Why are Chainrings expensive?

In article <[email hidden]>,

Q.' LostVideos-AT-hotmail.com said:

Why are chainrings so expensive, compared to an entire crankset?

I want to replace some biopace rings on an older MTB ... but $60 is too much to spend. These
things are meant to be replaceable so why are they so much to replace?

I'm sure I'll find some cheep ones someplace someday, but that's a bit of a PITA ... I'd like to
just buy some like the good ol' consumer I am.

The main expense on modern rings is that they're fancy-pants HyperGlide technology with ramps,
rivets, and funny-shaped teeth.

Note that cheaper, non-fancy, non-HyperGlide rings are available. Ask your LBS for pricing, or
scavenge them.

I seem to be becoming obsessive about scavenging,
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousineOpen ↗ President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

Q. said:

Why are chainrings so expensive, compared to an entire crankset?

It's mainly because people don't replace them often so they're not sold on their own in vast
numbers. They can and often do last the lifetime of the cranks or bike (even if that's because bikes
are discarded before they're worn out). It is a shame - if only because cheaper rings would
encourage more cyclists to customise their gears.

Quoted message said:

I want to replace some biopace rings on an older MTB ... but $60 is too much to spend. These
things are meant to be replaceable so why are they so much to replace?

Because hardly anyone likes Biopace any more.

~PB

Ryan Cousineau said:

I seem to be becoming obsessive about scavenging,

Me too. The modern terms are reuse and recycling !!! Far too much waste in the world these days.

--
The Reply & From email addresses are checked rarely. mseries.freeserve.co.ukmseries.freeserve.co.ukOpen ↗

I am too upset you can almost buy new crank for less than you can buy a new set of chainrings.
Annoying. When I needed a new set of rings, Salsa Pros so about $100 total at my LBS that was less
than getting a new XT crank from the on-line places. Only my pledge to stop buying from net sources
kept me away.

"Q." <LostVideos-AT-hotmail.com> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why are chainrings so expensive, compared to an entire crankset?

I want to replace some biopace rings on an older MTB ... but $60 is too

much

Quoted message said:

to spend. These things are meant to be replaceable so why are they so

much

Quoted message said:

to replace?

I'm sure I'll find some cheep ones someplace someday, but that's a bit of

a

Quoted message said:

PITA ... I'd like to just buy some like the good ol' consumer I am.

C.Q.C.

"Q." <LostVideos-AT-hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Why are chainrings so expensive, compared to an entire crankset?

I want to replace some biopace rings on an older MTB ... but $60 is too much to spend. > I'm sure
I'll find some cheep ones someplace someday, but that's a bit of a PITA ... I'd like to just buy
some like the good ol' consumer I am.

There are usually a bunch of them in eBay. I just looked and there are about 7 rings and/or Biopace
cranksets. Looks like new rings sell for 10-15$ plus maybe $5 for shipping.

Ryan Cousineau said:

The main expense on modern rings is that they're fancy-pants HyperGlide technology with ramps,
rivets, and funny-shaped teeth.

Nonsense. Shimano cranks these out of giant machines by the millions. They probably cost pennies
to produce.

It's all about supply and demand, or highway robbery when your bike is broken.

Matt O.

visit the SUGINO website!

Ryan Cousineau said:

Quoted message said:

I'm sure I'll find some cheep ones someplace someday, but that's a bit of a PITA ... I'd like to
just buy some like the good ol' consumer I am.

The main expense on modern rings is that they're fancy-pants HyperGlide technology with ramps,
rivets, and funny-shaped teeth.

Which are not really necessary.

Quoted message said:

Note that cheaper, non-fancy, non-HyperGlide rings are available. Ask your LBS for pricing, or
scavenge them.

I seem to be becoming obsessive about scavenging,

Only way to fly. All of my bikes take the same size rings, and I go to swap meets regularly with an
eye to replenishing my stock. I rarely pay more than $5 new. But or me, since I use my big (not-so-
big, really) ring a lot on my road bike, they do not last all that long. But at $5, no big deal.
Some of the rings I get have ramps/pins/googas, others don't, and they all shift fine.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | I don't believe you, you've got the whole damn thing all wrong. _`\(,_ | He's not the kind
you have to wind-up on Sundays. --Ian Anderson (_)/ (_) |

"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Q. said:

Why are chainrings so expensive, compared to an entire crankset?

It's mainly because people don't replace them often so they're not sold on their own in vast
numbers. They can and often do last the lifetime of the cranks or bike (even if that's because
bikes are discarded before they're worn out). It is a shame - if only because cheaper rings would
encourage more cyclists to customise their gears.

Quoted message said:

I want to replace some biopace rings on an older MTB ... but $60 is too much to spend. These
things are meant to be replaceable so why are they so much to replace?

Because hardly anyone likes Biopace any more.

LOL! I meant replace them with round rings. I don't like them much either
(c:

c.A.A.

Q. said:

Why are chainrings so expensive, compared to an entire crankset?

I want to replace some biopace rings on an older MTB ... but $60 is too much to spend. These
things are meant to be replaceable so why are they so much to replace?

I'm sure I'll find some cheep ones someplace someday, but that's a bit of a PITA ... I'd like to
just buy some like the good ol' consumer I am.

I haven't kept up but for many years complete cranks were zero duty while rings were 10%.

Also, as we discussed previously, an entire year of aftermarket sales is a day or two of oem crank
production.

Ever notice that twenty guys will stock a complete crank but only two or three will carry
replacement rings for it? That tells you something about relative volume, too.

The numbers all push against you.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

In article <[email hidden]>,

MSeries said:

Ryan Cousineau said:

I seem to be becoming obsessive about scavenging,

Me too. The modern terms are reuse and recycling !!! Far too much waste in the world these days.

Waste I don't mind so much. Spending money? I mind that a _lot_.

Scavenging is its own (fiduciary) reward,
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousineOpen ↗ President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club