Are my chainrings too damaged or worn?

[NoIdea]

It on a 2 speed crank, the larger of the two looks wrong.
Would you put a new chain on these or change them for new ones?



It looks like maybe it should be a middle chain ring? as the post is on the outside when installed.

Here are the teeth anyway..







Now the inner ring - looks like the Shimano original



and a close up of worst looking teeth

[hamster]

Completely worn out, as you suggest. It obviously ran for a long while with a badly worn chain.

[Brucey]

they are certainly worn but I would happily use those for a while and see how they go.

NB the parts of the tooth form that are most badly worn won't see any contact or load when a new chain is fitted, so these chainrings might work perfectly well....

cheers

[foxyrider]

If the ring has a drop pin it is an outer - you don't have drop pins on middle or small rings. The other stuff on it are lifters.

I've certainly run worse but I'd be looking to replace fairly soon.

[NoIdea]

If the ring has a drop pin it is an outer - you don't have drop pins on middle or small rings.

Yup, but thanks for clarifying. I'm learning as I go with this stuff.

For example I've been banging my head trying to find a 39T or 53T 130 BCD chainring for 5600 in 9 speed.
After many a frustrating hours staring at Shimano archive line ups & compatibility charts I realised the following,

My bike is likely a 2006 model and not a 2004.
It must have originally been a 20 speed as you can't get a 105 5600 set up in 18 speed.
I completely missed the labelling on the changers, which (although scuffed) state TIAGRA 9 speed "Flight Deck"
The wheels are Mavic and hubs are Ultegra and the brakes are SORA..

So it's not a standard Allez Sport after all.

[Brucey]

all shimano kit has the model number marked on it somewhere, so there is no real reason to be looking for a non-existent spare part. If you have FC-5600 then this shows all the parts that would/could be fitted from new;

http://bike.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/EV/bikecomponents/FC/EV-FC-5600-2439A_v1_m56577569830608866.pdf

BTW if it were my bike I'd

- replace the rear mech (or if the rest of the mech isn't bent, just the broken part)
- new cassette and chain
- new gear cables (because they are bound to be in a state if the rest of the bike is like that)
- check and if necessary replace the brake blocks and cables
- check the hub adjustments are correct ( with cup and cone hubs, the correct adjustment is such that there is some slack that just disappears when the QR is tightened)
- do a careful setup all round

and get on and ride the bike. Until proven necessary, replacing chainrings is just a needless expense and a distraction from the important bits IMHO.

cheers

[NoIdea]

Hi Brucey

All good advice.
In fact I've just been out to the garage again to find all the model numbers and finally have a complete picture of what my bike is, and yes the changer cables are very tight.
My main error here has been assuming that the bike was standard.

Another thing I've just realised (through testing) is that the front changer is actually a triple!
Must have been a PITA having to double click up and down just to change gear.
The front mech is an FD-5501 and the crank is FC-4400, so I guess that at least matches TIAGRA shifters, which I now assume are ST-4400 (triple nine shifters)

So far I have only bought a chain, and just as well really. I did buy a new 9 speed rear cassette but that has gone back as it was incomplete. I think that would have been safe though.

So now I'm going to look into putting her back to being a tripe I suppose..

[Brucey]

if you have a triple STI with double mech and double chainset in this case it should all just work OK. The clicks in the shifter that access the third chainring need never be accessed. ST-4400 is designed to be both double and triple compatible, IIRC.

cheers

[Samuel D]

I now assume are ST-4400 (triple nine shifters)

You can check that for sure by pulling back the rubber hood (away from the handlebar side) to reveal the model number.

[NoIdea]

You can check that for sure by pulling back the rubber hood (away from the handlebar side) to reveal the model number.

Check! ST-4400's they are.

[NoIdea]

if you have a triple STI with double mech and double chainset in this case it should all just work OK. The clicks in the shifter that access the third chainring need never be accessed. ST-4400 is designed to be both double and triple compatible, IIRC.

Ah yes, of course it would.

However I now have the opportunity of making her into a triple, which I think is something I'd be interested in doing as we do have some hills around here.
I could potentially change it's gearing from 39/53 (now) to 30/42/52 (as used on the Allez Sport Triple).
Something else for me to look into doing anyway..

[NoIdea]

Ah, it seems if I'm going to attempt to run as a triple I'd need to upgrade the rear mech short cage to a long cage.
I'm replacing the rear derailleur anyway so it's time to decide which...

[NoIdea]

Right... I think I've decided what to do...

As you said Brucey, basically do the minimum first and get out to ride.
Chain is on it's way, will sort a 9 speed rear cassette and get hold of a used short cage rear mech soon.

Run with the existing chainrings for now to see how I get on with that gearing.
Then, if I feel the need I can either change the gearing whilst staying with twin rings or look to upgrading to a triple setup since I already have the expensive bits.