38t 130bcd rings

[Jeffr]

Hey folks. Does anyone have experience with 38 tooth 130 bcd chainrings? Any complications? Any recommendations? I live in a very hilly area and don't really like my compact that much. It'd give me the equivalent of the next larger gear in the rear.

[rlpaul]

The only negative I can think of off the top of my head is slightly slower shifting in front due to the larger jump. Whether that's noticeable or not though.... /shrugs. I've opted to do the opposite, 36t on the compact.

I don't think there will be any real issues, but haven't seen anybody go smaller on a standard double around here. Of course, its pretty flat here too

[Matteo]

I am using a 38t Specialite TA Hegoa in combination with a 50t big ring and it works just fine. With 50-38 the jump between the rings is actually less then the standard 53-39, and I am not fast enough to need a 53.

[maxxevv]

Jeff,

I tried that some time ago. Didn't work very well as it was a little noisy on my preferred cranks.

If you already have a compact, and if don't need a 53, then a compromise and better working system would be a 50/36 or a Compact 52/38.
A 52/36 works well too as I'm using that at the moment. This is because of the Di2 compatibility issues with a 50T on a brazed-on frame mount.

[darnellrm]

I have been running a 50/38 combo on standard cranks for 10 years and it works great. Anything smaller than 38t seems to give too low gears to be useful on my routes and I can't push anything bigger than a 50-11 anyway.

[pritchet74]

Jeff - I am using a 52t/38t setup on my standard cranks & it's great. No problems at all and shifting is excellent. I have been using my Fibre-Lyte carbon rings and I have a nearly new FSA 38t chainring that you have if you want it.

[Boonen]

It should work fine but it depends a little on your cranks, on some the sides of the chain hit the tips of the spider which makes for noisier and less then optimal setup.

[Fibre-Lyte]

That's a good point. If I remember rightly the Storck Power arms (older version certainly) and the Claviculas recommend against using a 38t because the chain can damage the spider. I think in most cases that only applies to carbon cranksets as alloy ones have less material around the bolt hole but it's worth checking.

[abb7]

Jeff - I am using a 52t/38t setup on my standard cranks & it's great. No problems at all and shifting is excellent. I have been using my Fibre-Lyte carbon rings and I have a nearly new FSA 38t chainring that you have if you want it.

Hmm, I just posted up about Stronglight CT2 rings and there's a bit of crossover here. What brand of cranks? I understand them to be 130BCD? Did you run your aluminum FSA chainrings 52-38 too, before going to the carbon rings?

Thanks so much. I want to run aluminum 52-38 on my EC-90 crank.