Chainline woes :-(

Much to my dismay I recently cracked my beloved ETS-X frame. Been through lots of bikes through-out the years but could never part with this one.

Anyhow RMB was kind enough to provide a replacement. 2011 Element 70RSL. Much stiffer than the ets-x :clap:

Swapped over the wheelset / crank and replaced most of the other parts. Went with a 1x10 drivetrain using a Shimano 11-36 cassette, e-thirteen 42t cog and blackspire 36t chainring. But damn, my chainline is way off when in 36t x 42t. Moved the chainring to the middle ring location on the cranks to no avail.

What would you suggest. Using washers between the chainring and crank to move the chainring even closer to the frame? I only have a couple mm before contact with the chainstay.

Get a direct mount crank and smaller chainring?

Go to 7 speed and re-dish the wheel. ;)

Or get real and do 1 x right with Sram (ie; smaller c/r).

Much to my dismay I recently cracked my beloved ETS-X frame.

RMB's most warrantied frame ever! :clap:

Put a 32t on the other side of the spider (does a 34 interfere?), take the 42 off and sell it to me ;-)

Put a 32t on the other side of the spider (does a 34 interfere?), take the 42 off and sell it to me ;-)

I simply put some washers between the chainring and spider. Works beautifully now! Can even backpedal without any drop.

RMB's most warrantied frame ever! :clap:

So I heard. But I rode that frame hard. Bike parks to multi day epics. The last couple of years I've been using it to pull my son on a trail-a-bike, through some pretty gnarly trails at times. SO it held up well I think.

Total thread derail but how did the trail a bike handle off-road?

Total thread derail but how did the trail a bike handle off-road?

Amazingly well. Fatter rear tire, suspension seatpost, comfy seat, [HTML_REMOVED] fixed the crank in place so the kiddo didn't overpedal into a face smash. Take him out every 2nd wkd for a trailride. We frequently do 40-50kms together on trail.
We flatted the rear tire several times dropping off stuff. And we sometimes get hung up when going over large obstacles cause my rear tire impacts the swingarm attaching to the trail-a-bike. But he loves it.
Some wkds we do a bikepack into the backcountry. So the ets-x loaded up with an extra 180#s of kid, gear and trail-bike plus my 200 pounds handled it with ease.
Just can't handle the tight twisty singletrack. Too long of a train.

I simply put some washers between the chainring and spider. Works beautifully now! Can even backpedal without any drop.

So I heard. But I rode that frame hard. Bike parks to multi day epics. The last couple of years I've been using it to pull my son on a trail-a-bike, through some pretty gnarly trails at times. SO it held up well I think.

Does that ever look like RMNP, is that taken at the top of Bald Hill?

Does that ever look like RMNP, is that taken at the top of Bald Hill?

Close. Epinette Trail at Sprucewooods.

Can make a great day ride. 12kms of TranCan Trail into 42kms of the Epinette and back out.

Amazingly well. Fatter rear tire, suspension seatpost, comfy seat, [HTML_REMOVED] fixed the crank in place so the kiddo didn't overpedal into a face smash. Take him out every 2nd wkd for a trailride. We frequently do 40-50kms together on trail.
We flatted the rear tire several times dropping off stuff. And we sometimes get hung up when going over large obstacles cause my rear tire impacts the swingarm attaching to the trail-a-bike. But he loves it.
Some wkds we do a bikepack into the backcountry. So the ets-x loaded up with an extra 180#s of kid, gear and trail-bike plus my 200 pounds handled it with ease.
Just can't handle the tight twisty singletrack. Too long of a train.

That's great. My guy is just starting to figure out the strider. I figure around his 3rd birthday a trail a bike will be fun.

Hats off to a dad who rides this much dirt with his kid. Glad RMB took care of you. As for chain line: my sense is your issue was made worse by picking a bloody big ring. With a 30t NW ring, you might have escaped the need for the E13 cog.

Hats off to a dad who rides this much dirt with his kid. Glad RMB took care of you. As for chain line: my sense is your issue was made worse by picking a bloody big ring. With a 30t NW ring, you might have escaped the need for the E13 cog.

Thanks

With a 30t ring my top end would suffer. I frequently hit speeds of 50-60 km/h on trail. Couldn't do that with a 30t.

RMB's most warrantied frame ever! :clap:

Lucky bugger - I broke my frame in a similar spot a few years ago (apparently it is a known design flaw in the frame), and got squat from RM. Ended up having to buy my own frame from another manufacturer.

Lifetime warranty my butt!