Originally Posted by
diver858
Please elaborate. My bike mechanic - who would make $$ from such an upgrade - felt that narrow, high pressure tires and better wheels, bearings should have the most significant effect (I now have Schwalbe 1.5" high pressure). I used 80 psi on the last ride, he suggested going to the high limit (100 psi). His primary concern was clearance for the larger chain ring, longer cranks - hitting the ground on turns, etc.
Based on the limited usage of the folding bike, I am not prepared to upgrade the rear wheel just yet; if I decide to keep it, make any investments, I will consider replacing the derailleur with an internal gear hub, and in turn, better wheel.
The pic I attached shows a 53t chainring and 175 crankarms. There are no clearance issues and nor are there issues with footstrike. The longer crankarms slow my cadence (as would be expected) and the larger chainring allows higher speeds before spinning out.
So I think it's a good idea to change out the crankarms and chainring.