Looking for lower gearing without upgrading your crank? Until now, if you had a 104 BCD crankset, the smallest ring you could fit on it was a 30t. A few companies have made rings that fit on the smaller 64 BCD inner part of the spider, but now there’s another way to get those low low gears. USAMade Components is a revamped brand out of Vero Beach, Florida which is being run by industry veteran Chris Dupuis. As the name would suggest, their products are 100% made in the USA.
They also have a few unique components that may be exactly what certain riders are looking for. Their new ST Pro Integrated Guard Mountain Chainring combines the ability to run smaller chainrings on 104 BCD cranks while providing the extra protection of a bash guard. There’s also a GXP adapter which will allow you to run short spindle compatible chainrings on long spindle cranks…
Machined in one piece, the ST Pro ring/guard is available with chainrings from 26 to 34t, all of which use their Sharktooth tooth design for chain retention. The bashguard has posts that sit inside the bolt holes on the crank and then the chainring bolts thread into the threaded portion of the bashguard. That positions the chainring far enough way that the crank can clear a 26 or 28t ring. Machined from 7075-T6 aluminum, the rings have a black Teflon coating for quiet operation and durability. Prices start at $39.99 for the 26 and 28t, with claimed weights listed as 85g, 76g, 87g, 89g, and 90g (26, 28, 30, 32, 34t).
There is no mention of the resulting chainline of the combo, but it would seem to reason that it would push the chainline inboard or outboard substantially from a traditional ring.
USAMade also has a number of standard chainring from traditional BCDs to direct mounts. All of which use their Sharktooth profile and list thick-thin as a design feature, though it’s hard to make out from the pictures. It’s worth pointing out that for USA made chainrings, these seem surprisingly affordable – just $19.99 for the 40g, Teflon coated 32t shown above.
You can blame the proliferation of ‘standards’ for this one, but if you happen to have a Short Spindle chainring but a Long Spindle crank, USAMade’s GXP adapter should be able to help you out. The Short Spindle cranks use a ring with zero offset, while Long Spindle cranks need 6mm for proper chainline, so this 6mm adapter will let you use your Short Spindle rings on Long Spindle cranks. Essentially just a spacer to push the ring inboard at the Direct Mount, it’s not clear if these will require longer bolts USAMade Components says it’s made in a way that does not require longer bolts. The adapter will add 20g to your crank and sells for only $14.99.
The rings and adapters are available either through USAMade Components direct, or will also be sold through Amazon.
