chain ring to change

[Seatosea19]

I have been urged by my physio to give up the mountain bike and only ride a cruiser. I would like to do some rides that are longer. I find the gears too slow for longer rides on the cruiser and wonder if I should change the teeth on the front chainring. the teeth numbers are presently 32/42 Any suggestions on the best approach to make for a better ride? I live on the prairies, No hills in sight so don't need a wide variation.
It is an upright bike needed because of hip issues and I need to get away from the smaller hip rotation on a mountain bike. My bike has 18 speed Its a hawahara shasta model but I find the speed is too slow on the 42 teeth of the chainring and unsure of the science but would it help to get a higher number. My mountain bike has 48 teeth which suits my style of riding which would it make my ride more enjoyable i.e. get me out riding if it was similar to what I am used to

 

[Ajax Bay]

So guessing here: image

But a double not a triple.
How many 'speed' ie how many sprockets at the rear?
How many teeth on the smallest sprocket?
Freewheel or freehub (expect the former): https://sheldonbrown.com/k7.html
Are the chainrings bolted on or riveted?
Someone else can ask why the hip angle on a sit-up hybrid differs from when the rider is on a 'MTB'.

 

[gbb]

First consideration, will the chainstays allow a larger chain ring?
I wanted to do exactly this, change the crank set from a 42 outer to a 48, but as soon as I offered up the 48, the teeth fouled on the chainstays. Look how close the trailing edge of the 42 outer is to the chainstay, you may have room, you may not.
The next step was fit a BB with a longer axle to space it out, but then your chain line suffers.
Then you'd have to check the swing on the FD could accomodate the new position of the chain ring.

All in all, its do-able but I didn't complete so cant say how it would perform with a longer axle (if that were neccessary)

 

[Ajax Bay]

I find the gears too slow for longer rides on the cruiser and wonder if I should change the teeth on the front chainring. The teeth numbers are presently 32/42 Any suggestions on the best approach to make for a better ride? I live on the prairies, No hills in sight so don't need a wide variation.

The implicit question (and route for useful advice) is: what's the best way to give me 'longer' gears. That'd be most easily done (so is the 'first consideration') by a smaller smallest sprocket on the rear, but a freewheel hub would not allow that. The OP is maybe stuck with a 14t block. So then @gbb consideration comes into play - but I'd be surprised if it is a limitation on this sort of bike.

 

[gbb]

The implicit question (and route for useful advice) is: what's the best way to give me 'longer' gears. That'd be most easily done (so is the 'first consideration') by a smaller smallest sprocket on the rear, but a freewheel hub would not allow that. The OP is maybe stuck with a 14t block. So then @gbb consideration comes into play - but I'd be surprised if it is a limitation on this sort of bike.

You're right, in all probability it wont be a concern but it's easily checked before going down the route of buying parts, then realising ...doh. (damhikt)