Front sprocket on and off and on and off

I take my spocket on and off freqently. Is there a better way to lock it?

Yes, don't. I can't speak for everyone but the last two times I swapped sprockets I just tightened it. I didn't bang the tabs in.

That's problably what I'll do, but I'm still trying to think of a way to secure it.

Captain Midnight wrote:

I take my spocket on and off freqently.

Define 'frequently".

And why do you change it so much?

I'm guessing going from highway to technical stuff back to highway riding.

I'm going on a poker run Sunday, with 13-45 gearing. I'll drive 100 highway miles to the event. I will then change the 13 to a 12, ride 75 miles of woods, then put the 13 back on to ride the 100 miles of highway home. I don't have to change the sprocket, but the 12-45 gearing is a little buzzy at 70 MPH.

So change your rear sprocket once to a 46t or 47t and get the best of both worlds without having to make those changes so often. Split the difference. Or take less highway. I honestly don't notice that much annoyance on the super-slab with a 12t...but I don't ride 100 miles on it either.

Obviously it's your decision and your call...but damn....how often are yo changing the front sprocket in any given month?

To each their own I suppose. I run a 12/43, and it's great offroad, and still whippy on the tarmac. The only time I would consider going to a 45 on the back is if I was doing super technical stuff like rock/log hopping or gnarly hill climbing. For trails and single track the 12/43 (for me) has worked, and once I hit the pavement I can rip it up still. I was contemplating the 45 and was also told it would be buzzy on the highway.

One tooth change in front equals 3 teeth change in rear correct?

That's what I've been told.

So if you ping pong back and forth between 12 and 13 in front why not split difference and add or subtract one or two in the rear?

Then, less wrenching, more riding.

I personally find it hard to believe the difference is worth the extra effort.

Plus, I'd personally not spend much time making bike super-slab perfect as I'd never want to spend much time there. And I have an X, not an R.

But whatever makes your clock spin.....

I'm thinking cost is a factor as well, cause anything over the 45 you need a bigger chain. I wear out tires well before I wear out teeth.

Captain Midnight wrote:

I'm going on a poker run Sunday, with 13-45 gearing. I'll drive 100 highway miles to the event. I will then change the 13 to a 12, ride 75 miles of woods, then put the 13 back on to ride the 100 miles of highway home. I don't have to change the sprocket, but the 12-45 gearing is a little buzzy at 70 MPH.

I rode the Poker Run yesterday. Most of the highway averaged 65MPH. I used the 12-43 combo. It was a tiny bit buzy. A little higher gearing would have been better. At the event, we did 40 miles of tight woods. 12-45 would have perfect. Today I ordered a 45 for the rear. I'm going to switch between the 12 and 13 front as needed. That will give me a little lower, for the woods, and a little higher (than my 12-43) on the road.

I have struggled with the lock issue of of the front sprocket myself. After changing my first sprocket and chain on the little bugger I was thoroughly fed up with it. What an absurd design.

I'm now at the half life of my second rear sprocket and am thinking again about the issue. So, I'm interested in options to this lock.

As for gearing, I'm currently running a 13/47 with my little X wheels which is OK around town and on the track, almost low enough for the really technical trails, and a bit too low for the highway.

I'm thinking, drill the nut for tie wire.

I drilled the nut for tie wire. The sprockets have holes in them, so I ran the tie wire through the sprocket, and then through the nut. Seems to work fine. Now I don't have to torque the nut down so tight.