RADBMX.CO.UK
New School BMX 2004 - Now => New School Park, Street & Dirt => Topic started by: priv on March 16, 2008, 07:28 PM
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when and why did the micro gearing appear?
i was looking through a dirt mag fro 2005 and the sprockets were getting smaller,but not micro small.
was there any one "pro" who ran them and the masses followed?
priv
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i think odyssey might be to blame :-\
people went from the traditional 44/16 to 39/14 with flip flops
then odyssey made the 13 tooth freewheel
in the cassette game i think they might have been the first to go from the 13t cog to a 10 tooth "driver"
it might have been profile though :-\
i do remember reading when odyssey did something for jim celincky ( speling on that lol ) that profile had made something smaller at the same time
reasons were because people were sick of bending chainrings , having to use fat chains that rubbed frames and everything getting tooo heavy and chunky they started getting smaller , it was definitly about the same time people were starting to care about saving weight as once the chainring was out of the way there was no need for fat chains anymore and they didnt need to be 10mm thick either
i do remember that the 36/13 on a cassette held out for at least a few years before a smaller driver got the rings getting tiny
dont forget that kids were using small chainrings while still having a large cog out back
edwin delarosa made the small rings trendy on street while the hardcore where hanging onto the chunky stuff
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I think it became the norm on aftermarket stuff maybe 4-5 years ago cos it means you can drop in straight on a vert without catching the front sprocket and it also keeps the drivetrain out of the way for grinds etc. it also saves weight (less chain plus smaller cogs) and cassette hubs are servicable whereas freewheels aren't. i don't know why more racers don't take the idea up to get the weight down on their bikes too
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ever broken a chain ;)
less teeth means more strain and wear per tooth
imagine the force of pedalling going through 44/16 . each link and tooth getting distributed strain
half it to 22/8 and the force doesnt change ( after all you dont pedal and lighter ) but each link and tooth has to take twice as much strain as there is now half as many of them
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Course I've never broken a chain, I've never even broken a sweat :LolLolLolLol: :LolLolLolLol:
33 years old, unfit and with sparrow legs :LolLolLolLol:
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:)
ive probably explained it crap but george french did a better job years ago in his column for ride mag
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No, I know exactly what you mean but it hadn't even crossed my mind :)
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33 years old, unfit and with sparrow legs :LolLolLolLol:
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/n164/snav69/ostrich.jpg)
Or
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/n164/snav69/bald_chicken.jpg)
:2funny: :2funny: :2funny:
You know i luvs ya' really Mark ??? :-*
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Bugger off Warrington :P
:LolLolLolLol:
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:knuppel2: :2gunsfiring_v1:
:2funny:
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Luv ya really Mr Atherton, I know you're from Wigan :daumenhoch: :LolLolLolLol:
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MR Atherton :tickedoff:
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/c19/kjforst/joked-dot-com-angry-kid.jpg)
But then again it is my sunday name and it is sunday
(http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n164/snav69/shrek_cat-1.jpg)
:2funny:
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talk about thread hijacking?
all i need now is laz or performer to start a massage onslaught :2funny:
priv
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:) Referring to the point made by Nouseforaname-I run a 36/13 set up on my race bike,but mostly because I think that smaller sprockets look good.When I actually race I`ll either change to 44/16 or 39/14 as I keep snapping chains out of the gate.A lot of youngsters just run micro gearing because they see big name riders doing it.Not a dig at the kids-I know I copied what "the pros"had when I was that age..
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The Quadangle tested in BMXA in the 80's had 39-15 gearing so micro gearing started way back 8)
:) DINGO :)
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i forgot he put it up on his site , i also forgot e went on about elephants lol
http://gsport.kishmish.com/tech/super_small_gears.php
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Scary stuff... I'm running 47/17 from now on ::)
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shouldnt be toooo much of a problem if we use decent chains and keep an eye on them , keep them lubed and clean
just gotta remember a chain takes all your weight so dont expect it to last forever , just make a mental note or even write it down how old the chain is and how much use its had and change it periodically
if you want to go smaller for aestetics go for a stronger/heavier chain
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I've been running 33/12 on my race bike for about 4 or 5 years now and I've never broken a chain, I do stretch them, but I replace them every few months. KMCs are all you need, better than that Shimano junk. I've bent and cracked a few chain rings though, my ti Profile one more or less exploded. I'd like to think I have fair bit of power out of the gate, so for normal weekend racers snapping chains shouldnt be a problem with that ratio.
When I look at my 99 Ripper I raced before my standard the 44/16 seems huge. I think this looks about right (I know the chain is loose in the picture). I can still drop into a ramp with it too.
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v703/flying_fox/standard0307005.jpg)
The trend in racing now is getting much bigger up front. I think Betcher was running a 49 or something silly. I dont personally like the look of it though.
If anyone has seen my nephew Matt's race bike they'll know what a real micro gearing looks like, I think it runs a 23/9. it's too spinny for an adult, but he's only 7. He had the choise of micro or not, he wanted a micro as he thought it looked cool. If anyone's going to Burnham check it out, there's only a fag papers width between the chain and the bolt that holds the ring to the crank arm (it was an utter bitch to set up too).
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cool , i like the look of that :)
are the bigger rings being used with road bike cranks ?
you have to ask yourself is £10 each 6 months worth of riding worth saving your balls :)
i hate the look of modern racers , whats wrong with chromoly tubes !?
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Lots of people use DXR cranks and stuff like that on race bikes these days, mtb style more than road I'd say. I like Profile cranks, they look BMX for a start and they do the magic 177 length.
I'm with you on the look of most modern race bikes, I'm 100% cromo me. Mine's a race bike, but you don't look like a disco dancer in the skatepark on it.
