teeth on front chain ring

kingrollo
kingrollo Posts: 3,198
edited August 2009 in Road beginners
What does the number of teeth on the front chain ring mean ? - does more teeth mean a tougher (faster) gear ?

Comments

  • PhilofCas
    PhilofCas Posts: 1,153
    more teeth equals higher gear ratio that's all
  • sub55
    sub55 Posts: 1,025
    :roll: :roll: :roll:
    constantly reavalueating the situation and altering the perceived parameters accordingly
  • Woodchip
    Woodchip Posts: 205
    sub55 wrote:
    :roll: :roll: :roll:
    This
    is
    a
    BEGINNERS
    forum.

    No need to raise your eyebrows because someone asks a question you think is simple.
    I have nothing more to say on the matter.
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    Well it should be obvious as the inner (smaller) ring gives lower (easier) gears then the number of teeth must have some relevance to gear ratio.
    Surely you dont run a Kuota Kharma nad not have any idea of how it works. ATGANI perhaps. :?
    My Fleet.
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    op here.

    Guess I should had given a bit more background information. The Kharma is my new bike - it comes with a 13-25 cassette - my old bike came with a 13-26 . The kharma seems really easy geared - it wants me on the big chain ring more - I don't want to put a more racey casette on, as I need the 25 for the hills.
    My old bike had a 39/52 chainring - the markings on the new chainring (ultegra) says something like 53 - 8 which I don't understand - i presume the 53 means the number of teeth - hence my question - does a 53 chainring provide stiffer gears than a 52.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    kingrollo wrote:
    op here.

    Guess I should had given a bit more background information. The Kharma is my new bike - it comes with a 13-25 cassette - my old bike came with a 13-26 . The kharma seems really easy geared - it wants me on the big chain ring more - I don't want to put a more racey casette on, as I need the 25 for the hills.
    My old bike had a 39/52 chainring - the markings on the new chainring (ultegra) says something like 53 - 8 which I don't understand - i presume the 53 means the number of teeth - hence my question - does a 53 chainring provide stiffer gears than a 52.

    more teeth = harder/stiffer gearing, ie a higher gear.
  • themightyw
    themightyw Posts: 409
    Damn you for posting a picture of your bike! It's beautiful and I demand to have one NOW.
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    kingrollo wrote:
    i presume the 53 means the number of teeth - hence my question - does a 53 chainring provide stiffer gears than a 52.

    I know this is the beginners forum, but do you seriously not know the answer to that....??
  • Shezzer
    Shezzer Posts: 229
    Give the guy a break ... it's only easy if you know the answer.

    More teeth on chainring = harder gear
    More teeth on cassette = easier gear
  • White Line
    White Line Posts: 887
    Sorry to be so blunt, but if you can't figure that out you really shouldn't own a bike.

    Does an incline make it easier or harder? :roll:
    Emiliana the CAAD9
  • Woodchip
    Woodchip Posts: 205
    Give the dude a break!!! I fear I may have been wrong about this being a friendly forum. Most of you lot come across as judgemental bike snobs!
    I have nothing more to say on the matter.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    It's a wind up surely? No grown man would seriously ask such a question........
    I like bikes...

    Twitter
    Flickr
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    redddraggon wrote:
    It's a wind up surely? No grown man would seriously ask such a question........

    don't worry - I won't again. (Guess ill never know what the 8 means) :(
  • White Line
    White Line Posts: 887
    Woodchip wrote:
    Give the dude a break!!! I fear I may have been wrong about this being a friendly forum. Most of you lot come across as judgemental bike snobs!
    It has nothing to do with the bikes. It's just plain logic. :shock:
    Emiliana the CAAD9
  • PhilofCas
    PhilofCas Posts: 1,153
    kingrollo wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    It's a wind up surely? No grown man would seriously ask such a question........

    don't worry - I won't again. (Guess ill never know what the 8 means) :(


    I think the '8' in 53-8 could mean 'speed', i.e. for 8 speed systems, though from what i can gather it's Shimano's way of saying 8/9 speed rather than 10, it defines compatibility of chain (width) with the chainring/cassette.

    Must admit that i thought your question could have been a wind-up :oops: , so i sort of went along with it as that's one of my great pastimes!! so from my point of view my first answer was a bit of 'touche'.

    Please don't be put off from posting.
  • sheikmabooty
    sheikmabooty Posts: 3
    White Line wrote:
    Sorry to be so blunt, but if you can't figure that out you really shouldn't own a bike.

    Does an incline make it easier or harder? :roll:


    Do idiotic replies like yours in a beginners forum attract, or put people off cycling?
  • peanut1978
    peanut1978 Posts: 1,031
    Too true

    it is a beginners forum, if that is you in the avatar, grrrrrr!
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    sheikmabooty wrote:

    Do idiotic replies like yours in a beginners forum attract, or put people off cycling?

    get a grip - It's hardly going to put people off cycling, is it..? But it might make people actually think before they post - which can only be a good thing.

