# where to find 42t 144bcd chainrings?



## stevegray (Jul 24, 2002)

I'm got a Cannondale Track to ride mostly on the road. It came with 46x16 gearing. I've read Sheldon Brown's pages and this forum and I understand that a 42 tooth chainring is good for the road.

If everybody's on 42t rings then why am I having so much trouble finding them? So far the only one I've found is a Salsa on AEBike. I must be missing something.


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

There are none. A 144mm diameter bolt circle makes 42 tooth rings impossible. The largest bolt circle I know of that will allow a 42 tooth ring is the 135mm BCD that Campy road equipment uses.

144mm BCD are a track size, not designed for practical use on the road.


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

Dave_Stohler said:


> There are none. A 144mm diameter bolt circle makes 42 tooth rings impossible. The largest bolt circle I know of that will allow a 42 tooth ring is the 135mm BCD that Campy road equipment uses.
> 
> 144mm BCD are a track size, not designed for practical use on the road.


Not true. You can go down to a 41 tooth ring with 144 BCD. Harris Cycle (Sheldon Brown) also has the Salsa. 144 is hard to find. Check eBay.
TF


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## Spirito (Nov 26, 2001)

I think dave was thinking of the Old campy (up to 68 or 69) 151bcd which 44 tooth was the smallest. I sold a road version of one of these for ...... lets just say a lot of money. 

correct you can use a 41 tooth but I wouldn't recommend it as the chain will roll on the chainring bolts if a little worn. 42 tooth in 144bcd is fine but your gonna have a hard time finding a 1/8 (3mm) width as most are for road or 3/32 (2mm). Only Sugino that i know of made a track or 1/8 42 tooth in a 144bcd size. 

Campy did make a 144bcd 44 tooth 1/8 track chainring but few were stocked and certainly millions of bikes rolled standard with a 3/32 42 tooth 144bcd chainring.

to help the above punter who asked the question - check harris cylery, branford bikes, business cycles and american cyclery. I would suggest having a shot at one on ebay - sugino is best for quality/price ratio.

If you run a 1/8 cog and chain some say it's fine to use a 3/32 chainring but I would rather run the thinner cog and chain ..... but why not just use a larger rear cog? 

ciao


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## ukiahb (Jan 26, 2003)

*or use a 18t cog to get the about the same gearing....*

46/18 is a little lower than 42/16, 46/17 is slightly higher....the cogs are easier to find and usually cheaper too. At any rate, the cogs and chainrings down to 43t are available at
http://www.businesscycles.com/trcomp.htm



stevegray said:


> I'm got a Cannondale Track to ride mostly on the road. It came with 46x16 gearing. I've read Sheldon Brown's pages and this forum and I understand that a 42 tooth chainring is good for the road.
> 
> If everybody's on 42t rings then why am I having so much trouble finding them? So far the only one I've found is a Salsa on AEBike. I must be missing something.


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## Porrick (May 20, 2004)

*Salsa........*

42/144 (3/32) in silver can also be had at Airbomb. I've got one in th email right now.

Porrick


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## bkranich (May 7, 2004)

*I've got a 42t Salsa if you want it...*



stevegray said:


> I'm got a Cannondale Track to ride mostly on the road. It came with 46x16 gearing. I've read Sheldon Brown's pages and this forum and I understand that a 42 tooth chainring is good for the road.
> 
> If everybody's on 42t rings then why am I having so much trouble finding them? So far the only one I've found is a Salsa on AEBike. I must be missing something.


I don't use it any more because my track bike is now strictly a track bike and I have a dedicated fixed gear road bike with 130 bcd chainrings. It was used for a few months, probably less than 200 miles. Talk to me offline if you're interested. 

Brooks K.


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