Read Paul’s thread about chainrings, I swapped my 54T FSA Aero chainring (which,looks cool) for a plain old 50T chainring. Nothing special about it, but I now have more usable gears on the big ring and improved my speed. I was just kidding myself, trying to push the bigger chainring.
thanks for quoting me.
I like to claim that I am the fastest guy on a 48 tooth chainring. If I find someone who is riding faster than me on 48, I might have to downgrade to 46 
hey, you’r faster than me, and if you can admit to running a 48, I can drop to a 50 and be happy. and faster. I miss the cool aero ring, though.
sorry I spelled your name wrong, I corrected it.
froggy, what is the brand of your crank? Is the bolt pattern a 130 mm spacing? Did you have to make any changes to the front derailluer (sp?)? Any problems with shifting?
Do you have the link to the original post?
Thanks.
TriPA
You can put up to a 38 tooth outer chainring (if you wanted to, but then your inner ring would aslo be 38) on a 130 mm bolt pattern (like standard ultegra or dura-ace). If you need a smaller ring (either inner or outer) you need to go to 110 mm bolt pattern found on many MTB cranks or the so called “compact” cranks. If you ride 172.5, you may have to go with compacts, but if you ride 170 or 175, you can go with a MTB crankset.
sorry, I don’t know the original thread, I just remember Devashish Paul commenting that he uses a 48 tooth front. It was late last week.
It’s a Shimano Ultegra crank, 130 BCD, 50/39, I’ve not made any other changes, except changing the big chainring. I found it last year on ebay, and bought it because of the 50 tooth big ring. So far, it shifts fine. I don’t shift between front rings that much, I’m using bar end shifters and a Dura Ace front derailluer. From my persepctive, I’m using a wider range of gears. Last night, I rode a 6 mile loop .8mph faster than with the 54 a couple of days earlier. Certainly, a lot of things have to be considered, but I found it easier to get in a more comfortable gear with the 50.
…with the 48 and a 12-25, I can pretty well stay in the big ring all day for races. I use the 34 a lot when training in the hills and I want to keep a 90 RPM cadence going up some fairly steep hills at 15 kph and keep my HR low (ie below 130 bpm).
So, I use a FSA Carbon Pro crank right now with a 53/39 chainring set…Theoretically, I should be able to replace the 53 (130 mm bolter spacing) with FSA 50 ring? Any compatibility problems I should be concerned with?
Then, I would go with an 11/21 rear cog.
Don’t know if FSA makes a 130 mm bolt pattern 50 tooth ring (I bet they do). They do make a 110 mm bolt pattern ring (comes on all their compact cranks), but that will not work for you.
Whew, I know several really fast guys riding 50kph on a 48 tooth ring, and they only use a 14 in the back to boot.
50 kph just on false flat downhills or tailwind. I can hold 100-115 for a whole half ironman, but I found that my run splits are better when I go for 95-105 range. Even then, the 48x12 is a large enough gear.
I went to the FSA compact cranks a little over a year ago, and also ride a 650c wheel bike. I have the 50/34, and I can’t get into the 11 or 12 on the flats in races anymore. It is way more gear than I need, and I love the close gear ratios. I still ride about an hour in flat 40k tris, so I suppose if I get back down to my sub 55 pro times, I’ll have to go back up to the 52…It’s just crazy how so many people associate how big a gear they ride with their speed. It’s just a very simple equation, gear inches x rpm’s = speed…
"It’s just crazy how so many people associate how big a gear they ride with their speed. It’s just a very simple equation, gear inches x rpm’s = speed… "
Mark,
I think that your comments are indicative of how many people just don’t seem to get it when it comes to cycing and pedaling. Like many things in triathlon, people seem to make it waaaay to complicated than it really is. As you know, it’s pretty straight forward - study after study has shown that for the most part, peak cycling efficiency is reached at about 90 rpm, so regardless of what gear you are in or the terrain, that’s what you should be doing. If you will excuse the pun, I am not sure why people seem to keep re-inventing the wheel.
Agreed that the gearing on most road-bikes leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to the gearing that is REALLY needed by your typical triathlete.
Fleck
OK guys…there you have it.
It is one thing when a lame guy like me with a questionable engine and oversused drivetrain is telling you to go with a 48 tooth on 700’s, but when a total stud like Monty who has won more races in his time than most have ever even entered, goes with a 50 tooth on a 650 bike, the case is closed.
Go out and get your 48’s and ride some actual gearing that is in line with your engine. Don’t use the gearing that comes stock with the Hincapie Engine.
Dev
now if one yoou guys can make an aero big ring in a 50 or 48…
OT, Monty, do you take trade ins of old DeSoto wetsuits? I’m thinking about the First Wave for next season, I’ve had a T1 and Dos bib for two years. and why do they all have zippers now? I love my zipperless!
<< now if one yoou guys can make an aero big ring in a 50 or 48… >>
For sure! A non-aero chainring might cost ya 0.000375 secs over an IM bike leg. That could be your Kona slot right there!!! 
I for one am convinced that if/when I get a Tri bike, I will go for a 50/36 compact crankset.
If for no other reason than it allows ya to stay in the (not quite so) big ring for longer. And I think my knees will like me a lot more that way too.
So, after a little searching, it seems that FSA makes a 130mm bolt pattern, 50 tooth outer ring…Unfortunately, with the 130 pattern, the smallest you can go is 38 tooth for the inner ring…That really isn’t a big deal for me…What I really want is to be able to ride an 11-21 rear cassette, and take advantage of the closer ratios between different rings on the cassette. I don’t use the small ring much except for hills during training anyway. According the the FAQs on the FSA website, there is no problem running the 50/38.
Would trying the 50 tooth ring be a good idea, given that I can even find the 50 tooth ring anywhere?
As a reference point, I usually go top 5-20 in bike splits in a 300-500 person race.
For under $100, I suggest you try compact through Nashbar. I put it on my road bike, between that and D Paul’s comment, I decided to put the 50 on my tri bike. I think even the 50 on the regular crank helps.