# Single ring (1x9/1x10) chainline with SRAM Cranks



## KobaltBlau (Sep 26, 2004)

Hi crossers,

I'm setting up a 1x10 bike using rival drivetrain, and considering a rival crankset, but I'm concerned since it offers no adjustment of chainline. I am still open to which crankset I go with. Can you adjust chainline with new shimano cranksets?

It seems you would want the single ring between where the small and big were on the 2-ring. With an old school bb/cranks you could adjust that a bit, but not so the new SRAM stuff (as I understand).

Which side of the crank do you single ringers run your drive ring on? And does it shift well through all the gears, even those that would be considered "crossed up" with the double setup? Does it seem a little off in those gears?

Thanks in advance,

Andy


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## Guest (Oct 21, 2010)

I have a SRAMano 1x9 drivetrain: Rival cranks, Tiagra shifters/rear der., SRAM cassette, SRAM chain. I've got my 39t chainring on the inside of the crankset, with a bashguard on the outside and a dong-fang chainwatcher. No chainline issues, at least none that concern me. The most extreme chainline issue is with the 39x12, which is a little crunchy but nothing real bad. And I rarely use that gear in races anyway.


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## KobaltBlau (Sep 26, 2004)

A little crunchy ... interesting. Makes sense you wouldn't use it much in races but I want it to be nice on the road for training.

If you could space the crank out from the bb shell face it might be better, but then your left crank is going in too! I guess it's not going to be a perfect solution with any crankset designed for 2 rings.

according to sheldon, road double chainline really means the inner ring is at 41, the outer ring at 46, averaging out to 43.5.

So for perfect chainline and centered cranks, you would want a single ring crankset (or I suppose triple) with the ring at 43.5 chainline. You couldn't do that with a double crankset and have the two sides be symmetrical.

Some track/SS cranks should be in this ballpark; the suginos are 45 with a 103mm BB which is hard to find shorter than. I would need to stay away from 144BCD too.


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## BikeFixer (May 19, 2009)

You are worrying about the exact chainline too much, put it on the inner ring position and it's fine. You need to have something on the outside anyway to keep the chain on and this is where you replace the big ring with a bash guard.
I run a Dura Ace crank with a 39 with a Salsa bashguard and as foothil says there is a bit of chain rub when in the smallest cog in back, this is just the way it is and it really isn't very bad, I don't even notice it.


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## Guest (Oct 21, 2010)

If I used my cx for more of an all-pupose bike, rather than just for racing/training, I would run a double up front to address chainline issues and to give more gearing options. That being said, I agree with BikeFixer that the chainline issue is not worth worrying about too much if you're set on 1x9/10. I've really had no issues with it.


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## m_s (Nov 20, 2007)

I get a tiny bit of rubbing on the bash guard in 42 x 11, but I can only hear it at low speeds on road, and it's too big of a gear for that anyways. Also, I'm running a 44t bashguard for extra height/chain drop protection, so that's probably why. I only really use that gear for training anyhow.


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## moralleper (Jul 21, 2009)

I have a rival crankset with a 1x9 setup. I can use all 9 cogs without any issues. I shorten my chain up quite a bit and that helped to not drop the chain. I am also using a Paul's chainkeeper.


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## KobaltBlau (Sep 26, 2004)

Thanks for all the feedback. This is actually for all round use, I probably should have mentioned it in the first post, but I figured you guys would have experience with basically the same parts I'm using. 

Anyway, that's why I am trying to make sure all the gears work well - I'm planning to use all of them for the type of riding I do. I'll be using a SRAM 11-28 cassette and a 38 or 39 ring.

I am set on using the 1x10, it sounds like perhaps the rub issues are due to the outer ring? I had planned to run one of those too but like the option of a chainkeeper if it solve that, though not the price.


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## BikeFixer (May 19, 2009)

KobaltBlau said:


> I am set on using the 1x10, it sounds like perhaps the rub issues are due to the outer ring? I had planned to run one of those too but like the option of a chainkeeper if it solve that, though not the price.


You need both the chainkeeper on the inside and the bashguard ring on the outside


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## moralleper (Jul 21, 2009)

not true, Paul's chainkeeper goes around the top of the ring, see link. http://paulcomp.com/ckclamp.html

I also got mine for $25 I think from a guy that never used it.


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## BikeFixer (May 19, 2009)

moralleper said:


> not true, Paul's chainkeeper goes around the top of the ring, see link. http://paulcomp.com/ckclamp.html
> 
> I also got mine for $25 I think from a guy that never used it.


