Works Components Thick/Thin Chainring – Review

Thick thin, Narrow wide, Fat Skinny….. What ever you want to call this new design it is intended for full chain retention, not good news for chain device companies… Or is it?

Sram were the first to come up with it for their XX1 drivetrain, being on the pricy side and only compatible with Sram cranks we looked further a field to see what else we could come up with.
Here we take a look at a much more affordable yet high quality offering from Works Components, a UK based components machining company.

The principle is simple, by having one narrow tooth and one wide tooth they mesh into the chains profile creating a greater connection between ring and chain. Paired with a clutch mech and the correct chain tension you shouldn’t be dropping a chain anytime soon.

Works Components attention to detail is obvious from the word go with the chain ring being machined in house from 7075T6 Aluminium. The finish is perfect with a great addition of 7 colours to choose from in 32, 34 and 36 tooth.

I have been running a black 36 tooth ring on my Cube Stereo 275 all winter and it has held up perfectly with only the teeth loosing their black coating…. Not a problem.

Works recommend on their website to run a top guide for 100% retention if racing or riding aggressive terrain. To ensure an honest product test I dropped the top guide and just ran the ring up front. It was so quiet and smooth, I didn’t drop a chain all winter and I rode a lot in the wet and mud…

In march I started doing some small prep races for the season, one particularly muddy weekend racing in super sticky mud I did drop a chain but I do believe it was down to the amount of mud on the chain and ring thus pushing the two apart and not allowing the chain to sit properly on the ring. Lesson learnt and the top guide was re-fitted.

The simple designs are always the hardest to think of and the most effective, Thick thin is definitely the way forward even if you still run a chain guide, it just makes sense. Get over to Workscomponents.co.uk and send them £35 quid for one of these fine pieces of UK machining and say goodbye to loosing your chain.

Works Components 104BCD THICK / Thin Chainring,
– CNC Machined in house in the UK from 7075T6 Aluminium
– Available in 32, 34, 36t
– Colours – Black, Blue, Red, Gold, Purple, Orange, Silver
– Price £35.00

The Words – Oli Carter