Is sprocket even the right word? 😀 Had to use a translator for that word.
So since my son (10) upgraded his ride to a Mankind NSX XS, I will use his random stock bike from Decathlon. I don’t know if decathlon is a thing where you guys live. Calling it a Walmart bomber would probably be the best analogy.
We changed the front … Sprocket? … A while back because, as you know, these bike seem to have a little bit to big of a front sprocket and we couldn’t comfortably drop into the skate pool. But since it is now smaller and the back sprocket is now really big in comparison, we obviously screwed up the gear ratio and now i have to pedal like crazy and can’t go as fast anymore.
So now I want a smaller sprocket on the back wheel. Obviously it’s a cheap bike and not as easily modifiable. Is it even possible to change that piece? If so, what would I have to purchase? If not, what are my options to achieve my goal? Front sprocket has 24 or so teeth.
I’m thankful for any help as my son and I are pretty clueless with BMX tech.
Best regards.
by derEVU
3 Comments
Although you can replace the screw on freewheel, you won’t be able to replace it with a smaller toothed version as it won’t fit anyway. Those smaller freewheels only fit with a specific micro drive hub. Equally the very small rear drivers are a complete different system, a cassette hub which won’t work with your system either. Best bet get a new rear wheel, check out the massive sales right now. There’s a further issue there though and its modern freestyle bmx wheels are a larger axle, so frame modification will be required. The problems you’ve got is that the decathlon bike is really just a play bmx, it’s a toy and not a proper bmx, so very little of any of it is compatible with proper bmx parts.
It is called a freewheel and you can get a remover like this one from park tools: [https://www.parktool.com/en-us/product/freewheel-remover-fr-6](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/product/freewheel-remover-fr-6)
But like the other person said, you are limited with the teeth on a freewheel – 14t / 16t /18t usually. Won’t come close to matching the ratio you want with a 24t sprocket.
“we couldn’t comfortably drop into the skate pool” It sounds like the technique isn’t right. People used to drop in with 45t sprockets with massive guards on them that make them more of a 47t size in some cases. You aren’t suppose to drop in at a 90 degree angle to the ramp, but instead nearly parallel to the coping. In theory, as long as the sprocket isn’t close to touching the ground (which would be like a 80 tooth or something very unrealistic) it should not be a factor in dropping in (with correct form).