I have a soft spot for Profile Products. There, I said it, but I have nothing to hide. I have been using Profile cranks for over 20 years and found them to be reliable, stiff, strong, easy to maintain, and I’m always a big fan of a lifetime warranty. Over those years very little has changed with the cranks and spindle. The cranks I used all those years ago are still running today, on a much newer bike. The frame has a different bottom bracket shell. That’s what’s great about Profile cranks, they are highly configurable. After adding new Profile hardware like an outboard bottom bracket and a spline drive spider the crankset runs better than ever. There aren’t many businesses that can boast they created a product 35ish years ago that’s still relevant today in an ever evolving industry. Not only that they remain the benchmark for which all others are measured by.

When the Profile Elite 104 BCD 4 bolt chainring was first revealed I must admit I fell in love with it but not simply because it was a new Profile product, it has a bunch of other alluring features

• 7075 alloy machined on both sides
• Nickel plated (chrome-like)
• Fits Profile, Shimano and other 104BCD 4-bolt spiders.
• Sizes: 36 to 45 teeth
• Weight: 4.55oz/130g for the 44 tooth

The Profile Elite Chainring has a slick/stripped back to bare bones design, it resembles the Supercross Cadence chainring we reviewed a few years back but looks a whole lot stronger. When compared to the standard Profile 4-bolt chainring, which weighs in at 85g, it’s not exactly a light weight. The Elite chainring is also a little more expensive. One thing I noticed is that my large platform pedals won’t fit through the inner diameter of the chainring like it does on Profile’s standard 4 bolt BMX chainring. This just means I have to remove my pedal when changing my gears, so it takes that little bit longer, not a massive issue until you need to make a quick change, so it’s still worth considering.

The Elite chainring is super thick, so thick in fact that you need to use 8-10 mm chainring bolts which can be tricky to source. I tried two wholesalers and two bike shops before I found something suitable. It’s dead straight, strong and really stands out from all other 4 bolt chainrings on the market. Profile have taken advantage of the extra thickness and have been able to put a nice offset on the chainring to allow for better chain alignment. A perfect solution if your chain is too close to your chain stays (possibly rubbing on your frame). It’s only a few millimeters but can still make a big difference.

The Profile Elite chainring will fit any 4 bolt 104 PCD crank set or spider. Naturally, it was easy to fit to my Profile Spline drive spider. In the past I have had some trouble with chains not being compatible with other branded chainrings, which can be quite a concern when you reach full revs and it sounds like your chain is trying to bail out on you, but no issues at all in this case.

When riding with the new chainring there were no problems or concerns which is expected when you pay good money for high end product.

If you can get over the additional few grams and the price the Profile Elite Chainring will be a great investment for anyone running a 4 bolt chainring.

Rating
20/20:

Comments:

• As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. 7005 Alloy, nickel plated with an added bonus of the offset you would struggle to find a better quality chainring anywhere else
• A little heavier than most 4 bolt chainrings, but it’s not giving away any strength like the others would be. I doubt you will see one of these fold in half any time soon
• The Elite Chainring is strong, stiff and most important of all dead straight. I am yet to see another chainring that offers the ability to change your chain alignment as much as the Elite chainring
• I’m sure there will be a few people out there who aren’t keen on the skeletal look and the nickel plated finish, but I am yet to meet any of them. I love the fact that it’s machined on both sides. I have often needed to run a chainring backwards and often the chainrings are only machined on one side.

Profile Racing products are distributed in Australia by Elite Cycle Imports (ECI) www.eciimports.com

Reviewed by Shane Jenkins/bmxultra.com August 5, 2012