How Bike Gears Work and Pedaling Resistance | Beach Bikes

Understanding bicycle gears is not that complicated some cruiser bikes are much easier to pedal than others. When a bike is easy to pedal, it is because there is less resistance being placed on the chain when the rider is pedaling. Just because a bike is easy to pedal, doesn't necessarily mean it is better, different situations call for different resistance levels. I'll explain how resistance is created and why having more or less resistance is important depending on the type of riding you are doing.

What really dictates the difficulty of pedaling is the configuration of the rear sprocket to the front chainwheel. The rear sprocket and the front chainwheel have teeth on them, these teeth are what hold the chain in place when a rider is pedaling.

If the rear sprocket or front chainwheel are larger they will have more teeth, if smaller they will have fewer teeth. The size ratio of rear sprocket to front sprocket will dictate the amount of resistance created, in turn determining how easy or hard it is to pedal the bike.

-(Configuration A) If the rear sprocket is big (high amount of teeth) and the front chainwheel is small (low amount of teeth) there will be less resistance and the bike will be easy to pedal. (Great for going up hills)

-(Configuration B) If the rear sprocket is small (low amount of teeth) and the front chainwheel is big (high amount of teeth) there will be more resistance and the bike will be hard to pedal. (Great for more speed)

-(Configuration C) If the rear sprocket and front chainwheel are similar in size, it will create a mid-range/neutral gear.

The way the rear sprocket and front chainwheel are configured is very important to a bike. This is what creates speeds on 7, 10, 15, 21 and 27 speed bicycles. When a bike has gears, in first gear the chain rests on the large rear sprocket. As a rider shifts to a higher gear the chain moves down to a smaller sprocket, creating more resistance and making it harder to pedal. First gear is always the best for going up hill and the higher gears are always best for achieving more speed. Cruisers also come with multiple gears, and if you'd like to have the ability to pedal with different resistance during your rides, then having gears is the answer. This will allow the rider to switch from minimal resistance, easy pedaling, to high resistance, hard to pedal, during riding.

For a single speed cruiser bike the hard part is to find the perfect configuration because the rider will only have one gear. The one gear can't have too much resistance or else the rider won't be able to go up hills, and it also needs some resistance so riders can generate at least a fair amount of speed while riding. That is when it is up to the bike company to determine what they believe to be the perfect setup. Cruiser riders want something easy to pedal so they can ride effortlessly but they also want to be able to go up hills and pick up the speed if need be. All single speed beach cruisers have different configurations. Figuring out how much resistance and how hard you want to pedal while riding is totally your choice. Sixthreezero cruiser bikes has coined the term "Smooth Cruise Configuration" for the size ratio of the rear sprocket to front chainwheel they've created. They claim it is the best setup for a beach cruiser, with the perfect balance of resistance, making hills easy, cruising enjoyable, and speed attainable when needed. Click here to view their models.

In addition to the rear sprocket and front chainwheel, the crank also has an impact on how easy or hard a bike is to pedal.

Most beach cruiser bikes feature a one piece crank, which is pictured above. One piece means the crank is entirely one piece. This is a standard style of crank for cruisers and does provide a nice ride. It is generally good for single speed bikes because riders don't need a high performance crank. However, some higher end cruiser models do have 3-piece cranks and it does make for a smoother ride. The benefit of a 3-piece crank is it will turn a little smoother thus making the bike easier to pedal. With that said, we believe one piece cranks are great for cruisers and if the rear sprocket and front chainwheel configuration is good, the bike should pedal well.

To answer the question are some beach cruisers easier to pedal than others, the answer is yes. When choosing a bike first figure out what kind of riding you are going to do and then ask yourself why you want to ride. After you know these answers, and you decide a beach cruiser bike is the style for you, then determine if you'll want to go up hills, ride fast, or just beach cruise. Even bikes with a single gear can have varying levels of pedal resistance, making some easier to pedal and some more difficult. Ultimately the choice is yours, so make sure to pick the cruiser bicycle that best suits you.

Move Free, Have Fun

Dustin Gyger
Chief Beach Biker
BeachBikes.com
I Ride a sixthreezero