Imola sprocket advice for touring... 46-15?

[lammysilver]

Ive almost finshed building my engine, im after advice on which sprockets would give the best result.

Im not interested in top speed as I mainly use it around London and for touring (luggage / hills etc.), it currently has a 16 front x 46 rear arrangement.

Would swapping the front sprocket (and chain) for a 15 give me the better touring option, easier into head wind and up hill etc.

Its running the following:
Imola kit.
60mm BGM crank
GORI exhaust
Varitronic
LI150 pacemaker gearbox
3.50x10 tyre
28mm del

[Craig H]

If it any help I tried 15x46,GP 200 box,JL3,phbh28,imola 186 this was great around town but sitting at 60-65 it was screaming its nuts off

[johnd]

I ran an Imola on SX200 gearing with an AF clubman and that was ok for most scenarios, but it went a lot nicer with a JL4 and Li150 15/46!!

[corrado]

Im not interested in top speed as I mainly use it around London and for touring (luggage / hills etc.), it currently has a 16 front x 46 rear arrangement.

Would swapping the front sprocket (and chain) for a 15 give me the better touring option, easier into head wind and up hill etc.

16 x 47 works well, that's 5.4 final drive, Imola works best at high revs. Hills and headwinds weren't an issue when I ran that gearing [with the pacemaker g.box].
IMO the Imola doesn't like top gear with anything taller than 5.2, and even then the exhaust choice is critical.