BMX - Upgrading into A Smaller Drivetrain

hey,i've only been riding for 2 years and i want to get a smaller drivetrain on my bike,its pretty big and the size of the sprocket is a real pain in the ***.i'll tell you the truth i really never knew much about my bike it was just to get on it and to ride.Actually,i know a bit,just i don't know much about the drivetrain and sprocket.
i never had problems with my sprocket and that but its really big.So what do i have to do,too upgrade this into a smaller drivetrain?And i'm not a noob,i just never really learn about how to fix/upgrade my bike,just got on it and started to ride......so now i'm takin my time to learn ,how to fix things and how to change stuff...

44-16, 41-15, 39-14, 36-13, 33-12, 30-11, 28-10, 25-9 and thanks to the new Primo Cassete 23-8

those are the ratios...wohooo

My bike is currently 44-16,if i change the size would it change the "resistince" of pedaling?

wat do u think is the best one to go with?

Do you have a freewheel, or a cassette hub? If you have a freewheel, you're limited as to how small you can go in back. By "Resistance", you're wanting to know if it gets any harder to pedal? You can keep the same ratio, or change it to suit your riding.

My Bike Has The following(i dont know much,at least im tryin)....:Sprocket 44t,Freewheel ACS Main Drive 16t,all i really wana do is to make the sprocket smaller since its so big,and i grind both ways,so it gets in the way,and yes it sounds weird.

If you have a flip flop hub you can run a smaller free-wheel.. I think the smallest one is a 13t so the smallest sprocket your going to be running with it is 36t. But I'm assuming you dont have a flip-flop hub so your best bet if you are real serious about it is to get a cassette hub..

So Wut Shood I Do? i dont want to pay "top dolla" either i juss wanna have a smaller sprocket the cheapiest way but i want it to last which is impossible but i'll look around once i no wat i need

You're pretty limited if you want to keep a similar gear ratio AND you don't have a f/f rear hub. Smallest you can go in the rear is 15 (and there's only ONE freewheel that will fit, the rest are for f/f hubs) which, unless you want to pedal super fast and go nowhere, limits you to about 39t in the front, no smaller. 36/15 would be an acceptable ratio for most riders, but you will be pedaling faster with less resistance than you are now.

what would be good....like i would love to have it nice and small but have good resistance so i wouldn't have to beat myself out just to hit a few jumps and that.i probaly consider getting a cassette hub...so this what im trying to say,i want a small sprocket,but i also want to have a bit of resistance so i wouldnt have to pedal twice as hard.whAt do you think is best?-ill get a hub..

39/15

is it small? and wood i have my resistance? any wood i need a cassette hub?

dont go lower then 30-11....its just not a good idea

and for refference
a flip-flop hub will get you either a- 44-16, 41-15,39-14 or 36-13
Cassette hub will get you those and all the others....and cassettes are stronger
THE SMALLER THE SPROCKET = Less life and more wear and tear

Smaller Sprockets Mean less Life?? and cood u make up your own? like example:39 12 ?

this is a wicked cassette hub http://www.staff-bmx.com/store/hubsaxls/prof-miniSScass_n.html

you can make up any ratio you want, ive rode with 39-16/39-14/39-13/39-12/30-12/30-11/. Ask your local bike shop to replace your freewheel in the back to a lower gear ratio. No need to buy a new sprocket.

http://www.danscomp.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?action=DETAIL&item=461003

BMX drivetrains rarely die of old age, they're more likely to die violently. Don't worry yourself over wear issues, you're not a roadie putting 1000mi/mo on his stuff. It'll last a good long time.

If you want to figure out drive ratios, just put the massive processing power of your computer to the task of dividing the number of teeth in the front sprocket by the number of teeth in the rear. 44/16=2.75. This is a relative ratio, not absolute, but we don't care because you're not comparing bikes with different wheel sizes and crank arm lengths. So...the higher this relative ratio is, the HARDER it will be to pedal. 39/15=2.6, which is slightly smaller, but functionally very close. 39/12=3.25, very high. Generally you want to stay in between 2.0 (which is a very easy gear, pretty much only flatlanders use gearing this low) and 3.0 (very hard, almost too high to be really useful).

Yo Every1 What Did You Find Was Your best,BEST gearing??Right Now I Got 44-16 its a lil hard so i want to lower it,so i shood ask my bike shop to make the back a lil smaller like 15?wood this make it a lil easier to pedal and can i do this without purchasin a hub?? and thanks every1 for takin the time to help me understand this...

