Cycling Equipment · Public discussion

Inner chainring rubbing against chainstay

Sam Huffman · 2004-03-09T22:00:58+00:00

I recently removed the cranks on an old Cannondale road bike. The cranks are circa 1988 Shimano 105 with a double biopace chainring (42/53). After putting the cranks back on, the inner chainring now rubs on the chainstay through part of its rotation. The LBS suggested that perhaps the steel spindle had caused the crank to deform slightly, so that it is now pushing farther onto the spindle. The tolerance has always been very close, and there are a few gouges where the ring appears to have met the chain stay in the past. What is the best solution? The shop suggested a steel spacer to move the right crank away from the frame, but that would pull the left crank in, possibly causing it to contact the frame. Thanks, Sam

Started by Sam Huffman · 9 March 2004 · Last activity 2 April 2004 · 11 posts · 1,526 views

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01 / Original postInner chainring rubbing against chainstaySam Huffman · 9 Mar 2004 02 / This pagePosts 1–11Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #11Dave Kahn · 2 Apr 2004

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Original section: Cycling Equipment
Published: 9 March 2004
Last activity: 2 April 2004
Original author: Sam Huffman
Posts: 11
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 1,526
Views / 30 days: 0
Topics: Bottom brackets Cannondale Cranksets Torque wrenches

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Original post
Sam Huffman
Archived post

9 March 2004, 22:00 UTC #1

I recently removed the cranks on an old Cannondale road
bike. The cranks are circa 1988 Shimano 105 with a double
biopace chainring (42/53).
After putting the cranks back on, the inner chainring now
rubs on the chainstay through part of its rotation. The LBS
suggested that perhaps the steel spindle had caused the
crank to deform slightly, so that it is now pushing farther
onto the spindle. The tolerance has always been very close,
and there are a few gouges where the ring appears to have
met the chain stay in the past.
What is the best solution? The shop suggested a steel
spacer to move the right crank away from the frame, but
that would pull the left crank in, possibly causing it to
contact the frame.
Thanks, Sam

Report
Cheg
Archived post

10 March 2004, 02:31 UTC #2

"Sam Huffman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I recently removed the cranks on an old Cannondale road
bike. The

cranks are
Quoted message said:
circa 1988 Shimano 105 with a double biopace chainring
(42/53).
After putting the cranks back on, the inner chainring
now rubs on

the chainstay
Quoted message said:
through part of its rotation. The LBS suggested that
perhaps the

steel spindle
Quoted message said:
had caused the crank to deform slightly, so that it is
now pushing

farther onto
Quoted message said:
the spindle. The tolerance has always been very close,
and there

are a few
Quoted message said:
gouges where the ring appears to have met the chain
stay in the

past.
Quoted message said:

What is the best solution? The shop suggested a steel
spacer to

move the right
Quoted message said:
crank away from the frame, but that would pull the left
crank in,

possibly
Quoted message said:
causing it to contact the frame.
Thanks, Sam
Strange to say, I had the same problem yesterday on the way
home from work. I switched my bike from a double to a
triple about 2 months ago and had the inner chainwheel
start rubbing for no obvious reason. It seems the bottom
bracket cups had loosened up enough to allow the crank to
rock a little during the pedal stroke. I took it apart put
in the spacer off of the drive side cup from my old
crankset to increase the spacing on the inner chainwheel.
The spacer is about
1/8" thick The other crank arm had much more clearance than
the chainwheel so it was not a problem. I regreased it and
tightened it up and everything is working fine. This crank
is an old TA Cyclotourist triple with loose (not caged)
ball bearings.

Report
Gary Jacobson
Archived post

10 March 2004, 03:15 UTC #3

Did you tighten the crank onto the spindle with more force
than before it was removed? Did you use a torque wrench?
Maybe you should just remove the crank and then tighten it
to the manufacturer's recommended torque value. Or just
tighten it so that the front deraillure works as it did
before you removed it. (Shade tree mechanic style.)
Is the inner ring bent? How could it rub on only part of the
rotation, unless the chain bolts that are rubbing. If only
the chain bolts then you are in luck. It is unlikely that
the left arm will rub the chainstay if indeed the fix for
your problemis a 5mm spacer.
I take it that the crank is a triple. They often set up with
a close tolerance with the drive side chain stay.
I think you'll figure this one out.
Gary Jacobson Rosendale, NY
"Sam Huffman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I recently removed the cranks on an old Cannondale road
bike. The cranks

are
Quoted message said:
circa 1988 Shimano 105 with a double biopace chainring
(42/53).
After putting the cranks back on, the inner chainring now
rubs on the

chainstay
Quoted message said:
through part of its rotation. The LBS suggested that
perhaps the steel

spindle
Quoted message said:
had caused the crank to deform slightly, so that it is now
pushing farther

onto
Quoted message said:
the spindle. The tolerance has always been very close, and
there are a few gouges where the ring appears to have met
the chain stay in the past.
What is the best solution? The shop suggested a steel
spacer to move the

right
Quoted message said:
crank away from the frame, but that would pull the left
crank in, possibly causing it to contact the frame.
Thanks, Sam

