chainset is 46 tooth likely to help compared with a 52

[Andrew Brown]

I have been considering replacing the 52 tooth front chainwheel on my Cyclotricity Revolver with a 46 tooth as a bike shop has commended a 46. The question is though will that effect much of an improvement for setting off from standing and hills, and hill starts ? I gather too that a lot of chainsets wont fit my bike as it has a 'sqaure taper ' something to do with the bottom bracket. On the rear I have a 6 speed cassette 'freewheel' type I am told.

I am not sure whether 46 is much of a change and wonder what others make of it

 

[RobF]

You won't know the impact of the smaller ring until you try it.

Smaller than 46 is available from Spa, but too small and your top speed will be compromised - depending on how fast you routinely pedal.

A lot of bikes are over-geared for general use, top allowing the rider to pedal at 30mph or more which very few of us do.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s109p2188/STRONGLIGHT-ST55-Single-Chainset

 

[Andrew Brown]

Thanks, I guess I will go with the 46 as I dont like the idea of feeling undergeared once at healthy speed on the flat

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You'll get the other problem that your legs will spin-out when you're doing more than 15mph. I would try a 48T one.

 

[Nealh]

If your high gear is only a 14 or 15t then 46t may be to low as mentioned.

 

[Andrew Brown]

You'll get the other problem that your legs will spin-out when you're doing more than 15mph. I would try a 48T one.

Thanks for the input. I am in a quandary now. The problem here is that if I have a 48 tooth (or even a 46 tooth ) I will still struggle with some hill starts and hill climb as the rear cassette has a first gear that is pretty feeble. Not a very big cog at all. and the bike only has 6 gears to choose from anyway.

And I'm told I cannot just swap out for a better cassette . My non e hybrid has a 48 tooth as its largest in the chainset and that's not any good for hill climbing but is alright over 15 mph and sometimes Ive wished it was bigger but rarely.

I usually select the chainwheel down from that if its anything of a testing hill and that's a 36 Even a 46 as the 'only choice' when riding will not be much of a climbing option .

I suppose I could upgrade to a double chainwheel and a lot more gears but that would need other things, changers, mech presumably a new rear wheel to accommodate a better cassette. I am not sure I want to go that far.

I really see your point though. It wouldn't be much fun with the legs spinning out once over 15

I guess around town the 46 will be a great improvement but where large hills or flatter roads in the countryside are concerned it won't be

 

[Andrew Brown]

If your high gear is only a 14 or 15t then 46t may be to low as mentioned.

I will find out how many teeth and come back to you

 

[Andrew Brown]

I will find out how many teeth and come back to you

Have checked now and highest on the cassette is 14 teeth and the lowest gear is 28

 

[flecc]

Have checked now and highest on the cassette is 14 teeth and the lowest gear is 28

That 200% range isn't enough for hills, 300% would be much better.

I think your bike is more likely to have a multi-sprocket freewheel than a cassette, if so that's easily changed for one with a wider range if available in six speed, or a Megarange six speed model to give one much larger sprocket at the rear to deal with the odd difficult hill. Either way that might mean a change of the rear mechanism, depending on what yours is at present.
.

 

[anotherkiwi]

A picture speaks louder than...

Depending on your cadence you might get by with a 44 which would allow you to pedal downhill at up to and over 40 km/h.

Unfortunately most easy to find 6 speed freewheels are 14-28 you would need to upgrade to a 7 speed to get better range. That would entail chainging the shifter, you would probably be able to keep the derailleur with a 7 speed and get a 13-32 sunrace freewheel.

 

[flecc]

Unfortunately most easy to find 6 speed freewheels are 14-28 you would need to upgrade to a 7 speed to get better range.

Not with Megarange.
.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

And I'm told I cannot just swap out for a better cassette .

That's not true. You can swap it for any 6-speed freewheel, like this one:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Freewheel-Mega-14-34t-6-Speed-TZ30-Shimano/192334977123?hash=item2cc80ed863:g:En4AAOSwg4lZ442a

 

[Andrew Brown]

Uodate for this thread. I have now had the 46 tooth fitted and it is a big improvement but any steep gradients will still show the limitations although I think I could 'get by' as it is

I am still thinking about a megarange cassette as a further modest cost improvement but that the ones with a 34 tooth look to me as though there is a rather dramatic drop from 1st to 2nd . Anyone ridden one. Is it barely noticable or is there a big clunk and a feeling of as if dropping several gearts at once ?

 

[flecc]

Uodate for this thread. I have now had the 46 tooth fitted and it is a big improvement but any steep gradients will still show the limitations although I think I could 'get by' as it is

I am still thinking about a megarange cassette as a further modest cost improvement but that the ones with a 34 tooth look to me as though there is a rather dramatic drop from 1st to 2nd . Anyone ridden one. Is it barely noticable or is there a big clunk and a feeling of as if dropping several gearts at once ?

I've got exactly that Megarange on both my last e-bikes and am happy with them. I showed it on my smaller wheel bike in a previous post on this link. The big gear gap doesn't matter since it's only on the odd really steep hill that bottom gear is used. Most riding is on the remaining five gears. Changing is ok too with a suitable rear mechanism, I use the Shimano Acera low cost ones.
.

 

[Benjahmin]

Uodate for this thread. I have now had the 46 tooth fitted and it is a big improvement but any steep gradients will still show the limitations although I think I could 'get by' as it is

I am still thinking about a megarange cassette as a further modest cost improvement but that the ones with a 34 tooth look to me as though there is a rather dramatic drop from 1st to 2nd . Anyone ridden one. Is it barely noticable or is there a big clunk and a feeling of as if dropping several gearts at once ?

I have that megarange on one of my bikes. As Flecc says, it's not often you need the big cog. However when it is used I find the jump from 1st to 2nd very large. As the hill flattens a little you start to spin too high in 1st, so you go to 2nd and find it mighty heavy. The change itself is smooth enough with thr right arm.

 

[flecc]

As the hill flattens a little you start to spin too high in 1st, so you go to 2nd and find it mighty heavy.

That tended to be hidden on mine since both have the powerful eZee motor which gives enough help then.

I wouldn't be keen on having a Megarange on an unpowered bike.
.

 

[anotherkiwi]

I had one on my Mxus, didn't have any problems with the bottom gear which I only ever used on ramps (>13%). But the 14 tooth top gear was too short on a 26" wheel. Now I have a DNP 11-32 for that motor.

 

[flecc]

But the 14 tooth top gear was too short on a 26" wheel.

Even worse with a 20" wheel, but this 60 tooth chainring solved that: