Effects of gearing on geometry
Posted: February 12th, 2011, 5:53 am
Coming for a roadbike/trackbike background, small changes in gearing make huge changes in performance. Just the same on a dirtbike. But I havent found any info on the gearing/geometry relationship.
As you bring the rear wheel in, say with a larger rear sprocket, you shorten the wheelbase. Allowing the bike to wheelie easier, but also turn in better. Also smaller sprockets, with a given chain length make the wheelbas longer, adding stability, but making the bike harder to turn?
One would be good for wide ass open dunes, the other for tight 1st gear singletrack. Also does anyone mess with the length of the fork tubes in the triples? A mm or 2 of raised height makes massive differences in the trackbike world, how about on the 500?
Ive got some really tight trails near my house and have been fooling the gear combo so that Im not constantly on the clutch. Im not a fan of the 13t sprocket. I think its too small and too tight for a motor with that much snap. Ive run a 14 with a 49,51 and I just got a 53 to try for today. All those changes got me thinking, with the chain Im running(116 links i think?) it pulls the wheel in pretty dam close, shortening the wheelbase and that would make it turn in better.
Thoughts? Sure I could run a 15x49 and cut the chain, but thats the easy way Does any of this tweak the big bikes turning?
As you bring the rear wheel in, say with a larger rear sprocket, you shorten the wheelbase. Allowing the bike to wheelie easier, but also turn in better. Also smaller sprockets, with a given chain length make the wheelbas longer, adding stability, but making the bike harder to turn?
One would be good for wide ass open dunes, the other for tight 1st gear singletrack. Also does anyone mess with the length of the fork tubes in the triples? A mm or 2 of raised height makes massive differences in the trackbike world, how about on the 500?
Ive got some really tight trails near my house and have been fooling the gear combo so that Im not constantly on the clutch. Im not a fan of the 13t sprocket. I think its too small and too tight for a motor with that much snap. Ive run a 14 with a 49,51 and I just got a 53 to try for today. All those changes got me thinking, with the chain Im running(116 links i think?) it pulls the wheel in pretty dam close, shortening the wheelbase and that would make it turn in better.
Thoughts? Sure I could run a 15x49 and cut the chain, but thats the easy way Does any of this tweak the big bikes turning?