52T chainring. What does this mean?

hopper_rider

Pedelecer
Aug 22, 2012
194
0
This is something that is mentioned on various bike reviews. What does it mean? What is its significance?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
The T is the number of teeth on the chainring, more teeth for a given gear set means a higher gear, less a lower gear. 52 is on the large side, often found as the largest chainring on a road bike as part of a triple chainring set.
 

hopper_rider

Pedelecer
Aug 22, 2012
194
0
The T is the number of teeth on the chainring, more teeth for a given gear set means a higher gear, less a lower gear. 52 is on the large side, often found as the largest chainring on a road bike as part of a triple chainring set.
You mean how many teeth on the cog? A gear cog or the pedal cog?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Here's a chainwheel photo, it's the number of teeth that engage with the chain:




Those at the rear are called sprockets by convention, only the front ones called chainring or chainwheel.
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Last edited:

OxygenJames

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 8, 2012
2,593
1,041
Well yes and no. It changes how quickly you have to pedal to go the same speed. The higher the number of teeth means the higher the gear (the opposite of if you increase the teeth on cogs attached to the centre of the back wheel). This is called the cadence. The cadence is how fast you have to pedal. I like to pedal at around 65-70 rotations a minute. That suits me. So I have a chainwheel (front cog) of 46T to allow me to do that. If you like to pedal faster then get a chainwheel with less teeth.
 

Clockwise

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 28, 2013
438
53
A larger chainwheel allows you to pedal faster for the same effort? Yes?
Faster but with less torque so harder to go up hills/stiffer to pedal.

Is really all about ratios and finding the correct ones for you and where you cycle. Most people I know might have 21 or more gears but they tend to only use a couple of them, one for flat and one for hills. 52t paired with something like a 9t on the back is a common track bike lycra clad setup that gives a very high ratio which is more suited to a velodrome.

If you have had a mountain bike then it more than likely had one of these on 42t-32t-24t shimano crankset things, in physical terms it will be like being another gear above that but then you need to pair it with the correct back sprocket(s). If you find yourself using 52t front with something like 15t or more on the back then I would size down, the larger cogs flex a little and in the long run you end up with worse chain slack/wear/issues, if you are using it all tho it's good.

 

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