changing cranks
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
changing cranks
Hello, I have a trek 7.3, yhis bike comes with a 49/39/ something, crank. It is possible to change the crank to a 50 or 52 crank in order to get more speed? is this makes sense or is stupid thing to do? I mean, are bicycles designed in a way you canīt do these kind of things and the bike can be damaged?
best regads
best regads
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Bikes: BiknBrian brand custom 26 inch commuter trekker, Cannondale F600 Single Speeded MTB, Nashbar Cro-Mo CX, some other bikes and parts that could be made into bikes.
Once you figure out what BCD you need, you can just get a new chainring. Search for BCD here and try a search of sheldonbrown.com for BCD, there should be a way to measure the hole spacing. I have a guide that came with a bash guard which lets you easily determine the spacing. Then just order a new chainring and adjust your front derailer up a bit. The whole process is quite easily done by anyone who works on bikes.
#3
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,811
Likes: 0
From: Northern Nevada
Easy to do and very common. As the other post said, you may have to readjust the front derailleur--if it's set up properly now, there may not be enough clearance for a larger ring. You might have to install a longer chain, too (there's probably enough slack in the old one, taken up by the rear derailleur, but it's a possibility). Any bike repair book can tell you how to do it, or check www.parktool.com.
A gain of one to three teeth, from 49 to 50 or 52, isn't a lot, though. You might think about swapping the cassette instead, from a 13-26 or whatever you have now to something like a 12-24 or 11-23 (I'm guessing at the specific numbers because I've never, EVER needed higher gears--I've been engaged in a 10-year quest for lower ones). That would be essentially a bolt-on, and cassettes are available everywhere.
A gain of one to three teeth, from 49 to 50 or 52, isn't a lot, though. You might think about swapping the cassette instead, from a 13-26 or whatever you have now to something like a 12-24 or 11-23 (I'm guessing at the specific numbers because I've never, EVER needed higher gears--I've been engaged in a 10-year quest for lower ones). That would be essentially a bolt-on, and cassettes are available everywhere.
Last edited by Velo Dog; 12-03-07 at 11:17 PM.
#4
Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 30,225
Likes: 649
From: St Peters, Missouri
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Putting a Ferrari transmission into a Yugo won't give you a 150 MPH Yugo. Changing gears on your bike won't make you faster unless you've got the legs to turn it.
#5
.


Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 12,769
Likes: 38
From: Rocket City, No'ala
Bikes: 2014 Trek Domane 5.2, 1985 Pinarello Treviso, 1990 Gardin Shred, 2006 Bianchi San Jose
Hello, I have a trek 7.3, yhis bike comes with a 49/39/ something, crank. It is possible to change the crank to a 50 or 52 crank in order to get more speed? is this makes sense or is stupid thing to do? I mean, are bicycles designed in a way you canīt do these kind of things and the bike can be damaged?
best regads
best regads
#6
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Thanks very much for the answers, I am noy very familiar with this yet. I guess is not worthit to do this, Is probably better to sell this bike and uograde to a faster bike in the near future. Sirrus comp or Jamis Allegro 1 look like a very nice options.




