Chain and Sprocket

Sprockets are similar to pulleys in that the driver and the driven rotate in the same direction (whereas two meshing gears would reverse the direction of rotation). Sprocket teeth engage with a Roller Chain to produce the very positive non-slip drive commonly used on bicycles.

The illustration shows the gears of a typical road bicycle complete with the familiar ‘Derailleur’ change mechanism.

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Note: Although referred to as bicycle ‘gears’, bicycles use a chain and sprocket drive. The group of different size sprockets, or ‘cogset’ is similar to a Cone Pulley - note also the use of a ‘Jockey Wheel’ to maintain chain tension as it ‘de-rails’ from one sprocket to another.

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