28/10 on the S&M (all-purpose screwing around bike), 25/11 on the Quamen (flatland bike with Nankai freecoaster).

If you want something really small you willl need to buy a new hub.. But you really dont need it.. I know plenty of people that grind both sides that dont have super small sprockets.

If I Get A Smaller DriveTrAin By Changing the Hub,My Resistance Would Change Right?39-14 or a 36-13 or 33-12. 33 -12 is about far as i'd go.

the ratios are all very close to 44-16...you probly wont notice it at all....


unless your off the ratios then you will...

39-14

JMC is 39-14 Have a Small Sprocket?

is 39-14 have a small sprocket? And Is It Pretty Much The Same Resistance? i wanna learn a good few things bout my bike so i could do upgrades...

not really but its STRONG mate.
u could probably get a 14t driver for your current hub, and get a thick 39t, not the thin, stupid ones. the bearings are big enough to be strong as all get out.

I Got A 44t-16t drivetrain,im gonna buy a new sprocket 39t,would my bike shop be able to make the FREEWHEEL down to a 14t? I No,that i need a 39t sprocket,but will i need a cassette hub? cood i just change the freewheel??Ratios:FROM 44-16 To 39-14.

is this a good sprocket for 39-14? http://www.staff-bmx.com/store/sprockets/animal-lite-spkt_n.html

JMC is 39-14 Have a Small Sprocket?
smaller then 44....but not super small....


36-13 and 30-11 are probly the best ratios.....

i probaly go with 36-13 caz its small but not too small,wat do i need to make my drivetrain to this? i need a 36t Sprocket,Do I need a Cassette Hub?plz tell me exactly and be pacific....thanks.

i probaly go with 36-13 caz its small but not too small,wat do i need to make my drivetrain to this? i need a 36t Sprocket,Do I need a Cassette Hub?plz tell me exactly and be pacific....thanks.
you dont kneed a cassete hub.but your going to need a flip-flop hub....and Odyssey makes a 13T freewheel and they work great (i have one) and a 36T sprocket...

but Cassetes do have 13T cogs...so if you have to buy a new wheel...get a cassete...like Odyssey or Macneil and or Primo if you have the money...

thanks i understand it,1 last question with 36-13 do u feel like your over pedalin or do u have resistance?

http://www.staff-bmx.com/store/freewheels/ody_n.html there it is. RHD?

yeah thats it...just make sure you get RHD...unless you want your sprocket on the Left which you would only want if you run pegs on the right.....and even then you dont need it

Yo man Thanks for helpin Me out and i wanna know to you have to over pedal with your ratio?36-13? and your sprocket is small right

for the 100 time...yes the sprocket is smaller....and NO YOUR NOT GOING TO NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE!

I Wonder Wat 25-9 gearing is like?

25-9 will feel like 44-16

25-9 will feel like 44-16


I edited your post. Please... no name calling.

Koffee Brown

Forum Moderator

All The Ratios Feel The Same>>>thats Why There Are Ratios>>>so The Are The Same You Wont Notice Any Difference With The Exception Of The Size Of The Sprocket And Cog/freewheel!!!!

hmmmmm..but yea....the animal sprockets good...there are better...but its good

I edited your post. Please... no name calling.

Koffee Brown

Forum Moderator


i called him a jerk. read his posts, i should call him worse things.

i called him a jerk. read his posts, i should call him worse things.

And that's not acceptable. You're entitled to your opinion, you just can't resort to name calling. End of story.

please. lock. thread. now.

we ride 20" wheels bro. BMX, we are like the rebels of the cycling world. we have to talk ****.

Get a tree sprocket. Stop asking questions, they have been answered. The ratios in I believe the first respsonse will all work pretty well. It seems you have decided on 36-13. It's a good ratio, it's a good size. It's what I will run.. It will pretty much feel like 44-16. You will need a flip flop hub or a cassette.. Ask around, check craigslist, check ebay.. shop around if you dont have the money. I know friends that have great bikes, small drive trains included and dont have much money at all, you just have to be smart about what you are doing. but seriosuly, go with 36-13 and stay with it.. no more resistance questions.

we ride 20" wheels bro. BMX, we are like the rebels of the cycling world. we have to talk ****.

Actually, the fixie/singlespeed guys are the true rebels. No sponsors, no famous riders, no product endorsements. To the rest of the world, BMX is still just kid's bikes. Time to get over your bad self. :D

I agree with that.

When the Mountain Dew generation ripped BMX out of our hands and splashed it on every TV screen and product wrapper it ceased to be either fringe sport or respectable pastime. Just ride.