Dumb question

[backpedaler]

i'm planning on replacing the sprocket on one of my new walmart stingrays with an original stingray, either lucky 7 or mag. i see choices of 36 tooth or 44 tooth. i haven't opened a box yet so i don't know what's on it now. the wheel i'm putting on the back has a 22 tooth sprocket. it's a 2007 greyghost 3 speed w/coaster brake setup.

??

what diff does it make - chain length??????

?????? :?: :?:

 

[CCR]

it should have a 44t on it

my grey ghost repop was a sturmey archer 5 speed w a lever activated drum brake (the grip shifter window onlys 1-3 when in first, but its had 5 speeds). the repop mag sprockets are 44t, goin to a 36t youd hafta shorten the chain unless theres enough room in the rear to take the slack out.

with the 44 you can go faster but its harder to pedal, 36 is easier to pedal but you go slower than the same pace with 44t.
if you gotta 5 speed i dont recommend puttin the 36 on it, 1st gear is super low geared.

on the single speed walmart stingray if you went to a 36t it would be easier to pedal, but youd hafta pedal like crazy to keep up with someone else on the same bike without changin the sprocket.

if you dont care bout speed but wanna make hills easier buy a 36t, if you want to keep the same speed and hafta pedal harder on hills get the 44t

 

[backpedaler]

you're right - mine IS a 5 speed - i don't know what i wasn't thinking

i'll go for the 44t mag style - thanks for the info.

 

[CCR]

both the wal-mart stingray and the grey ghost repop should already have that sprocket on em already. looks like ya might want to wait til christmas when theyre open to be sure tho :wink:

 

[backpedaler]

i kinda wanted to put an earlier mag sprocket on it. they're shaped alittle different and not that cheap looking flat stamping.
?

 

[CCR]

i didnt pay too much attention to the wallymart stingrays stamping, but i get ya

 

[TornadoDave]

AAAaaakkkk! I can't believe I'm answering a post about Wal-Mart Schwinns.... but hey, it's Christmas!

Changing the front sprocket is probably a good idea. I saw one of these bikes yesterday that had a front sprocket bent like a Pringles Potatoe chip. The owner told me that his older brother (a quite large kid) had bent it whilst trying to accellerate rapidly. Exactly how this happened, I do not know... but I did see the bike, and the sprocket is twisted to all heck.

It was rather easy to swap out the ruined sprocket with an old 44t out of my parts box. (I THINK the one I put on it came from a '60's vintage Sears Stingray-clone, but I'm not sure. ) I DID notice that the 44T had very little clearance with the frame, so it is unlikely that anything larger would fit.

I also had to lengthen the chain by a few links.... and discovered that the chain that came on the bike is a little different than a standard chain, so the extra links I had in my box would not work. I wound up tossing the chain and putting on a different one from a junker bike.

As far as teeth go..... stick with a 44T unless the bike is going to be ridden by a very little kid. With the 36T, the rider will pedal and pedal and go virtually nowhere.