Let talk sprockets....

[Jaynnus]

What would be the difference between going up one in the rear or down one in the front?

[Awesome]

down one in the front is approx. up three in the rear.

[OreoGaborio]

What Jay said.... it's a smaller sprocket so therefore a 1 tooth change has more of an impact, percentage wise.

to make it easy, if ya had a 10 tooth sprocket on the front & a 30 tooth sprocket in the rear (a 1:3 ratio), going to a 9 in the front and keeping the 30 would be like keeping the 10 on the front & going to a 33 in the rear.

[OreoGaborio]

if you wanna know why making this change makes the bike accelerate faster, think of a lever.... We'll use the same easy numbers as in my last post so we'll say it's 10" from the pivot point on one side, 30" on the other... and a big rock (or motorcycle) sitting on the short end.... you make the short end 1 inch shorter, it's gonna be easier to move the object.... if you leave the short end at 10" & add 3" to the long end to make it 33", it'll feel the same as if you took 1" off the short end.

It's all about leverage & ratios.

[akira700]

Going one down in the front is cool in that
you dont need to make your chain longer.

I think its common to do both...
like one down front
three up rear

I did that on my old F3 and it really gave it a
good kick in the ass !

[OreoGaborio]

the problem w/ going down in the front is now you've go a big heavy chain that has to make a tighter turn.... think of how fast the chain is whipping towards the front sprocket... now it's gotta make a tighter turn once it gets there.

This change in direction creates a loss in power..... VERY miniscule, yes, but worth taking into consideration.... if you can get away w/ going to a bigger rear & getting the same ratio improvment w/o adding links (and weight) to the chain, do that.

[Jaynnus]

the problem w/ going down in the front is now you've go a big heavy chain that has to make a tighter turn.... think of how fast the chain is whipping towards the front sprocket... now it's gotta make a tighter turn once it gets there.

This change in direction creates a loss in power..... VERY miniscule, yes, but worth taking into consideration.... if you can get away w/ going to a bigger rear & getting the same ratio improvment w/o adding links (and weight) to the chain, do that.

But but....how do you go bigger in the back and not have to add a link to the chain?

n/m.......I got it, I was not thinking only 1 up in the rear.

[Edwardo]

It really depends on the bike. From what I've seen, most have room to go up 2 teeth in the rear before you run out of room in the adjusters. I stick to going up in the rear (lolz) for the reason Oreo mentioned and the fact that the tighter radius also causes more chain wear.

[TTD]

I usually go one down in front and one up in rear... keeps the chain about the same so it's an easy switch.

[The Crashing Tomato]

What if you changed from a 530 setup for example (chain and sproket) to a 520 (chain and sproket) would that still have the same wearing effect in the one down in front scenario?

[Tricky Mike]

up three in the rear.

[SSearchVT]

What if you changed from a 530 setup for example (chain and sproket) to a 520 (chain and sproket) would that still have the same wearing effect in the one down in front scenario?

You're adding another variable into the system by going with smaller components but exposing them to the same load as the original sprocket change. The 520 chain will theoretically wear out quicker then a 530 chain with stock gearing. Add in a gearing change and the wear will theoretically be even quicker. This doesn't take into account - Riding style, maintenance, etc.

A racer who takes care of their equipment will wear parts out less then a street rider who doesn't.

[KB]

Sreet riders have no bid-ness going to a 520 kit.

KB

[RyanNicholson]

Sreet riders have no bid-ness going to a 520 kit.

KB

amen to that ha. unless its like a 600r or something that could use a little more punch.


i've got 1 down in the front and 2 up in the rear on the race bike right now....i'm gunna go up 2 more in the back. i wouldn't recommend going any more than 1 down in the front, like they said its hard on the chain to make that tight turn.

[The Crashing Tomato]

You're adding another variable into the system by going with smaller components but exposing them to the same load as the original sprocket change. The 520 chain will theoretically wear out quicker then a 530 chain with stock gearing. Add in a gearing change and the wear will theoretically be even quicker. This doesn't take into account - Riding style, maintenance, etc.

A racer who takes care of their equipment will wear parts out less then a street rider who doesn't.

Sreet riders have no bid-ness going to a 520 kit.

Thanks

I had asked a new sportbike shop owner the same question and got a VERY answer that would have cost me $$$$$$$$

[SSearchVT]

Sreet riders have no bid-ness going to a 520 kit.

KB

There's a lot of things street riders have no bid-ness doing to their bikes that they do. The 520 kit is one of the more minor of them. But - for a lot of riders the belief is that if it makes the bike work better on the track - it must make it work better on the street.

[Honclfibr]

Touch my monkey.

[Edwardo]

I ran 520 on the TL for 20k miles. 520 rear aluminum sprockets do wear out faster though.

[The Crashing Tomato]

Touch my monkey.

bemused?

[Honclfibr]

now ees ze time on schprockets ven ve dahnce!

[NEWTREADS]

Sreet riders have no bid-ness going to a 520 kit.

KB

Why's That? I have an 04 f4i that pertty much couldnt get out of its own way before switching to a 520 kit. Went up 2 in the rear and down one in the front. Lost a ton of top end though, but I'm not one of those people that gets on the highway twists the wrist and hangs on. I don't really miss the 15 to 20 mph I lost on the top though. Before switching the bike actually went faster in 5th. just not enough power to red line in 6th with the factory gearing. The narrower chain and aluminum sprockets = less unsprung weight and does make a noticable difference in acceleration along with the gearing obviously. If you change one change everything. The 2 sprockets and chain wear together if you put one new sprocket in with a worn one and a slightly stretched/worn chain it wont line up correctly and the teeth will bind with the chain. Accelerating the wear.

[TTD]

I have no doubt the gearing change was noticeable... but it wasn't the switch to 520.

In the big picture, it is a very small change.

NOTE: If you're going to change sprocket sizes anyway, then I can understand the change. But if you are only changing to 520's and not changing sizes, I can't see any benefit on the street.

[Wishbone]

Sreet riders have no bid-ness going to a 520 kit.

KB

Yeah stupid street riders! What the hell is wrong with yous?

Oh wait I switched to a 520


It was referred to me by PK...but what does he know

[OreoGaborio]

[Tricky Mike]

NOTE: If you're going to change sprocket sizes anyway, then I can understand the change. But if you are only changing to 520's and not changing sizes, I can't see any benefit on the street.

I agree... even if you're talking about a race bike (not that I'm an expert in this arena)... If you've covered every possible angle and the chain is the last thing on your list, then maybe...
Otherwise it's like putting $100 Monster Cables on a $200 audio system...