1X chainset advice please

[Paul Drawmer]

I am repurposing an old road bike to flat bar 1X 11sp

It currently is running an old Sora triple on a square taper.

I also have an Alivio FC-M4000 triple, which has 96mm pcd.
Is there any reason why I can't buy a suitable narrow/wide 96mm ring and mount it on the inside face of the crank (ie the middle position)?

If I should buy a purpose single ring crank - are the cheap Chinese ones any good?

[gazza285]

You are doing exactly what I have done, it worked just fine on my Inbred. The cheap chainring wore out pretty sharpish though, so it now has a standard FSA ring that I had lying around on it, and a cheapo chain keeper.

[benny.c]

I've just done the same thing too, albeit 10spd, and I fitted a Race Face NW chainring (£30) to the existing double crankset. I've had these on a few MTB's and they last well in my experience. Rather than use a chain guide I swapped my rear mech and shifter to Shimano Zee M640.

[Watchman]

I've recently (past 4 months) built up an 8-sp, and a 9-sp from new components, including those Chinese cranks mentioned above, and they're lasting well. The 9-sp has done over 1000 miles now under my 15yo son.

I've also recently converted a 2x10 to 1x10 which involved keeping the original FSA crank but fitting the new chain wheel to the inside of the crank and a bash ring on the outside.

In all cases I've used NW chain wheels. I don't think we've lost a chain on any of them since.

I've also installed very wide range cassettes - 40T11 in all cases. Each of the chain wheels are different - my daughter doesn't have much leg strength so she has a 30T. My son is strong, and can cope well with hills, so he has a 39T. Both of theirs are "towpath" bikes so have 700c wheels and discs but with lightweight Planet X frames.

Mine is a MTB on 26" wheels so I've gone for a 34T but I've been thinking perhaps I should gone for a 36T. I rarely get into top gear so spinning-out doesn't happen often.

[Paul Drawmer]

Thanks for the replies - been buying stuff!

11sp cassette 11-42 plus a 42T narrow wide ring for the alivio 104bcd cranks

It will have 700c DT Swiss wheels with 25mm tyres (Mostly road this one!)

And I've bought a flat bar, some bar ends and brake levers, and a used SLX rear mech.

The frame is an old aluminium Trek with Carbon fork.