I have some Middleburn RS8X cranks. They're nice. However, the chain keeps falling off when I go downhill. I've got a clutch mech at the back, however reading around, chain retention is mostly a function of the chainring.
Mine isn't worn down, and replacements are £80 anyway. Just get the feeling their design isn't that great.
Do any other companies make compatible chainrings?
I'm running 1x10 if it makes a difference? New chain etc
Didn't Betd buy them out?
Edit - yes. This sort of what you are after?
Still £80 though.....
I too got fed up of buying the middleburn chainrings to fit my X-type UNO so I bought the spider
https://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/rs8-x-type-spider-4-arm-mono-104bcd-90id
and now I buy hope chainrings for my singlespeed.
And this is why I sold my well used Middleburn RS7s and bought a set of Raceface Turbines for about the same price! (TBF they were very well discounted on CRC)
Middleburn replacement rings are a right rip-off, especially since BETD took over. I know they're only produced in small amounts, but £80 for the Uno ring is a tad over priced IMO (actually £66 for the RS7 one, but the point still stands).
Yeah, it seems expensive.
I could spend £60 on a spider to add to them so I can buy £30 rings.... but at this point I've spent a lot of money - maybe better off with some Raceface or Saint or something...
On a side-note, can you use SRAM 1x cranks with a Shimano 10spd chain etc?
Is there a reason they're dished like that, or is it just to put other people off from making compatible rings? Seems a smidge wasteful to me.
On a side-note, can you use SRAM 1x cranks with a Shimano 10spd chain etc?
Yes you can.
The pricing of the TT UNO's was kept exactly the same as when old Middleburn made them, so BETD has not increased any prices at all. We have changed the tooth profile on the Thick/Thin ones we now produce and we have had no bad feedback or complaints and if anyone has issues then we would love to hear back from them.
The rings are dished so they can achieve the correct chain line with the existing forgings I'd guess but maybe you could ask the original designer.
The pricing of the TT UNO’s was kept exactly the same as when old Middleburn made them, so BETD has not increased any prices at all.
Interesting, I thought they'd gone up a bit.
On the other hand, I'd still say they're very expensive for what they are.
Companies like Works Components or Superstar produce direct mount rings in the UK, and sell them for £30ish. So why is a Middleburn ring £80?
It does seem like they are dished that way because it is a modular crankset - you can run a single ring, double or triple. So the single ring includes the dished spider.. Which seems like you pay for the spider as well as the ring once the ring wears or you want to change the number of teeth.
I have the 28t ring because I am weak like a baby
We looked at making compatible rings but I doubt there’s the volume to justify making them. We need to be making thousands of them to make it add up and I’m too busy on other projects.
Biggest problem is we make our rings out of rolled plate as it’s infinitely better that cast round bar some people use to save money on production. When you start talking 12mm plate just for middleburn rings due to the weird offset the material costs 4-5 times more than the 4mm we buy 5000kg at a time.
They also sell through shops so have to have a markup for them as well.
Neil superstar
It's only the RS8 that has the massive offset though, the RS7 is only a few mm.
In fact I've got a prototype oval ring (made by BETD I think) for my RS7 that's flat with no offset, and it worked fine.
Bit of a thread revival. Just revisiting as the bike had been stolen but I have it back now.
@Hadge - I *think* you PM'd me to ask for a pic of the teeth on mine? I don't have any of my old PMs from then, but here is a pic:
I've found that having a clutch mech on/off doesn't make a difference, but am using a Superstar top chain guide thing someone gave me which is working pretty well at keeping the chain on.
Have you got a chain measurer? Because at first glance, that ring looks pretty worn.
It could be! I got the ring with the cranks when I bought them, but have no idea what they are meant to look like so not sure if it is worn. The chain and cassette were new, and chain thingy says the chain is currently at 0.75
Blimey, that chainring is utterly shagged.