Thick thin chainrings

Can anybody explain to me how these chainrings help to stop the chain jumping off . I’m not disputing that they work but can’t understand why .

fairy magic

In very basic terms they stop the chain moving around on the ring and falling off.

Edit. A bit of witchcraft may also be at work. 😉

It is weird isn’t it. Basically all it is, is they stop the chain moving around as much, so even though it’s not stopping it moving in the directions that’d cause it to come off, there’s less movement/energy in the system- it doesn’t build up enough bounce to bounce off.

TBH I didn’t really believe in it til I tried one.

Thank you for that , it makes sense but if that’s the case why not have a thick thick chainring ?

Coz the gaps in the chain go thick thin

That’s too thick Neil,
Narrow wide chain rings are built with a fat tooth, thin tooth, fat tooth, thin tooth etc.
The chain will then sit on it only in a certain way, giving less movement and therefore less chance of bouncing off
I’m sure someone can, and will, describe it better

I don’t know that sounds pretty good to me .

Coz the gaps in the chain go thick thin

Yeah I know but the thin links in the chain won’t always correspond to the thin teeth on the chainring . Will they ?

On a 1×10 setup yes, yes they will, because the chain never comes off the chainring

yes they will, unless you’ve got odd teeth number, which i dont think they do (happy to be proven wrong)

edit-musttypefaster

Yes, they alternate, as do the chain links. Why wouldn’t they?

[Edit] and as above, you obviously can only get even numbered rings

Yeah I know but the thin links in the chain won’t always correspond to the thin teeth on the chainring . Will they ?

Err why not?

Coz the gaps in the chain go thick thin

Just like the gaps in the chain-links do funnily enough.

Yes it’s all clear to me now . Thank you , this place can be great sometimes .

On a 1×10 setup yes, yes they will, because the chain never comes off the chainring

It’ll work on a 1xanything setup.
The number of gears on the rear has no bearing on it at all.

stu.I,ve mailed you about that ks post you where after

rob just mailed you back.

I just switched my geared thick-thin drivetrain to SS, and was about to put a half link to get the chain length right.

Oh.

Joining the 1×10 revolution Neil? Did the impossible hill three times today on my single ring set up before my legs stopped working. Turns out it should be renamed

The teeth are also a bit taller than a regulation chainring (they can afford to be if the chain doesn’t need to come off of the ring to shift).

Anyhow, these things WORK! Pair it with a clutch mech and you will enter drivetrain heaven. Almost noiseless descending no matter how rough, and the chain will still be there to pedal away afterwards.

was about to put a half link to get the chain length right.

😆

At least you stopped yourself actualy doing it.

Go on, i’ll have a stab at it….I think the clutch mech maintains chain tension which us a significant help. However in a slow mo video I saw the way a chain is dropped is as it waggles up and down there is also a sideways waggle so when you put in a pedal rev the sideways waggle causes the chain to derail. With a thick thin ring the better lateral engagement due to half of the link now filling the gaps in the wider links the sideways waggle is also reduced. Anyway i’m guessing, but as said before, they work!

Joining the 1×10 revolution Neil? Did the impossible hill three times today on my single ring set up before my legs stopped working. Turns out it should be renamed

I think you did the hill of death in Ballure . the Impossible hill goes from Glen Auldyn to the top of Brookdale .
If you can clean the impossible hill 3 times with a 1×10 set up in a single morning I will eat all of my bikes .

I think you did the hill of death in Ballure . the Impossible hill goes from Glen Auldyn to the top of Brookdale .
If you can clean the impossible hill 3 times with a 1×10 set up in a single morning I will eat all of my bikes .

I stand corrected. Said the man in the orthopaedic shoe

Anyhow, these things WORK! Pair it with a clutch mech and you will enter drivetrain heaven. Almost noiseless descending no matter how rough, and the chain will still be there to pedal away afterwards.

Agreed. Surprised. Pleased. Converted.