Large chainrings

john · Mar 13, 2006

Anybody else get caught up in the large chainring craze of the early 90s? Or was it just local to me.
Just dug out my 49t tooth chainring I was running circia 1992. Of course I could turn it easily on all the local stuff

Some of the guys I use to ride with would run 52T rings. It was OK though because they had suspension - quadras or mag 20s.

deelam · Mar 13, 2006

I had a 52T on my old Cindercone. I used to ride Warton Crag, near Carnforth, Lancs.
I seem to remember (maybe incorrectly) that on the way down I found that I was spinning out at about 46mph. The path had some tight turns, those wooden rain-rutty things to jump, loose stone construction and pedestrians!
I had no suspension - only the unshakeable belief that at 16 years old I was truly immortal

john · Mar 13, 2006

deelam":276w7lvr said:
I had a 52T on my old Cindercone. I used to ride Warton Crag, near Carnforth, Lancs.
I seem to remember (maybe incorrectly) that on the way down I found that I was spinning out at about 46mph. The path had some tight turns, those wooden rain-rutty things to jump, loose stone construction and pedestrians!
I had no suspension - only the unshakeable belief that at 16 years old I was truly immortal

Ahhh the folly of youth. Once managed to hit 40 mph on some of my local trails. That's what the big ring was for.
No way I'd do it now.

deelam · Mar 13, 2006

Why not? I will be attempting a suicidal decent this Sunday - Oh Yes!
(bet I poo my pants though

)
Seriously though, I am worried that now I am "all grown-up & responsible"
I won't enjoy the thrills as much.
Guess I will just have to dis-engage the brain at the top of descent like I used to!

gump · Mar 14, 2006

52T was normal for the hardcore among us!!

Yep. Big was cool, and you could make use of it on very quick descents.
Bearing in mind 12T sprockets then though...

52/12 = 4.333
44/11 = 4

Less than 10% difference to current std gearing. Perhaps we weren't so hardcore after all.

mattpayne · Mar 14, 2006

52 teeth on my old Dawes Ranger... used to fly along on that!

mmmm.... suntour friction shifters and a helicoil casette hub! now that was pretty retro!

shame i stuffed it into the back of a car made a right mess of the frame and forks!

Large chainrings

john

The Guv’nor

deelam

Retro Guru

john

The Guv’nor

deelam

Retro Guru

gump

mattpayne

Retro Guru

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