Each to their own though...
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ah i only ask as i just read that way back brian foster used dura ace which are road , i thought they might be going back to that kinda set up
im waiting for all these kids to start realising their light street bikes are quick and they start racing each other to the rails lol
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At what point does gearing become micro gearing?, 39 is mentioned in this thread, is this micro? I'm fairly sure that ultra and pro burners had 40 chain rings.
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I'm fairly sure that ultra and pro burners had 40 chain rings.
If I remember correctly burners up to the Cromo burner had 40t chain rings. the Cromo and AP had 44t...
My first BMX was a Cromo, please don't shoot me!
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id say anything smaller than what can be used properly on a freewhel so about 12/30ish
but even that isnt reallllly "micro" when there is 22/8
i dont think it was a case of profile turning up with a titanium 8tooth driver while the world was using 44/16 , it was a case of them getting smaller over a few years ( well i say few probably more like 5 as 36/13 was around in 2003 lol ) oh how time flies :(
sadly what with gsports new ratchet hub and quality cheap chains the classic 44/16 might be nearly dead ( except for racing but those bikes are soo far removed from other styles of riding now they are going the way of the flatland bike ) it wont be long before the chain issues , zero maintainance needed on a freewheel and cheapness arnt decent excuses anymore and we only see the 44/16 on our old bikes
fret not though , profile are still used in mountainbikng so larger chainrings wont suddenly disappear and as long as there are people using single speeds there will be a demand for shimano/acs/white industries to make freewheels :)
hubs im not too sure about , recently tried getting a flip flop hub :-\
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I'm old school but much prefer the look of a n/s bike with small gearing. When I look at old school bikes its the chain wheel that jumps out at me they just look huge, i rode a 44 in the nineties and was always cracking my ankle on it.
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they were always eating my jeans :2funny:
there was a time when you could tell another rider by the rip on their right leg
as im sure youl all know by now im very into old fords too and i was reading a copy of classic ford a few years ago and there was a pic of retro dave ( dave colledge ) who runs retro ford ( not the mag but converson parts for putting zetecs and duratecs into escorts and the like ) i noticed he had a ripped jean leg and insantly thought RIDER
sure enough at the classic ford show at the pod he turned up in his van with his escort on the A frame , opened the back and pulled out a hoffman taj then jumped on it and rode around the trade stands 8)
on more than a few occasions i would get caught and inevitably lean to the side i couldnt put my leg out :-[
a lot of the frames suit large rings as the height of the toptube would look huge with a 22 ???
about time for some pics
these frames look larger due to the tiny rings
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/y165/imperry/IMGP1256.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/y165/imperry/somebikepics008.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/y165/imperry/dannybike1.jpg)
i had a 28/10 on my blackbike years ago and really couldnt imagine smaller as the toptube is really high on those compared to the really new frames
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/y165/imperry/blackbikeside_lg.jpg)
a smallish frame makes this look huge , but still kinda cool
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/y165/imperry/family_aida.jpg)
but this one looks just sooo right
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/y165/imperry/bikeee.jpg)
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Yeah, Ive been caught up in big chain rings a few times, Horrible feeling when you know your gonna crash and there's not a thing you can do coz your locked to your bike.
Some lovely bikes there.
Sean Burns runs massive chain wheel says it gives him more power!
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talk about thread hijacking?
all i need now is laz or performer to start a massage onslaught :2funny:
priv
I can honestly say i've never massaged a man before Greg.
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Just fitted this Colony 30t with a 13t at the rear on my son's Hoffman 16incher, should stop him hitting the coping was 34-14 before
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/m219/cazbo71/PICT0007-1.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/m219/cazbo71/PICT0004-9.jpg)
My T-NEZ running 30-11
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/m219/cazbo71/PICT0003-4.jpg)
My wife's Cruiser running 33-15 was on 41-17, but I think this looks better
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/m219/cazbo71/PICT0001-5.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/m219/cazbo71/PICT0002-4.jpg)
I run 39-14 on my race bikes, mainly because I cant afford a cass hub for the rear :'(
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i run 28 /10 used to run a shadow chain but snapped that about 6 times
now use the khe pro collaspe .never had a prob yet with it
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is it actually breaking the plates or are the plates pulling away from the pins ?
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is it actually breaking the plates or are the plates pulling away from the pins ?
it was just shattering when i did feebles
i peg right side but run lhd
but the khe one is the nuts as smashed it many a times
and still strong as ever
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This is my nephew Matt's race bike I was talking about. Gearing as micro as you can get! It just wouldnt look the same with a 41 on it.
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v703/flying_fox/mattsbrew001.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v703/flying_fox/mattsbrew003.jpg)
*I know the bike isnt cleaned to the 'rad standard', but he's going to use it this weekend at Burnham, so there's no point in polishing it..
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i like the "seats" on those , i bet they weigh nothing :)
looks damn cool
does it need a chris king though :P ;)
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does it need a chris king though :P ;)
Yes. As much as it needs profile hubs, ti axles, xtr breaks, and so on and so on..... ;)
Thats my nephews bike, you wait til my own son is big enough to get on a bmx. :daumenhoch:
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your just 2 rad miles.
I've been a micro gear user on crowsers now for 5 years or so.
Never had any problems and with me using my crowser for everything, race, trails, sk8parks. no clearance issues.
25-11 is the new 41-18 for crowsers guys.
heres 1 of me old crowser:- (i'll get an up to date 1 for those interested)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/e385/sutty24incher/sm.jpg)
sutty
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a smallish frame makes this look huge , but still kinda cool
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/y165/imperry/family_aida.jpg)
That's just one of those bikes I love when I see them...