Chainring size and top speed

[Gene Pozniakoff]

My 2020 Rad City has a stock 42 tooth chainring. I find myself using 6th & 7th gear predominately, and sometimes spinning too fast. Top speed w/ PAS seems to be about 24.8 - 25.3 mph. And yes, the controller limiter has been set to 40 kph.
Yesterday on my 12 mile commute, I reached a top speed of 28.9 mph. I'm sure I was going downhill and pedaling my ass off! I do feel the motor holding me back at about 23.5 - 24.5 mph, and I can pedal through it, or just coast and sometimes use Regen.
Today I saw a YouTube video on upgrading the chainring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbMzksYRdDQ
The guy increased to a wide/narrow BCD 104-46 tooth chainring. He said this increased his top speed. It looked to my like the chain was just a bit short for my likes.
I looked on Amazon and ordered a BCD 104-44 tooth chainring. Hopefully this will give me a few more mph, but most importantly, it will allow me to utilize 5th or maybe even 4th gear a bit more. It looks to be a good quality product for about $30.
https://amzn.to/333s4um
Has anyone tried this approach? What do you think?

[Ryan]

No experience myself, but very interested to hear what you think. We ride a bit slower these days with our little one 

[FortunatelyTheMilk]

Go nuts! I'd say gear it to the moon, and let the motor fill in the torque.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[Gene Pozniakoff]

The 130 BCD 44 tooth chainring I received yesterday is too small! Must be a 140 BCD 44 tooth chainring! Time to return and order it! Oops!

[jbfoster]

The 130 BCD 44 tooth chainring I received yesterday is too small! Must be a 140 BCD 44 tooth chainring! Time to return and order it! Oops!

Did you ever change out your chainring?

Jim

[Gene Pozniakoff]

No, I never did change the chainring out. The controller seems to limit my speed to 24.7 mph anyway. I can coast or pedal on PAS 0 above that limit though. I have been as fast as 28 - 29 mph in PAS 0, but once PAS is a 1 - 5, it will limit speed. Oh well! Thanks for asking again.

[Altema]

No, I never did change the chainring out. The controller seems to limit my speed to 24.7 mph anyway. I can coast or pedal on PAS 0 above that limit though. I have been as fast as 28 - 29 mph in PAS 0, but once PAS is a 1 - 5, it will limit speed. Oh well! Thanks for asking again.

I didn't know it limited pedaling speed with PAS enabled. That would explains why it feels like you are hitting a wall at the cutoff speed! I've been up to 34 mph, but I had to pedal like a maniac downhill to do it! Guess I was overcoming the motor resistance? I'll have to try it at PAS 0 now, lol.

[Gene Pozniakoff]

I did a 50 mile out and back road trip this weekend with mostly, high end acoustic riders. Lots of Giant, Trek, Specialized and other carbon framed bikes. Good riders all. Anyway, on the downhills, they would fly past me as I pedaled like a maniac to go above 27 - 28 mph. And, I would go past them on the uphill portions at about 15 - 18 mph. Elevation gain of 1648 ft on the way out and 24.7 miles.
The only way I could get my Rad City to go above 24.7 mph is in PAS 0. And even then, it seems the bikes controller wants to bog down a bit at 25 mph. And then I have to change PAS level on the uphills! Ugh!
Good long ride though. The City was not made to compete with those high end bikes though. It was nice that they included me in their ride! The hills of Missouri can be very difficult!