Report
Steve
Archived post

10 March 2004, 05:45 UTC #4

Quoted message said:
This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader
does not understand

this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
--B_3161712301_11807796 Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-
1" Content-transfer-encoding: 8bit
I think some of you _younger_ riders forget that those older
cup & cone bottom brackets had DIRECTIONAL
spindles...........
One side was slightly longer than the other
The longer side goes on the drive side......
Steve Taylor Newsletter Editor Board of Directors
[email hidden] San Diego Bicycle Club A Non Profit
Corporation <http://www.sdbc.org/>
California USCF Club of the Year 2002 Competitor Magazine
Club of the Year 2002 USCF National Club of the Year
(Division I) 1998, 1999 & 2000 Voted Southern California¹s
(District 7) #1 Racing Club 1993-2000 & 2002
On 3/9/04 6:10 PM, in article
bOu3c.530592$na.1293490@attbi_s04, "cheg"
Quoted message said:

"Sam Huffman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I recently removed the cranks on an old Cannondale road
bike. The

cranks are
Quoted message said:
circa 1988 Shimano 105 with a double biopace chainring
(42/53).
After putting the cranks back on, the inner chainring now
rubs on

the chainstay
Quoted message said:
through part of its rotation. The LBS suggested that
perhaps the

steel spindle
Quoted message said:
had caused the crank to deform slightly, so that it is
now pushing

farther onto
Quoted message said:
the spindle. The tolerance has always been very close,
and there

are a few
Quoted message said:
gouges where the ring appears to have met the chain
stay in the

past.
Quoted message said:

What is the best solution? The shop suggested a steel
spacer to

move the right
Quoted message said:
crank away from the frame, but that would pull the left
crank in,

possibly
Quoted message said:
causing it to contact the frame.
Thanks, Sam
Strange to say, I had the same problem yesterday on the
way home from work. I switched my bike from a double to a
triple about 2 months ago and had the inner chainwheel
start rubbing for no obvious reason. It seems the bottom
bracket cups had loosened up enough to allow the crank to
rock a little during the pedal stroke. I took it apart put
in the spacer off of the drive side cup from my old
crankset to increase the spacing on the inner chainwheel.
The spacer is about
1/8" thick The other crank arm had much more clearance
than the chainwheel so it was not a problem. I regreased
it and tightened it up and everything is working fine.
This crank is an old TA Cyclotourist triple with loose
(not caged) ball bearings.
--B_3161712301_11807796 Content-type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-
1" Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: Inner chainring rubbing against
chainstay</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> I think
some of you _yo= unger_ riders forget that those older cup
& cone bottom brackets had DIR= ECTIONAL
spindles........... One side was slightly longer
than the other The longer side goes on the drive
side...... Steve Taylor Newsletter
Editor Board of Directors [email hidden] San Diego
Bicycle Club A Non Profit Corporation <a
href=3D"sdbc.orgsdbc.org"><sdbc.or=sdbc.or=
g/></a> 
 <=
I>California USCF Club of the Year 2002 
Competitor Magazine Club of the Year 2002 USCF National
Club of the Year (Division I) 1998, 1999 & 2000 
Voted Southern California’s (District 7) #1 Racing
Club 1993-2000 &am= p; 2002=20 
<h> 
On 3/9/04 6:10 PM, in article
bOu3c.530592$na.1293490@attbi_s04, "cheg= "
<[email hidden]> wrote: > > "Sam Huffman"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message<B=
R>
Quoted message said:

"]news:[email hidden]... 
>> I recently removed
the cranks on an o= ld Cannondale road bike. The 
> cranks are 
>> circa 1988 Shimano
105 with a double = biopace chainring (42/53). >>
 >> After putting the cranks back on, the inner
chainring now rubs on<=
BR>
> the chainstay 
>> through part of its
rotation. The LBS= suggested that perhaps the 
> steel spindle 
>> had caused the crank
to deform slight= ly, so that it is now pushing 
> farther onto 
>> the spindle. The
tolerance has always= been very close, and there 
> are a few 
>> gouges where the
ring appears to have= met the chain stay in the 
> past. >> >> What is the best
solution? The shop suggested a steel spacer to<BR=
Quoted message said:

> move the right 
>> crank away from the
frame, but that w= ould pull the left crank in, 
> possibly 
>> causing it to
contact the frame. >> >> Thanks, 
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Sam > 

Strange to say, I had the same problem yesterday on the

way home from<=
BR>
Quoted message said:
work. I switched my bike from a double to a triple

about 2 months ago<=
BR>
Quoted message said:
and had the inner chainwheel start rubbing for no

obvious reason. It<B=
R>
Quoted message said:
seems the bottom bracket cups had loosened up enough to

allow the > crank to rock a little during the pedal
stroke. I took it apart put<BR=
Quoted message said:

in the spacer off of the drive side cup from my old

crankset to > increase the spacing on the inner
chainwheel. The spacer is abou= t >
1/8" thick The other crank arm had much more
clearance than the<B=
R>
Quoted message said:
chainwheel so it was not a problem. I regreased it and

tightened it<BR=
Quoted message said:

up and everything is working fine. This crank is an old

TA > Cyclotourist triple with loose (not caged) ball
bearings. > > 
</BODY> </HTML>
--B_3161712301_11807796--

Report
Cheg
Archived post

10 March 2004, 06:16 UTC #5

Re: Inner chainring rubbing against chainstay
"Steve" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
... some of you _younger_ riders ...
I don't get that very often, since I'll be 45 in a
couple of days.

