nycballer0591

Is There a way to make my bike faster? its a huffy tempas 26 inch mtb. i know i'm not gonna keep it forever but i want to make it faster . is there anyway i can make it faster ? i know the term its not the bike its the engine but i'm not a slow rider but i want to go faster. 2 weeks ago i bought some slicks and they make it easier to pedal faster. also i have the normal pedals that came with the bike but is there anything better ?

OLDYELLR

Trade if for a road bike.

Just kidding. I've been dropped by a really good rider on a MTB before. Remember, a bike is 90% motor and 10% chassis.

masiman

Best speed increase is with tires as you have done, thinner and higher pressure will have less rolling resistance.

The next cost effective thing to do is to check that your rotating parts are well lubed and in good order (hubs, bottom bracket, chain, derailleur pulleys and freewheel). After that, look to getting lighter parts, first would be rims. At that point however, you are better off saving your money for a performance oriented bike (road or mtb).

Also check your position on the bike. Faster will mean your handlebars are lower than your saddle. You want your back to be flat or close to it. But don't sacrifice comfort for the position. You need to be able to ride for hours around the position.

ken cummings

I had a problem getting info on your bike googling. If it is an under $99.00 model you will be looking at an upgrade sooner than later. If you want to go much faster on road, a road bike is indicated. Keep the Huffy for off-road. There are better pedals but for the price of a high end shoe/pedal combination you could get a good entry level road bike.

nycballer0591

i adjusted the seat a little higher the other day so i bet the handle bars are lower than the saddle. and i guess i will start saving up for a new bike . but from what i heard road bikes lose tire pressure alot so i will get an air pump also.

nycballer0591

hmm heres a pic of the bike

concernicus

this thread is bogus

cs1

You mean it took someone this long to figure that out.

Tim

nycballer0591

what are u trying to say ?

poopncow

Do you really want to take that risk w what may be a 15 yo kid that saves up $ to buy his own bike?

FlatTop

Have you thought about changing gearing? What you have now is intended for offroad, geared low on purpose because offroad demands that. If you switch to a set of rear sprockets that have a lower tooth count on the smallest couple of sprockets, you might be able to squeeze a little more speed out of your MTB.

Geez, I hope I got that right. Try reading here: https://sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

nycballer0591

ok i read it and it seems a little complicated so what sprockets should i get that will make me faster ? i mean give me some names. and its not a mouintain bike b/c the site says its a atb. i never heard of those b4 also its a 15 speed bike.

nycballer0591

soo i guess nobody wants to respond oh well.

dalmore

Hi James,

Concentrate on pedaling at a higher cadence. If you can get comfortable pedalling constantly at 100 or so rotations per minute - any bike you ride will be faster.

Something else you can do is to work on your aerodynamic postion on the bike - At high speeds 70-80 percent or more of the energy you expend pedalling is overcoming air resistance. This means you want to get a small as possible with respect to frontal area. Crouch over close to the handlebars ...

operator

All you need to do is get narrower tires. That's the biggest. Then it's more positioning on the bike. Then comes the new bike.

nycballer0591

ok dalmore i will try pedaling at a higher cadence and i will work on my aerodynamic position on my bike since normally i ride sitting upright. also operator i have slicks on it now. and what narrow tires do u reccommend ? and i am planning on getting a new bike for my next birthday. any reccommendations for bikes under $400 ?

masiman

Try to save your money. Your current bike is probably not worth the extra money you are talking about putting into it. Do the free/cheap things (position and overhaul). Pick up a few tools for the wrenching you will be doing. Stick with the name brand tools Park and Pedros or even the Performance tools for some of them (a little cheaper).

This is the Mechanics forum. Figure out what type of riding you want to do (road, mountain, etc). When you figure out what type of riding you want to do, hang out and ask your question in those forums. If you don't know start in the recreational forum. You can get bikes specifically for the riding you will be doing such as road racing, mountain, cyclocross, touring. Otherwise, there is the hybrid, comfort, recreational route. Find a friend or someone you trust to help you find a good used bike of whatever type you are looking for. You will save alot and get much more than you can for $400 in a new bike.

poopncow

Stop thinking about it, it is not worth the trouble. Ride, enjoy, train to be stronger and spin faster. Save your money for a better used bike. Upgrading part by part is not cost effective, and the truth is that your bike is not the bike to spend ANY money on. Instead of making the bike faster, make yourself faster, you are the motor! Enjoy riding it and look forward to your birthday!

Until then, keep things well lubricated and the tires inflated to the right air pressure.

pelotonracer

Simply put, with that bike, no.

If you are serious about the sport, save up some money or beg your parents, & get a entry-level road bike- about $7-800