29 or 31 though. Shame!

I was thinking 35T could be done if the chain is 105 links long and every 35th link is a half link.

We’re gonna need a bigger boat…

I was thinking 35T could be done if the chain is 105 links long and every 35th link is a half link.

interesting, should work for any odd number but does limit the total chain length a bit. You could also do a 33 N-N-W with every other link a half link. You’d need a 102 or 105 link chain (or other /3 length)

andysredmini – Member
Just have a think about why a 33t could never work.

What if you made the ring as an infinite spiral with some sort of gyroscope to maintain chainline?

Is the bike on a conveyor belt?

Regarding 33T chainring, how about a 34T oval n/w?

If you have standard four bolt cranks then make sure you move your chainring round 90 degrees after 6 months or so. This way the unused bit of the chainring gets used and it wears more evenly so it last longer overall

If you have standard four bolt cranks then make sure you move your chainring round 90 degrees after 6 months or so. This way the unused bit of the chainring gets used and it wears more evenly so it last longer overall

<long drawn out vowels>OK</long drawn out vowels> 😐

…

ignoring the above cos I honestly can’t tell if some are serious or not, and my head hurts.

Anyone else think/find N/W reduces chainwear?

simon1975 – Member
And while we’re on the subject, why can I never find a 33T N/W ring?

There’s a bloke near Kings Cross station who makes them. A bit to the left of Platform 9¾.

Anyone else think/find N/W reduces chainwear?

Not sure about chain wear but you get increased chainring wear as you’ve only one chainring taking all the abrasion rather than splitting it between two or three.

whitestone – Member

<long drawn out vowels>OK</long drawn out vowels>

just vowels? or consonants too?

whitestone – Member

Not sure about chain wear but you get increased chainring wear as you’ve only one chainring taking all the abrasion rather than splitting it between two or three.

But it matters less, as you can have long teeth that don’t need to be shaped for shifting

What if you made the ring as an infinite spiral with some sort of gyroscope to maintain chainline?

It doesn’t have to be infinite, you just have to work out how many times you turn the pedals during a ride, go up a bit just in case you go a long way, and jobs a good’un.

You just need to remember to rewind your bike after every ride.

It’ll be like owning a VCR all over again. I’m in.

Anyone know if PX’s £13 30T Ringmaster works with standard 104BCD bolts like I have on my default 38T, or if it comes with fittings like Superstar mention for their 30T offerings?

just vowels? or consonants too?

No – long, long vowel followed by a sharp, staccato consonant. And loud. Like a gun shot.

Gets peoples attention

@paladin – both the sounded vowel sounds “oh” & “ay” 🙂

@honourablegeorge – I’ve had to replace chainrings more often on a 1x setup than with a 3x setup in fact I never changed a chainring on the old bike. But it’s not a completely fair comparison as I’m doing different riding (long bikepacking trips and ITTs) on the single ring whereas it was (generally) shorter rides and trail centres when I had the 3×9 fitted bike. Plus I’m doing more off-road rides now than I was with the old bike so it’s a double hit of more rides and more distance.

phiiiiil – Member

It doesn’t have to be infinite, you just have to work out how many times you turn the pedals during a ride, go up a bit just in case you go a long way, and jobs a good’un.
You just need to remember to rewind your bike after every ride.

It’ll be like owning a VCR all over again. I’m in.

Very cool – you could just reset it like a typewriter getting to the end of a line. I’m pretty sure it should have a bell too.

Ding!

Does anyone make a pull-back-and-go rear hub?

Make the 33rd tooth a duplicate narrow tooth – then splice a half link into the chain every 16 links. The chain would need to be a multiple of 16.5 links in length but you could probably arrange this with extra pulley wheels.

Definitely can be made to work!

I sense a new standard in the offing…

ARRRG. Is a wide link 1 link, and a narrow link 1 link, or are they each half a link. I.e. is narrow link + wide link = 1 link or 2 links. I thought it was 2 links as that would tally with what one gets e.g. on a 116 link chain. This of course means that a half link is also 1 link 8)

1 link is a narrow and a wide

1 link is a narrow and a wide

Chains that are sold as being 116 links long, come out of the box 58″ long, 58 wide links and 58 narrow links. So is this a bit like 1 Calorie = 1000 calorie; 1 link = 2 links, 58 link = 116 links…