Ramps and pins?

[johnmac]

I'm just looking at buying new chainrings. Do ramps and pins make much difference to shifting? Will I be OK with plain rings?

[gaz]

.

[byegad]

Thy improve shifting particularly if you have big jumps in tooth numbers. With smaller jumps you can live without them.

[Mick F]

That's my take on them too.
Not strictly necessary, but they help.

I used a 36/52 Stronglight99 for many years. Big jump, no ramps and pins. Did I have a problem? No, but it could have been better if I'd had them.

[reohn2]

On the only front friction shift set up I have R&pins are great and make the front change(24-36-46) almost silent and precise.
On STI set ups(two tandems and two solos) for the most part ie; 95% of changes,superbe,with the need for the odd extra dab on the lever.
I go with R&P's every time

[CREPELLO]

One bike I have has no ramps/pins and moves faultlessly from middle to big. Another has ramps/pins and was a right pain to set up perfectly. Both use the same components and both use Stronglight rings.

[BigG]

I run three triples without any ramps or pins despite jumps of more than 20 teeth on all of them. On two of them, with a 5 and a 6 speed rear, the protruding chain pins are sufficient. On the other bike using a 7 speed cassette, I had to over shift and trim when using a Sedis 38 chain with straight outer links. Changing to a TAYA chain with bulged outer links cured this and I can now change (friction only) without overshoot. My experience with my son's 9 speed, however, is that ramps and pins are essential for a quick and positive indexed upshift. I suspect that the difference is in the narrower chain withut protruding pins.

[reohn2]

That's my take on them too.
Not strictly necessary, but they help.

I used a 36/52 Stronglight99 for many years. Big jump, no ramps and pins. Did I have a problem? No, but it could have been better if I'd had them.

Would that've been with friction levers? if so it was possible to over shift then back off the lever slightly something I remember doing regularly and something I needn't do with my current Kelly/friction/R&P rings/7sp cassette with a 9sp chain,I just flick it to the stop and it changes.
The 8 and 9sp solo STI's change like a dream.If I have any problems with STI's,the extra dab I mentioned in my first post,its on the tandems which I put down to the longer cable,though its only very occasionally needed.
Its 20 years since I've used chainrings without R&P's and the memory fails somewhat but everything seemed to work well IIRC.
The thing is with STI's and R&P's everything is so slick,though of course front mechs have been designed for index shifting nowadays too.
I'm finding it hard to judge between now and then ,one thing I do remember distinctly is the amazement I had when I bought a pair of STI's,I was using them initially with 38-50 TA c/rings on a Shimano 105 c/set though I don't remember if they were R&P ed .
I bought a couple of chainrings recently for a 110bcd c/set and had the choice of R&P TA middle ring or S/light inner (for compact c/set) which wer a lot cheaper but I couldn't bring myself to risk it so shelled out for the TA R&P one

[johnmac]

Thanks very much. I'm 9 speed indexed, so it's obvious what I'll need then.

[Smut Pedaller]

I have both a friction shifted front with no ramps or pins (48-34) and a near identical front setup (50-34) on Campag 11sp which is ramped and pinned. The ramps and pins allow you to shift up under load as well as shifting quicker, without having to overshift and trim it back like you would on friction. The difference is even more marked on a triple setup which is indexed where you can't overshift so easily.