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The role of the bicycle Transmission chain
The Necessity of a Transmission chain
Most bikes use a chain drive. Derailleurs move the chain between different front and rear gears to change the gear ratio of the bike. The chain is exposed to dirt and water, which can damage it and hurt efficiency. The gears can get bent, the chain can jump off and oil from the gears can get on your pants. A hub transmission, by contrast, has no exposed parts. It requires little maintenance, doesn't damage pants and isn't affect by the weather.To produce a bicycle that wouldn't wear you out or look ridiculous, transmissions were introduced.
To change the distance capabilities of a bicycle with a single turn of the pedal, multiple-geared transmissions were introduced. In the early days, 3-speeds and 10-speeds were common, but now there are advanced mountain bikes with up to 24-gears. Using chains and chain wheels that are smaller than the tires, many more revolutions can be attained with much less exertion from the cyclist. For example, the chain wheels might have 20 teeth, compared to the tires which are 25-inches in diameter. The rear gear might have 28 teeth. This creates a ratio that allows the tires to turn much more often than would be possible with a single turn of the pedal.
Inside the Transmission chain
The chain wheels, as discussed above, are the primary working force in a bike's transmission. You'll find these wheels at the rear tire, and in the front. The rear chain wheel is called the freewheel, and it will usually contains between five and nine of the available gears included on the bike. These freewheels will spin in only one direction. That way, when the cyclist stops pedaling, the bike will coast, rather than coming to a sudden halt. Then there are the derailleurs. These gears apply tension to the chain, and have a couple of cogs that spin freely. When the cyclist switches gears (usually with a thumb switch near the handlebars), the arm of the derailleur changes to either allow slack in the chain or add tension as needed.
Article tags: Transmissions chain, Chain,gear