Oh Yeah I forgot about that thing. 
That's like putting a front derailleur on and locking it in position and lowering it down real low over the chainring to guide it on
I used to run mine like that but I like the outer bash guard with the inner chainguide a little bit better


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## rsroka23 (Jan 24, 2010)

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thefactoryrider/4392566160/" title="bolt, spacer, bbg, crank arm, chainring, spacer, bbg, bolt by Robert Sroka, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4392566160_a35f18aa72.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="bolt, spacer, bbg, crank arm, chainring, spacer, bbg, bolt" /></a>

I've been running my chainring on the outside (generally for the outer chainring) with a full Sram Drivetrain, a 39t Red Chainring with a 12-27 and an 11-28, sram chain. One dropped chain ever..... in two seasons of about 15 races each. 

Here is the sequence: bolt, bbg bashguard, crank arm, chainring, spacers, bbg, bolt.


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## KobaltBlau (Sep 26, 2004)

Thanks for posting, that's a great illustration of how to run it on the outside. I guess you are running a non-compact crank since you're using a red 39t chainring.

Does it still shift well on the larger rear sprockets?

Do you remember what thickness spacers you used?


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## rsroka23 (Jan 24, 2010)

KobaltBlau said:


> Thanks for posting, that's a great illustration of how to run it on the outside. I guess you are running a non-compact crank since you're using a red 39t chainring.
> 
> Does it still shift well on the larger rear sprockets?
> 
> Do you remember what thickness spacers you used?


<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thefactoryrider/4816810456/" title="DSC_0006 by Robert Sroka, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4816810456_374f74c036.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0006" /></a> 

Correct, 130bcd as in non-compact. Good shifting in the large cogs, yup. Washers are called 5/16ths of an inch from the local hardware store. I just go there with a chainring bolt and make sure it fits around, then buy a bunch and work out the amount of width later.


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## KobaltBlau (Sep 26, 2004)

Awesome, thanks again rsoka.


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## cyklopath (Feb 24, 2007)

I run a 1x9 setup with Shimano parts. 

DA9 Shifter
Ultegra 6600 rear der
DA9 Cassette, 12x27
Ngear jumpstop and Salsa style bashguard.

I run an old Shimano 600 crank with a ti bb. I run a 39t non ramped 600 ring on front. Puts the ring just the right of center on the cassette for chainline. Older square taper cranks use bb's that have different length spindles and can therefor adjust chainline

No chain rub on either end after I took the time to set the bashguard and jumpstop right. Also not a single dropped chain ever.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

older campy 1x9, no issues on the inner position


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## mpk1996 (May 11, 2007)

i run a sram force crank with one of the new paul's keepers. best setup out there in my opinion. i run the ring on the outside (big ring side) and have no rub or issues on any position. i have run road wheels with a 12-23 and cross set up with an 11-26. no issues at all. i have a 42 and a 48 (for road only stuff).


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## Smoothy (Jul 6, 2006)

mpk1996 said:


> i run a sram force crank with one of the new paul's keepers. best setup out there in my opinion. i run the ring on the outside (big ring side) and have no rub or issues on any position. i have run road wheels with a 12-23 and cross set up with an 11-26. no issues at all. i have a 42 and a 48 (for road only stuff).


I'm running same thing: Paul's with a ring on the outside position. In my case, it's 12-26 campy and FSA 110bcd (compact) cranks. No rub in any gear. Use short nuts with std length chainring bolts. No spacers, no bashguards, just simply works.

Question for you guys running 1x10 - are you keeping the left brifter or replacing it with a brake lever? I tried to keep my Centaur and it felt lumpy so swapped it out for a Tektro brake-only lever.


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## KobaltBlau (Sep 26, 2004)

Again thanks for all the replies, guys. Really helpful.

Smoothy, this may not be of much help to you since I don't have any experience with the new setup yet but I'll be running a sram 500 left brake lever and a right brifter. This lever is a perfect match for the sram brifter, but I don't believe there is an exact match equivalent for campy or shimano, but of course you could run any other lever if the difference doesn't bother you. I've seen racers doing both.


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## Killroy (Feb 9, 2006)

For a cross 1X9, would it be best to run a tripple crankset with the front chain ring on the middle of the tripple for the best chain line? Less "crunching" in the 11t or 12t?


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## mpk1996 (May 11, 2007)

I am running the force brifter for both left and right. i bought them as a set and figured i would just run it rather than spend more money on a seperate brake lever. not worried about the extra 1.5 grams or whatever it weighs. i think it looks better when they match anyway (color pattern and all, not just shape)


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## Killroy (Feb 9, 2006)

Killroy said:


> For a cross 1X9, would it be best to run a tripple crankset with the front chain ring on the middle of the tripple for the best chain line? Less "crunching" in the 11t or 12t?


I resumed the center of a 9 speed road cassette at ~41 mm chain line, which is about what the little ring position is on a road double. So, 1X9 with a road double is a perfectly centered chain line. I did not know that doubles we so bias towards the right gears.


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