Has anybody done this? It fits, but it would only be supported by the bolts and not the spider if you know what I mean. It would solve a problem on my alfine equipped bike.

Yup. No problem. Can’t see what the spider does for the outer ring that it wouldn’t do for the middle ring.

You’ve just got a big middle ring and no outer? Or a trouser guard, if it’s for a commuter/town/pub bike.

If it fits then no issues at all.

I tried this on my old commuter as I only used the big ring and wanted a better chain line. but the ring snagged on the chainstay.

But yours fits so fill your boots

Can’t see what the spider does for the outer ring that it wouldn’t do for the middle ring.

The little shoulders in the spider arms that support the chain ring underneath where they bolt to the spider are at different diameters- slightley wider for the outer, slighter less for the middle. Therefore it would be impossible to fit a middle chain ring to the where the outer normally is placed, but possible to fit an outer where to middle one goes but it wouldn’t be touching these shoulders.

Good to know it works! I’ll carry on! 🙂

No good will come of this, mark my words (insert evil dun dun duunnnnnn)

The little shoulders in the spider arms that support the chain ring underneath where they bolt to the spider

It’s the bolts doing all the work through. All the shoulders do is keep the chainring in position while you get all the bolts in. Your pedaling forces go round and round, not in and out. If you put some green beans in the bolt holes in the place of bolts and pedal, the chainring stays put, the cranks and spider spin, and you have chopped beans.

And if you buy aftermarket rings for triples, you often have to get the file out as the ring mfr and crank mfr have different ideas about where those shoulders should be.

Your pedaling forces go round and round, not in and out

Fair point!

put some green beans in the bolt holes

I’ve taken your advice to heart and replaced all the bolts on my bike with green beans. I haven’t ridden it yet but I’m gonna be sooooooooo fast!! 😆 😀

Only worry would be the chainring hitting the chainstay

If you have clearance, go for it

I’ve never noticed the differnt shoulder heights, I have an unramped 32t in the outer ring position on my singlespeed and it works, like it worked when I had it on the inner position (changed to a narrower BB axle).

Them shoulders aren’t arelephant though. The may serve to locate the ring in a nice concentric place. Just like the bit in the middle of a car wheel does. The nuts hold it there, but the ring locates it. But in my experience there is still play, if one fiddles one can concentrify an SS chainring to keep the same chain slack all the way round, it doesn’t happen automatically. Maybe it does with expensiver track kit?