Gearing question

[MoparDave]

Ok so my bike currently has a 35 chain. 14t front 53 tooth rear. Have had issues with 35 so swapping to 420 for strength. Question on diameter vs gear ratio. A 35 rear 53t is alot smaller diameter than a 53t 420 series. Seems to me diameter will effect gearing more than tooth count yes or no?

 

[chrisr]

Good question, but it's all about drive gear to driven ratio no matter the size of the gears. 10 drive to 60 driven equals 6:1 ratio.

 

[Ginz61]

Ok so my bike currently has a 35 chain. 14t front 53 tooth rear. Have had issues with 35 so swapping to 420 for strength. Question on diameter vs gear ratio. A 35 rear 53t is alot smaller diameter than a 53t 420 series. Seems to me diameter will effect gearing more than tooth count yes or no?

I see chrisr already answered and I believe he’s right. 14 to 53 would be the same gear ratio. All the speed calculators only ask front sprocket (clutch) tooth count and rear sprocket tooth count, never chain size.

 

[ole4]

NO!! Ratio is Ratio and that is tooth count. A good 35 chain will take a lot of HP cheap chain not so much. RLV gold on gold, regina or excell. The 420 is a larger pitch so both sprockets will be larger and sometimes the rear sprocket will not fit as it will have a larger diameter than the tire. . The second pic has a 84 tooth rear sprocket. if it was a 420 chain it would be bigger than the tire.

 

[MoparDave]

Ok, I see. Thanks fellas

 

[I74]

Nothing wrong with a good 35 chain !

Quality 35 is all I run.

I

 

[Strigoi]

Good quality #35 holds up to plenty of power. I was pushing 20+hp through #35 RLV Reaper chain and didn't have any issues on my old drag setup.

I've never felt a need to run any bigger than #35 on any of my bikes.