Tandem triple chainsets / drive set

[Suffolk Born]

Is there a wise owl out there who may help - I have a Landscape tandem and the chain rings are looking tired. So it has Synergy fitted, is it best to get replacements or dare I say an upgrade!
The tandem is used for touring and pub runs so nothing to flash please. Grateful of any help.

Regards.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I guess Synergy cranks are https://www.warlands-cycles.co.uk/catalogue/tandems/tandem-chainsets

I would just get replacement rings as required. That isn’t necessarily all of them. The timing rings can stand a remarkable amount of wear without affecting their utility.

Ramped and pinned middle and large rings are only worthwhile for the final drive. More expensive, higher strength rings (7075/ zicral) are much more durable than cheap dural rings. Consider stainless or steel for the granny ring.

[The French Tandem]

As LW&B said, I would only change the rings on the drive side, your timing rings will probably last 2 or 3 times longer. Those 4 bolts rings are pretty common, you can get compatible replacement rings in any decent bike shop, no need to search for the exact original parts.

A

[Suffolk Born]

Thank you - all info took onboard.

Regards

[MartynA]

Since 2001 we have gone through multiple complete sets of rings on our Dawes and are well into the second set on the Cannondale RT2 we bought hardly used in 2015. As we cycle from home in a hilly area all the rings take a hammering. We have also bought three Thorns from first owners who got them for specific tours and didn't use them much afterwards. On these only the middle ring shows any real wear. With the way same side drive Thorns with 26t steel synch rings tangle chain perhaps sticking to one ring made sense.

The worst choice of replacement ring for us has been a Stonglight steel granny ring (26t 74mm Bolt Circle Diameter) which has got thicker behind the wear area (deformation rather than errosion) causing the chain to stay engaged (chain suck). I've only just realised what has been going on and have thinned it down the problem area with a file. The best granny ring so far is also a Stronglight, a stainless steel 24t 64mm BCD for the Shimano XT chainset on a Thorn we bought in 2018. It looks like it may well be the last one we need.

[DaveJ]

The Stronglight 28 we had on our Thorn deformed exactly as you described.  Two of them.  One I purchased from the LBS, the other from Thorn.  Made of cheese!