How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? - Bike Forum https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/ Singletrack World Magazine Forum. Come for the bikes, stay for the boll**ks en-GB Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:44:25 +0000 wpForo 60 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676361 Sun, 23 Dec 2012 22:27:05 +0000 Those mod jobs are really impressive!

]]> Bike Forum superstu https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676361 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676360 Sun, 23 Dec 2012 07:11:15 +0000 On my Nic there is something silly (like 1 mm) between ring and chainstay. Never had any problems as the drivetrain is in good nick.

The chain has to get sucked round before it can get jammed 'twixt ring and frame, there needs to be wear or misalignment before that happens.

]]> Bike Forum kenneththecurtain https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676360 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676359 Sun, 23 Dec 2012 02:31:22 +0000 druidh - I installed the crank the way RF recommended, with spacers in the following configuration:

NDS 1 mm Spindle spacers - 1 (factory installed on spindle)
NDS 2.5 mm BB Cup spacers - 1
DS 2.5 mm BB Cup spacers - 2
DS 1 mm Spindle spacers - 2 (factory installed on DS crank)

Per the RF pdf cited above, the crank clearance should be within 0.2 mm of each other.

So, I took my digital caliper and measured from the pedal side face of the crank to the seat tube. They were only 0.06 mm* off! 8O :mrgreen:

I then used the highly scientific and very repeatable method of sticking a finger between the crank arm and chain stay and determining that they are the same distance as well. :D

*I do realize that my measurement accuracy is probably not even that good. Even slightly different paint thickness on the two sides of the seat tube would affect the measurement this much, FFS. And I doubt that my caliper was held perfectly square, etc. Bottom line is that the crank is centered within a pretty small tolerance.

]]> Bike Forum JoeG https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676359 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676358 Sun, 23 Dec 2012 01:20:43 +0000 Slogo - you're using logic that makes sense. I can't live with knowing that the cranks are off center as I said above. It may not make sense, but...
The whole point of the axle shims is to make the chainline fit. Are you currently running half on the drive side and half on non-drive side?

]]> Bike Forum druidh https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676358 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676357 Sun, 23 Dec 2012 00:53:51 +0000 Slogo - you're using logic that makes sense. I can't live with knowing that the cranks are off center as I said above. It may not make sense, but...

]]> Bike Forum JoeG https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676357 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676356 Sun, 23 Dec 2012 00:51:31 +0000 Damage 8O

Hmm, that repair looks a lot like something Ragley would do. :wink:

]]> Bike Forum JoeG https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676356 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676355 Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:52:03 +0000 another 853 inbred (22/36)

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/shawnmcfarlane/DSC02674.jpg

after

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/shawnmcfarlane/DSC02700.jpg

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/shawnmcfarlane/DSC02694.jpg

]]> Bike Forum RestlessNative https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676355 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676354 Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:45:31 +0000 get a bb spacer. your not going to notice 2.5 or 1 mm.

You could off center your cleats if using spds by 2.5mm to help too.

]]> Bike Forum Slogo https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676354 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676353 Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:13:59 +0000 ^^^ 8O

]]> Bike Forum JoeG https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676353 Re: How much chainring to chainstay clearance do I need? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676352 Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:07:29 +0000 My 853 Inbred had precisely 2.5mm of clearance when new. (It was exactly the thickness of a HT2 spacer)
Chain suck was almost uncontrollable and despite me changing rings 3 times in a year at the first sign, it gnawed through the chain stay. One it was so bad I had to remove the cranks to get the chain out.
I had a new stay put in that didn't have the S bend in it. I lost 2-3mm of mud room but gained a lot of chain room.
4 years later the new stay is virtually unmarked and I can leave middle rings until they are utterly shot.
Why O-O have this blinkered fixation with mud room, at all costs, I can't imagine. And super short head tubes, but that's a different story.

Old stay, one year old
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2018/2515226625_6d3024c7ec_b.jpg
IMG_5531 by PeterPoddy, on Flickr

New stay after I had it changed
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3273/2677334328_465dc8beb3_b.jpg
IMG_7251 by PeterPoddy, on Flickr

You can see the different profile of the new stay here. Far more more sensible
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3245/2677338908_5cbfc3ea82_b.jpg
IMG_7254 by PeterPoddy, on Flickr

I'm still running the exact same cranks, mechs and wheels.

]]> Bike Forum PeterPoddy https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/how-much-chainring-to-chainstay-clearance-do-i-need/#post-4676352