Is A Bigger Or Smaller Sprocket Better

In fact, there is no standard answer to this question. Simply put, the small toothed disc (the back disc) is for pressing speed, while the large toothed disc is for explosive acceleration. If you want to adjust your transmission system, you have to remember the basic law in this line: generally speaking, changing to a smaller rear gear (or a larger front gear) can increase speed; Changing to a larger rear gear (or a smaller front gear) can increase acceleration. The specific choice depends entirely on whether you want to run the big straight or turn over stones in the woods today. Let me disassemble the difference between these two extreme settings:

Small Rear Teeth/Large Front Teeth-The So-Called “High Tooth Ratio”

Performance: Speed higher.
Best use: Open tracks, long straights, or when you feel that maintaining high-speed cruising is more important than starting seconds at traffic lights.
Cycling somatosensory: The engine speed is lower when driving at high speed, which is more calm.
Acceleration: Compared with “meat”, the throttle response is not so violent.

Large Rear Teeth/Small Front Teeth-The So-Called “Low Tooth Ratio”

Performance: fast speed, strong climbing torque.
Best use: Compact technical tracks, racing starts, or those with steep and rugged terrain.
Riding somatosensory: high speed, engine brake is obvious.
Extreme speed: Extreme speed will be greatly limited and will soon be over.

Understanding The Core Tradeoffs: Speed Vs. Acceleration

The essence of the gear ratio is to determine how the power of the engine is transmitted to the wheels.

For speed: You need a setting that makes the wheel speed faster relative to the engine speed (high gear ratio).
In order to accelerate: You need to amplify the torque to make the car more vigorous when starting at a standstill or over obstacles (low gear ratio).

In-Depth Talk About “High Gear Ratio” (Small Rear Teeth/Large Front Teeth)

This combination is called “Tall Gearing” in our jargon “. If you put a smaller back disk or a larger front disk, you’re actually optimizing the top speed of the machine.

In actual riding, a high gear ratio will keep the engine at a low speed during cruising. This setting is very comfortable on the highway, and the car will not shake your hands. But the disadvantage is also obvious: when you twist the throttle, that pulling feeling will become weaker.

This setting is most suitable for desert tension or open sections with long straights, where maintaining inertia is more important than explosive power at the moment of turning. However, I have to remind the sentence that although I went up at top speed, I would be tired from starting. You may need to cooperate more with semi-clutch to bring the car up smoothly. If it is an extremely steep technical climb, the car may seem very difficult.

In-Depth Talk About “Low Gear Ratio” (Large Rear Teeth/Small Front Teeth)

Conversely, the installation of a larger rear disk or a smaller front disk is a “Short Gearing”. This is the first choice for drivers who want instant dynamic response-such as motocross players.

This significantly increases the on-wheel torque of the rear wheels. The car can become very “grumpy” and sensitive. You have to be prepared to shift gears frequently, because you will eat up the power of each gear very quickly and then hit the speed limit .

The price is a huge sacrifice of extreme speed. On the big straight, you will find that the engine can’t get up even if it’s roaring at high speed. And when you release the throttle, there will be a very obvious engine brake, and the whole person will have a feeling of being pulled forward.

Key Precautions Before Retrofitting

Before you decide to place an order for a toothed disc, there are several practical problems at the mechanical level that I must emphasize, which are often overlooked by novices:

1. The influence of the front and rear toothed discs is not equal.
   The effect of the change of the front tooth plate is huge. The addition and subtraction of 1 tooth on the front toothed disc is approximately equivalent to the effect of adding and subtracting 3 to 4 teeth on the rear toothed disc.
   Rear toothed disc: suitable for fine adjustment. If you think the current speed is only a little short, then move the rear plate.
   Front gear plate: suitable for major changes. If you need a radical change in the character of the car, move the front plate again.
2. Chain length must match
   Changing the physical dimensions of the chainring changes the geometry of the drive train.
   Change to bigger: If you change a huge back gear plate for torque, your original chain is probably too short to buckle.
   Change to smaller: If you change small plates for speed, the chain will be loose, and you may have to cut off a few links to maintain the correct tension.
3. Durability and wear
   The size of the gear disc directly affects the life of the transmission system.
   Large toothed discs: usually wear out more slowly. Because there are more teeth, the pulling force exerted by the chain is spread over more teeth, and the force on a single tooth is less.
   Small toothed disc: more stress. In the same time, the number of teeth of the bite chain is less, and the wear rate will increase exponentially. Therefore, if space permits, I usually suggest that car owners who want to increase torque should give priority to increasing the rear gear instead of blindly reducing the front gear, so that your transmission kit can last longer.

Author： Alex Morgan

As a certified mechanic and avid motocross racer with over 14 years of track experience, I specialize in drivetrain tuning and performance optimization. I’m passionate about helping riders understand gearing ratios to strike the perfect balance between raw acceleration and top-end speed.