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Questions and answers about sports

Adding a larger chain-set to a mountain bike

5 min read

Asked by: Lennell Andrews

Can you put a bigger chainring on a MTB?

Yes, you can. This will make it suitable for diverse terrains and make pedaling easier. Putting a smaller chainring on your road bike isn’t a problem but you may have to change your crankset.

Can I increase my chainring size?

As a general rule, you can change the size of your chainring 2 teeth without changing your chain length. If you go more than 2 teeth smaller, you will need to shorten your chain. With smaller chainrings, you may find yourself spinning out on fast downhills.

What does a bigger chainring do?

The size of a chainring (often expressed in terms of the amount of teeth on it, e.g. a 53t ring) plays a direct role in your bike’s gearing, with bigger rings meaning a higher (harder to push) gear and smaller rings a lower (easier to push) gear.

Is it harder to pedal with bigger chainring?

A big chainring means it is harder to pedal. On the other hand, a small chainring will mean easier to pedal. Therefore it is common to see mountain bikes with small chainring as these bikes are required to overcome uphills. Having said that, chainring forms part of the equation affecting gear ratio.

Is a larger chainring faster?

The larger chainring gives you bigger, harder to turn gears that move you further per pedal revolution – so it’s suitable for higher speeds – while the smaller chainring gives you gears that are easier to turn but move you a shorter distance per pedal revolution – so it’s suitable for lower speeds, including riding

How much difference does 2 teeth on chainring make?

In this size range two teeth in the front is about the same as one tooth in the back. It’s a very small change but sometimes it’s just that small difference that tips the scale in your favour.

Do I need to change chain when changing chainring size?

No. Reducing the chainring size by two teeth means the chain needs to be one tooth shorter, so half a full link. You can only shorten a chain by a whole link, which is two teeth’s worth of chain, so if the chain was optimal before you could make it too short.

Should I change chain when changing chainring?

“As the chain is typically the least expensive part in the system, it makes sense to add a new one when installing new chainrings or a cassette. Generally, installing the new chain is what confirmed the old parts were worn out anyway.”

Why do mountain bikes have oval chainrings?

Oval chainrings maximize the part of the stroke where power is produced and minimize resistance where it isn’t. As a direct consequence, Oval rings enhance a cyclist’s ability to spin with a smoother power delivery and feel much easier on legs while climbing. Meaning you will go faster and get less tired.

What gear makes you go faster on a bike?

A lower, easier gear, with the smaller chain ring up front and a larger cog in the back, lets you accelerate faster. This helps you get started from a stop, or when you’re climbing a steep hill.

What is the best gear ratio for climbing hills?

You will need even lower gear ratios for steep hills that are 8% or more. The most preferred gear ratios on such tracks are 50/34, 40/34, 36/40, 34/36, 34/32, 34/30, and 32/20. However, remember that using gears with such a low ratio will cause you to pedal more, but it will require less effort.

How do I know what size chainring to get?


Quote from video: And you could go around it just count the number of teeth on the chainring. And that's real easy or often the chain rings will have a number stamped on theirs this is 53.

Is the big ring more efficient?

Just as racers have been saying for ages, Friction Facts has now proven that it’s more efficient to stay in the big ring, saving nearly three watts of effort in certain combinations – but there is a tipping point where it’s still better to drop down up front.

Is a higher gear easier to pedal?

Just remember that larger gears at the rear mean easier pedalling but more torque, and larger gears at the front mean harder pedalling but more speed. Going from “easier” gears to “harder” gears is called “upshifting”, and the reverse is called “downshifting”.

What is the best chainring combination?

Quote from video: Похожие запросы

Is a 34T Oval same as 36T round?

34T Oval chainring has an ovality of 32/36T and is best for someone who uses currently 33 or 34T round ring. 36T Oval chainring has an ovality of 34/38T and is best for someone who uses currently 35 or 36T round ring.

How many teeth do you need for a single chainring?

Typically, on 1×11 systems where most systems use a 10-42 cassette in SRAM or 11-40 and 11-46 in Shimano, the chainring typically ranges from 28-36 teeth in most cases.

Do I need to change chain when changing chainring size?

No. Reducing the chainring size by two teeth means the chain needs to be one tooth shorter, so half a full link. You can only shorten a chain by a whole link, which is two teeth’s worth of chain, so if the chain was optimal before you could make it too short.

What is the best chainring combination?

Standard Setup. Currently, the most common gearing setup on new road bikes is a 50/34 chainset with an 11-28 cassette. This means that the big and small chainring have 50 and 34 teeth, respectively, and the cassette’s smallest cog has 11 teeth and its largest cog has 28 teeth.