    The more I think about it, the more I'm sure it must have been a wind up.....
  • sheikmabooty
    sheikmabooty Posts: 3
    softlad wrote:
    sheikmabooty wrote:

    Do idiotic replies like yours in a beginners forum attract, or put people off cycling?

    get a grip - It's hardly going to put people off cycling, is it..? But it might make people actually think before they post - which can only be a good thing.

    The more I think about it, the more I'm sure it must have been a wind up.....

    Ok, so it may not put anyone off the sport per se, but what it may do is prevent a beginner from posting a valid question that he has legitimately searched the answer for, to no avail, only to be vindicated by so called 'know-it-alls' who think he now doesnt 'deserve to own a bike'

    Wind up or not, there are more discreet ways of probing what it is that this chap actually wants to know, before going straight for the jugular. And now I don't think we need to have this argument anymore- back to thread.
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    Could the 8 be a B. Shimano have A and B chainrings optimised for use with specific inner rings. Supposed to give a better change.
    My Fleet.
  • dilemna
    dilemna Posts: 2,187
    The 53 obviously means teeth as already stated.

    The 8 is not an eight but B. Shimano code their rings depending on combinations of ring sizes.

    B rings are for 53/39

    A rings are for 53/42

    It's all to do with making changing between the two as smooth as possible.

    I suppose you could mix them but I wouldn't advise it.

    I do wonder why some one with such a high spec bike is asking such a question. But you learn something everyday I suppose. I have.
    Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
    Think how stupid the average person is.......
    half of them are even more stupid than you first thought.
  • dilemna
    dilemna Posts: 2,187
    sheikmabooty wrote:
    softlad wrote:
    sheikmabooty wrote:

    Do idiotic replies like yours in a beginners forum attract, or put people off cycling?

    get a grip - It's hardly going to put people off cycling, is it..? But it might make people actually think before they post - which can only be a good thing.

    The more I think about it, the more I'm sure it must have been a wind up.....

    Ok, so it may not put anyone off the sport per se, but what it may do is prevent a beginner from posting a valid question that he has legitimately searched the answer for, to no avail, only to be vindicated by so called 'know-it-alls' who think he now doesnt 'deserve to own a bike'

    Wind up or not, there are more discreet ways of probing what it is that this chap actually wants to know, before going straight for the jugular. And now I don't think we need to have this argument anymore- back to thread.



    Hang on the chap posted a legit question but by posting a pic of his bike which happens to be a high spec bike begs the question is he for real? Surely anyone with a bike of such spec would not need to ask such a question, hence all the "Is this a wind up? / Are you for real?" replies.
    Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
    Think how stupid the average person is.......
    half of them are even more stupid than you first thought.
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    dilemna wrote:
    The 53 obviously means teeth as already stated.

    The 8 is not an eight but B. Shimano code their rings depending on combinations of ring sizes.

    B rings are for 53/39

    A rings are for 53/42

    It's all to do with making changing between the two as smooth as possible.

    I suppose you could mix them but I wouldn't advise it.

    I do wonder why some one with such a high spec bike is asking such a question. But you learn something everyday I suppose. I have.


    Thank you - this answers all my questions. It honestly wasn't a wind up. What I was trying to understand was why my new bike - seems overgeared (easy to pedal) compared to my older bike 39/52 , 13/26 where as the new bike 39/53 , 13/25 - should logically be harder to pedal. From the answers I now have Im guessing that gear ratios aren't the issue. - I suppose the answer is to get on the big chainring more - but have a few knee problems in the past which me wary of doing this.

    I realise I worded my question, not brilliantly - apologies if that put anyone out.
  • dilemna
    dilemna Posts: 2,187
    This link is to Sheldon Brown's gear calculator:

    http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

    Have fun putting in your bike's rear sprocket and chain ring sizes and working out which are you most used/favourite, the ones you could do with to fill gaps or ones you could do with out.

    I would guess if you are a failry inexperienced cyclist that your optimum gear is 60-75 gear inches. Above 95 is getting high and 118+ is a big gear for strong legs. Below 50 is getting low. Which you use depends on your fitness and the terrain you will be cycling.

    You will need to find out the number of teeth on each rear sprocket of your cassette. The number will be stamped on each sprocket or you could count them I suppose......

    Also your bike's tyre size as well as this will marginally effect gearing.

    Have fun.
    Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
    Think how stupid the average person is.......
    half of them are even more stupid than you first thought.
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    seems overgeared (easy to pedal) compared to my older bike 39/52
    Wrong way round. Overgeared is harder to pedal. Under geared is when you are spinning your legs off and not going very fast.
    The gear ratios on the 2 bikes are actually very similar. Slightly higher top gear (53/13 as against 52/13) and a slightly higher bottom one (39/25 against 39/26) All gears on the 53 will be slightly higher but I doubt if you would notice. What you will notice is the extra responsiveness of the new bike and its less weight.
    My Fleet.

Categories