Most cranksets have removable chainrings on them, and the most bikes have three chainrings. You can remove them by loosening the bolts that hold them in place. Most chain rings are held on by five bolts, and you must use an Allen wrench to remove them. If the bolts do not appear to loosen readily, then you may need to hold the other side with a Flathead screwdriver, to keep it from spinning. Sometimes you will find that the bolts are very tight and requires some leverage or force to remove. Just make sure you have the right size Allen wrench before you loosen them. Once they are removed, the chainrings can be cleaned or replaced. This may be necessary if the teeth are badly bent or broken, or if the chain ring has excessive wear. Many times you'll need to replace the chainrings when you put on a new chain. It is a good idea to keep your chain rings clean, and you can do this using a park tool brush and some Simple Green biodegradable cleaner. You can use a toothbrush if you want, and it works fairly well. Also remember to keep your chain clean as well, and a toothbrush and Simple Green also work well here... If your chainring is bent, then it is best to bend it back while the chainring is still on the bike. Locate the bent area, and then try to bend it back using a screwdriver and a hammer, or a chainring bending tool. If it is too badly bent, or teeth are broken or worn, then you need to replace it. You can replace one, two, or all three of the chainrings. After installing new chainrings, and as part of your regular maintenance procedures, you should make sure that the bolts are always tight. Also, check to make sure that you have the proper number of teeth on the new chainring. Sometimes, you may desire to have more or less teeth. A smaller chainring with fewer teeth gives you a lower granny gear, and makes it easier to pedal uphill. If you want a higher top speed, add some teeth to your large chainring. On some mountain bikes, the large chain ring may contact logs and rocks while riding. If you wish, you could put on a chain ring protector, sometimes called a rockring. The other solution is to get a really solid and bombproof large chain ring that is resistant to bending, or just learn to bunny hop over them! |
