Is this Chain Set Normal?! Photos attached.

[sleuthey]

Hi

Thanks for the advice. If you take a look at the following websites there is no deviation in teeth size like there is in my photo. This leads me to beleive that it is a reject. I will be forwarding the photos to Shimano to see what they have to say.

http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog...<>ast_id=1408474395181667&bmUID=1215349637747

http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/t...FC/EV-FC-M151-2738A_v1_m56577569830637961.pdf

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...es?q=FC-M151&start=54&ndsp=18&um=1&hl=en&sa=N

 

[sleuthey]

Right

I have had another look and the 4 cracks are 90 degrees apart. This leads me to beleive that they are suposed to be there. However are they really suposed to look like this? If they are then it seems very poor quality - would this justify sending it back to wiggle?

 

[Baggy]

My chainsets have teeth of differing sizes - as Mickle says they are to help with gear changes. Am not convinced that the ramps look right though, they do look cracked. Is there anywhere you could have a look at any bikes with the same chainset?

 

[Yorkshireman]

When I bought my TREK 700 (about 9-10 years ago) I had the same 'fault' (cheapo Shimano riveted chainwheels), so I took the bike back to the LBS ... The manager showed me several different new boxed sets as well as the ones that were on new bikes ... They were all the same (to slightly varying degrees) I did a bit of research on't'internet and confirmed that the manager was correct. Many years before that I bought a new Peugot Sahara mountain bike and took that back complaining that "These newfangled Shimano tripple chain wheels are miles out of true ... they're bloody well oval"

 

[yello]

Someone please do tell me that's not normal! I just cannot believe it. It just looks shoddy to me. We're not talking a 50 quid, 2-for-1, back of the mag cheapo here. It's a....

...ah...okay, just looked googled the bike.... it's a 200 quid, budget hardtail. Okay, you get what you pay for but even so.

 

[mickle]

Sorry Yello it's normal, and actually they work pretty well. Maybe the point is not to look too closely at a cheap bike!

 

[Yorkshireman]

The TREK cost just under £300.00 9-10 years ago (so not cheap, but not expensive) and here's the original chainset that I recently changed

close up of the teeth that I originally thought were 'torn' somehow (maybe in a poor stamping out process)

The edges that I assumed had 'torn' were much sharper edged when new. That chainset was working perfectly and I only changed it to get different gearing. The new Suntour set uses a different system

I agree with mickle that that's how it should be.

 

[sleuthey]

Yorkshireman..

Thanks very much. You have solved my mistery.

 

[Yorkshireman]

Yorkshireman..

Thanks very much. You have solved my mistery.

Er, to be fair ... mickle solved it first - I just provided the photographic evidence The reason that some of the shots were out of focus (apart from the fact that the compact isn't really up to it) is that the Battle of Britain Flight flew over at the same time ... so low that I could see individual rivets ... I missed the shot (if only I'd photographed those teeth when I removed the flipping chainset)

 

[Gary D]

sleuthy,

I think that one of the images you referred to says it all...

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...=en&sa=N

A complete chainset for $14.99 !!!

It is a cliche, but you get what you pay for

Gary.

 

[Yorkshireman]

sleuthy,

I think that one of the images you referred to says it all...

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...=en&sa=N

A complete chainset for $14.99 !!!

It is a cliche, but you get what you pay for

Gary.

I think that might be the newer version of the one in my photograph, which has done well over 84,000 miles touring, commuting etc. and if it was as cheap as that I reckon I got good value for money

 

[sleuthey]

Right

After a week of contacting various people the conclusions are:

LBS and a couple of guys on here rekon its normal.
Giant and Wiggle rekon its abnormal.

As a result Giant are willing to pay for it to be replaced and Wiggle are offering a replacement part. A credit to both of them.

I personally think that the cracks are normal afterlooking at Yorkshireman's photos however I do think they seem poorly machined.

What Id like to know is, is the part Wiggle are offering any better than the existing one? Did I hear someone say on here last week that the cracks actually work when changing gear? Also is there a rim available to prevent your trouser leg being caught up?

Existing chainset:

http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog...<>ast_id=1408474395181667&bmUID=1215349637747

Chainset on offer to me (Shimano m442 Mega9):

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Shimano_Shimano/5360029483/

Thanks in advance!

 

[yenrod]

Definately not correct that part.

 

[Yorkshireman]

I'd stick with the original set, though that's got riveted chainwheels and means that if one ring wears out the whole thing has to be changed (and possibly the bottom bracket as well) but it does have a chain-guard (trouser guard) fitted. That set looks as if it's the modern version of my original one which (in my opinion) lasted well at over 9 years, and yes the 'torn' metal bits are an integral part of the ramping system designed to make gear changes smooth and slick. The replacement set will work just as well but uses a slightly different ramping system. It looks as though the chainwheels are bolted - so they could be replaced individually but there's no guard fitted and I can't see if there are mounting holes to fit one (aftermarket guards are available, but when I tried them they didn't fit very well). I'm assuming that Wiggle will have checked that the original bottom bracket will match this set.
Others opinions will of course possibly differ

 

[Moonlight]

I'm gunna have a close look at my mate's 08 rincon when I next see him, maybe that will clarify this a little more.