Report
Qui Si Parla Ca
Archived post

10 March 2004, 14:44 UTC #6

sam-<< I recently removed the cranks on an old Cannondale
road bike. The cranks are circa 1988 Shimano 105 with a
double biopace chainring (42/53).
After putting the cranks back on, the inner chainring now
rubs on the chainstay through part of its rotation.
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
 
I think these used a 107mm spindle?. Get a wee bit longer
one. shimano ones are available in 107, 110, 113 and
118mm lengths.
Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali
costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Report
Zog The Undenia
Archived post

10 March 2004, 18:46 UTC #7

Sam Huffman said:
I recently removed the cranks on an old Cannondale road
bike. The cranks are circa 1988 Shimano 105 with a double
biopace chainring (42/53).
After putting the cranks back on, the inner chainring now
rubs on the chainstay through part of its rotation. The
LBS suggested that perhaps the steel spindle had caused
the crank to deform slightly, so that it is now pushing
farther onto the spindle. The tolerance has always been
very close, and there are a few gouges where the ring
appears to have met the chain stay in the past.
What is the best solution? The shop suggested a steel
spacer to move the right crank away from the frame, but
that would pull the left crank in, possibly causing it to
contact the frame.
Assuming the BB doesn't have adjustable chainline like a
Royce and you've been playing with it, the shop is probably
correct. The best solution is a new crankset. A slight bodge
is a BB with a longer spindle - but the crank may be ready
to break anyway. A spacer is not ideal.
Out of interest, does the crankbolt on the RH side nearly
bottom out on the end of the spindle? If so, the crank has
clearly been pushed too far up the spindle and should be
replaced. There won't be any corresponding damage to the BB
- the spindle is very hard.

Report
A Muzi
Archived post

10 March 2004, 23:45 UTC #8

Quoted message said:
Sam Huffman said:
I recently removed the cranks on an old Cannondale road
bike. The cranks are circa 1988 Shimano 105 with a double
biopace chainring (42/53).
After putting the cranks back on, the inner chainring now
rubs on the chainstay through part of its rotation.

snip-
Zog The Undeniable said:
Assuming the BB doesn't have adjustable chainline like a
Royce and you've been playing with it, the shop is
probably correct. The best solution is a new crankset. A
slight bodge is a BB with a longer spindle - but the crank
may be ready to break anyway. A spacer is not ideal.
Out of interest, does the crankbolt on the RH side nearly
bottom out on the end of the spindle? If so, the crank has
clearly been pushed too far up the spindle and should be
replaced. There won't be any corresponding damage to the
BB - the spindle is very hard.
Before panicking, note that you have an anymmetric spindle .
Did you inadvertantly flip it over?
Although it is possible the arm is worn out, it is not
likely. Unless, as Zog suggests, the spindle goes right to
the end, I'd look for some other explanation.
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
April, 1971

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Sam Huffman
Archived post

11 March 2004, 21:15 UTC #9

A Muzi <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Before panicking, note that you have an anymmetric spindle
. Did you inadvertantly flip it over?
Although it is possible the arm is worn out, it is not
likely. Unless, as Zog suggests, the spindle goes right to
the end, I'd look for some other explanation.
Interesting; I'm surprised the bike shop didn't mention
that. I'll experiment with that tonight.
Thanks Andrew (and everyone else who chimed in) for the
suggestions, Sam

Report
Ed Cory
Archived post

31 March 2004, 14:40 UTC #10

[email hidden] (Sam Huffman) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
A Muzi <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Before panicking, note that you have an anymmetric
spindle . Did you inadvertantly flip it over?
Although it is possible the arm is worn out, it is not
likely. Unless, as Zog suggests, the spindle goes right
to the end, I'd look for some other explanation.
Interesting; I'm surprised the bike shop didn't mention
that. I'll experiment with that tonight.
Thanks Andrew (and everyone else who chimed in) for the
suggestions, Sam
No-one else seemed to mention what might give a simple fix:
The (possibly deformed) crank spindle-hole may give better
chainring clearance in one of the other three orientations
on the spindle.
For some readers, I'd better comment that the left side
arm will need to be remounted if you have changed the
drive side.
Good luck with it, Ed

Report
Dave Kahn
Archived post

2 April 2004, 14:17 UTC #11

[email hidden] (Ed Cory) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
No-one else seemed to mention what might give a simple
fix: The (possibly deformed) crank spindle-hole may give
better chainring clearance in one of the other three
orientations on the spindle.
For some readers, I'd better comment that the left side
arm will need to be remounted if you have changed the
drive side.
Except for Power Crank users, who of course would have
no trouble.
--
Dave...

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