#51: Single-ring redux
After the 2nd race at Jackson, I decided to slightly rethink my single-ring setup. I suffered two chain drops in that race and don’t want to have a repeat performance.
The old setup was the Excel Sports single-ring kit which included a 42 tooth ring, an outer chainguard ring, and a 3rd eye chainwatcher. That setup worked pretty well with the exception that the 42 tooth is bit rough on some of the steeper climbs. I changed it to a 39-tooth ring and there began the problems. I lowered the chain watcher a bit, but couldn’t get the clamp tight with the large downtube in the way and dropped my chain twice.
The new plan was to scrap the chain watcher and add an inner guard. The setup looks cleaner and I am hopeful it will work well. We’ll see at the races this weekend.
Ultegra crank (9-speed octalink), 39 tooth ring, and two chain guards.
This weekend, I plan to race the Saturday race up in Nashville and return to Memphis for the Outdoors Inc. race on Mud Island. Oh, and I got my CX3 category upgrade earlier this week, so I will have to step up my game.
My race schedule is looking like this at this point:
- 11/10. Nashville cross #3
- 11/11. Outdoors Inc cyclocross (Memphis)
- 12/1. Greenway Farms cyclocross (Chattanooga). [MAYBE]
- 12/14. Nationals / Masters 30-34 (Kansas City). [50% chance at this point]
- 1/5&6. Columbia #1 & #2 (Columbia, Tenn) [??]
- 1/13. Tenn state championship (Nashville)
- 1/19 & 20. Columbia #3 & #4
