Chainwheel Tech Help

Popular Gear Combos

C/W	F/W or Cassette
22	8
23	8
25	9
28	10
30	11
33	12
36	13
39	14
41	15
44	16

 

1. How do I know which chain wheels will work with my bike?

There are two things to consider when purchasing a new chain wheel. The width of the teeth on the chain wheel and the bore of the spindle hole determine compatibility. Chain wheels with 3/32 teeth will work with all size chains. Chain wheels with 1/8 inch teeth will only work with 1/8 an 3/16 chains. A chain wheel with a 15/16 inch bore will work with all cranks. All other bore sizes are limited in what cranks can be used. An adapter may be required to adapt a certain chain wheel to a certain crank.

2. What is meant by gear ratio?

Gear ratio is a relative term used to indicate how far the bike will travel forward (in inches) with on revolution of the cranks. It is determined by dividing the number of teeth on the front sprocket by the number of teeth on the rear sprocket and multiplying by the wheel diameter. It is possible to achieve the same gear ratio by using different gear combinations. For example, on a typical 20 inch bike, a 44 X 16 gear combination results in the same gear ratio as 33 X 12 gear combination. To see our gear chart Click Here. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the gear chart.

Click on image for a free download.

3. How do I determine what gear ratio is best for me?

Like many aspects of bike set-up, gear ratio is a matter of personal preference. Increasing the number of teeth on the front sprocket or decreasing the number of teeth on the rear sprocket will result in a higher gear ratio. This will make the bike hard to pedal on take off but will allow a higher overall speed. Decreasing the number of teeth on the front sprocket or increasing the number of teeth on the rear sprocket will result in a lower gear ratio. This will make the bike easier to pedal on take off and result in a lower top speed. It is best to use your current gear combination as a starting point then determine what you are trying to achieve. To see our gear chart Click Here. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the gear chart.

Click on image for a free download.