[CR]Re: Merz 31tooth chainrings

(Example: Events)

Date: Mon, 05 Jan 2004 16:16:28 -0500
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Larry Osborn" <losborn2@wvu.edu>
In-Reply-To: <MBBBIEOACCEDACAJFJFEEEFNCGAA.coloradovrs@earthlink.net>
Subject: [CR]Re: Merz 31tooth chainrings

At 09:19 AM 1/3/04 -0700, you wrote:
>On another note... I'm in contact with Jim Merz, trying to get him to make
>100mm 31t rings for my Campag triples, he's not sure there is a demand.
>Hopefully that'll change as we all age and have trouble making up the same
>hills...
>
>Regards,
>
>Bruce Van Remortel
>Colorado Springs, CO
>Snowing...
>

Greetings campers and triplizers

Had a similar discussion with JM last time this topic came up. I usually just install real triple cranks on the heaps I ride regularly (36 teeth is a middle ring for some of us who's knees already exhibit the annoying symptoms of a highly accelerated aging process), but I'm somewhat attached to a couple Campy triple/triplized equipped bikes that I would like to keep reasonably close to component correct AND rideable in "moderate" hills. The price JM was considering would be a bit stiff for me for that purpose, and the rings may not become available anyway, so I've been pondering another alternative.

110mm, 32 tooth rings are kinda scarce, and after looking at some 34s, my guess is that there may not be enough extra metal on the inside diameter of the ring to work with anyway. But I've kept my little world uncontaminated by 94/56mm bolt patterns, so I have nothing laying around at the moment that could be sacrificed to the whims of morbid curiousity. Shouldn't be too much trouble to transform the bolt holes on a 94mm BCD /32 tooth ring into some "other shape" that will allow insertion of bolts "A" thru slots "B" into threads "C", with the slots permitting a close approximation of a 100mm bolt pattern. It won't be Campy R/NR, won't be perfect, and might not even be pretty or elegant, but it should be functional. (Which is more than I can say about these knees.). Close enough for now. Not much of an improvement over 36T, but perhaps an exercise worth it's weight in entertainment value while the snow piles up. Has anybody out there tried this approach? Has anybody out there even considered this approach? How surprised do you think I'll be if the answer is a resoundingly unanimous "NO" to both questions?

A couple primo bottom feeding opportunities coming up during the next month so I'll be searching for an expendable flat 94mm/32T ring (or five), cheap enough that I can afford to be wrong. I'll let you know if they survive the operation. Meanwhile, winter is here, so the good bikes are in hibernation anyway. I have time to fine tune this particular delusion. Join in anytime.

Dr. Dremel & the Delusion-als aka Larry "Thinking outside the bolt circle diameter" Osborn on high ground in beautiful but waterlogged Preston County WV.