Will missing chainring bolts be bad?

Phil said:

My friend's old Fuji road bike began to unscrew its chainring bolts, and he told me he hears this
noise while pedaling. I look at it and noticed that 2 of the 5 are missing. I tightened down the 3
(rearranging them so they were as symmetrical as possible on the spider). Would you say the
missing ones are critical? He rides casually.

Yes, if he loses another couple he won't be able to ride home!

James

In "]news:[email hidden], Phil, Squid-in-Training <[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

My friend's old Fuji road bike began to unscrew its chainring bolts, and he told me he hears this
noise while pedaling. I look at it and noticed that 2 of the 5 are missing. I tightened down the 3
(rearranging them so they were as symmetrical as possible on the spider). Would you say the
missing ones are critical? He rides casually.

Yes, I've had a chainring fold under load from a missing bolt.

Tony

--
raven-family.comraven-family.comOpen ↗

"All truth goes through three steps: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed.
Finally, it is accepted as self-evident." Arthur Schopenhauer

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My friend's old Fuji road bike began to unscrew its chainring bolts, and

he

Quoted message said:

told me he hears this noise while pedaling. I look at it and noticed that

2

Quoted message said:

of the 5 are missing. I tightened down the 3 (rearranging them so they

were

Quoted message said:

as symmetrical as possible on the spider). Would you say the missing ones are critical? He rides
casually.

They will be missed if he puts just the right amount of pressure on the crank at a point where the
chainring could be flexed and bent ( folded ). Now the chances of that are probably slim, but
Newton's law says that it will happen when you least want it to. Like pedaling hard to flee a dog,
or quickly cross a busy intersection. Or when he is wearing sandals and shorts and the chainring
gouges his leg wide open.

Just go to a bike shop - they can dig some out of the parts bin for a couple of bucks.

In "]news:[email hidden], WiScottsin <[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

Now the chances of that are probably slim, but Newton's law says that it will happen when you
least want it to.

<pedant>

Murphy's Law

</pedant>

Tony

--
raven-family.comraven-family.comOpen ↗

"All truth goes through three steps: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed.
Finally, it is accepted as self-evident." Arthur Schopenhauer

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In "]news:[email hidden], WiScottsin <[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

Now the chances of that are probably slim, but Newton's law says that it will happen when you
least want it to.

<pedant>

Murphy's Law

Oops - not enough coffee yet. But some of Newton's laws would definitely be in effect as well ;-)

"WiScottsin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]... -snip-

Quoted message said:

. . . but Newton's law says that it will happen when you least want it to.

-snip-

I don't recall than in Newton. Did you mean Murphy?

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

WiScottsin said:

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My friend's old Fuji road bike began to unscrew its chainring bolts, and

he

Quoted message said:

told me he hears this noise while pedaling. I look at it and noticed that

2

Quoted message said:

of the 5 are missing. I tightened down the 3 (rearranging them so they

were

Quoted message said:

as symmetrical as possible on the spider). Would you say the missing ones are critical? He rides
casually.

You are talking about a dollar in parts. Replace the bolts.

Quoted message said:

They will be missed if he puts just the right amount of pressure on the crank at a point where the
chainring could be flexed and bent ( folded ). Now the chances of that are probably slim, but
Newton's law says that it will happen when you least want it to.

That is not Newton's law, but Murphy's. Attribute these fundamental laws to the discoverer.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems. _`\(,_ | -- Paul Erdos
(_)/ (_) |

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In "]news:[email hidden], Phil, Squid-in-Training <[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

My friend's old Fuji road bike began to unscrew its chainring bolts, and he told me he hears
this noise while pedaling. I look at it and noticed that 2 of the 5 are missing. I tightened
down the 3 (rearranging them so they were as symmetrical as possible on the spider). Would you
say the missing ones are critical? He rides casually.

Yes, I've had a chainring fold under load from a missing bolt.

Yikes, will let him know ASAP.

Note, he has alu chainrings so that's even more worrisome.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Tony Raven said:

In "]news:[email hidden], Phil, Squid-in-Training <[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

My friend's old Fuji road bike began to unscrew its chainring bolts, and he told me he hears this
noise while pedaling. I look at it and noticed that 2 of the 5 are missing. I tightened down the 3
(rearranging them so they were as symmetrical as possible on the spider). Would you say the
missing ones are critical? He rides casually.

Yes, I've had a chainring fold under load from a missing bolt.

Same here... (not to me, someone I was riding with).

David

"A Muzi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"WiScottsin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]... -snip-

Quoted message said:

. . . but Newton's law says that it will happen when you least want it to.

-snip-

I don't recall than in Newton. Did you mean Murphy?

Yes I did - please read my reply of my error 8 hours prior to your posting

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

My friend's old Fuji road bike began to unscrew its chainring bolts, and he told me he hears this
noise while pedaling. I look at it and noticed that 2 of the 5 are missing. I tightened down the 3
(rearranging them so they were as symmetrical as possible on the spider). Would you say the missing
ones are critical? He rides casually.

Are you kidding? These are cheap and easy to get, so why risk it?
-----------------
Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

WiScottsin wrote: <snip>

Quoted message said:

Now the chances of that are probably slim, but Newton's law says that it will happen when you least
want it to.

</snip>

Actually, I think that's Murphy's Law, Not Newton... ;-3)

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": geocities.comczcornerOpen ↗

In answer to the title question: "What do you reckon?" - with a sarcastic voice.

or "The fewer the better" (fewer missing that is with 0 missing being the perfect score)

Do you think the attachments are just there for decoration?

Mark Lee