Hello and good day. Thank you in advance for your help.

I need to put a new chain on my bike I have read and understand how. I know that in doing so I should replace the sprockets.

I would like so more acceleration with out losing lots MPG. So I am thinking keeping it stock up front with a 15 and doing the rear in a 45. Good idea bad idea??
I want to do it in a 520 and this might sound really dumb I want the rear sprocket to be red. So far the two I can find are made by driven and vortex. Do you have recommendations? Another thought had been the suppersprox-stealth.

The chain I am thinking is going to be D.I.D.

I am inexperienced and just reading and trying to learn lots.

http://www.supersproxusa.com/products.php?cat=1559

http://store.58cycle.com/ProductDeta...c%20520rz%20F2
Thank you Nate

 

Okay, I have experience with this, and here's my advice:

Don't go 520 unless you're willing to pay good money for that acceleration gain, which is really quite minimal. You can expect 7-8K miles per chain, which means every two to three oil changes you'll need new sprockets and chain, running $250... not including instillation fee if you pay some one to do it.

In a 530 however, you can expect around 20k miles if you maintain the chain properly. The loss in acceleration is quite minor really.


So it's your call. Savings and durability... or slight performance gain and significant constant costs.



Also, 15-45 is what I run. It does make the bike a little bit more spry, with an almost un-noticable reduction in top speed (My bike still pushes to an indicated 150).

 

Also, if you do go 520, get the full chain tool and learn to do it yourself. Given the frequency of chain changes, the tool will pay for itself in just one year.

 

Good to know 530 it is. Is it worth the extra money for an X ring?

Is their any secret bit of knowlege that I should know about rear sprockets?

 

For sprockets in general:
Going down one in the front, equals roughly three up in the rear.

Aluminum doesn't last as long as steel, which lasts even less than titanium, heh. Good luck finding titanium sprockets for cheap.

http://sidewindersprockets.com/titanium_sprockets.html

They have them for about 150% the cost of good standard sprockets. never tried one, don't know about them. I may purchase some next time I get sprockets though. They also desperately need a new web page.

Chains and sprockets should be replaced together typically. Therefore if your chain can go for 20k, but the sprocket can only go 10k, you'll trash your chain alongside your sprocket at 10k.

The best setup I've found that I know is sturdy is the supersprox 530 rear steel/aluminum combo. Steel outer teeth, aluminum inner. The teeth go for 20k miles, and weighs less giving you a bit more spunk when it comes to acceleration. Gear down one in the front OR up two to three in the rear to get a lot of extra get up and go. Combining one down front two up rear will give you very noticeable acceleration gains, but... a lackluster top end and a decreased top speed. Plus mileage goes down.