Any options to pedal easier.

O

oldpot

New Member
ok i have having a little problem getting to the point that it is getting a little bit hard to pedal and get up speed to pop the clutch on my bike
,its ok on the level/slight incline but smallest of hills from a standing start its hard without getting my butt of the seat and not wobble the bike to get going again is there way to change the
front sprocket to a smaller one, so its easy to pedal and get it going ,its a one piece crank front sprocket
and the chain tensioner is on the pedal side (i bought the bike like that )or change the one piece crank altogether or
can you just change the sprocket on a one piece crank? if so what size sprocket ?or change the chain tensioner to the other size , i was thinking centrifugal clutch but the cost of it and wide pedals i cannot do at the moment and there not 100% what i read as well,plus i still a novice and dunno how to install one , so any ideas ???, i was thinking about swopping all my engine kit etc to a new 7 speed cruiser i just got and use that as its got gears and hope be easier to pedal? but was using that to use as normal bike until next year and do another kit or 4stroke?
heres the chain tensioner on the pedal side
 
Oldpot,Sounds like Ya need to grease Yer bearings in wheel hub,check Your clutch ADJ,tire pressure...if She is getting harder to pedal gradually..and yes Ya can replace front sprocket
on pedal side..will have to shorten the chain some..and clean both chains and relube..
 
ty 60 weight ,i will check them but the bike been the same since i got it it feels like when i start pedaling say 4/5 gear on my other 7 speed cruiser i got for normal biking and want it to be about 1-3 gear (if you know what i mean ) just to make me easier to pedal on a small hill and standing start , where i use to live was ok all flat and no issue but we moved and now i feel the difference in just a slight hill at my age (52)and wondering if a smaller front sprocket will help, if so where can i get a replace front sprocket for a one piece crank and what size will be best.?
 
Yes you can easily change the front sprocket smaller for easier pedaling. I often source them from kids bikes which are cheap and plentiful.
A multi-speed rear rim is also doable with some framestay spreading.
 
ty maniac57 , i just wonder what size would be best its a 44 sprocket now i got on and thing 18 on the back ,and grandkids have some old bikes i could have a look at (2-3 year old bikes )or if come to it buy one ?.
 
i run 36t sprockets on all my street bikes. they're readily available for one piece cranks from any bike shop or online for around 10 bucks.

you'll need a chain tool to shorten the chain, or do it the caveman way with a grinder, punch or a nail.

take off the chain, remove the left pedal and the bottom bracket by turning them clockwise 'cause they have left hand threads, then turn and pull the crank out.

the nut/race holding the sprocket on is normal threads. easiest way to loosen it is to clamp the nut in a vice and use the crank arm for leverage.

take off the old sprocket and put the new one on, aligning the pin on the crank with the hole in the sprocket. their universal so don't worry about getting the wrong size.

tighten the nut back up, clean and regrease everything, install the bearings balls in, and put it all back together. you don't want any play in the bottom bracket so make sure it's adjusted right.

shorten the chain and get rid of the tensioner.

you'll be pedaling easy in no time.

for any bicycle related how to's, google "sheldon brown" or the park tool website.
 
maniac57 said:
Yes you can easily change the front sprocket smaller for easier pedaling. I often source them from kids bikes which are cheap and plentiful.
A multi-speed rear rim is also doable with some framestay spreading.
Click to expand...
x2 On my cruiser I swapped to a 36? front from a schwinn aerostar kids bike at a garage sale for $10 It made soooo much of a difference from a stop. I can kick start it now holding it up too. Plus a complete bike to use parts from. It did not take long to do, and was not difficult. Kids bikes sell cheap at garage sales. What's up with the tensioner on the pedal side? You will have to shorten the chain after swapping.
bairdco types faster than turnofftheradio :)
 
These answers above are exactly what I did with my beach cruiser. I replaced the stock front chainring with a smaller one that I took of a small kid's bike.

It made things easier.

I'll stress what bairdco said about putting the crank bearings back in correctly. Ball side in. If you put them in backwards, you crush the cage.

Anyone care to guess how I know this? :)

Remember: cage side out, ball side in.
 
ty all again for your input looks like i have a look around for a 36t then and shorten the chain will i need the tensioner back on?, or will i have to put that on the engine side chain? or will it run without ,again this bike been set up like this when i got it so i no needed to mess with it yet until now and i still learning stuff .
 
Depends on your chain lengths. The ideal setup would be NO tensioner on either side, but if you MUST use one, it's better on the pedal side.(Much less stress)
Some bikes will allow this, some will not. You just have to try it to see.
 
You've got a single speed with a one piece crank, right? If so, then that'll work.

Does it have fewer teeth than the one you have on your bike now? That'll make for easier starts from a dead stop.

One more caution comes to mind; don't go too small. I put a granny gear on mine once, thinking that it would make my startups smoother. But it was overkill.
 
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