The drivetrain is a very important part of any bike, as it is what allows it to move. Without the drivetrain, you could pedal all day and not go anywhere, which is why it’s good to know a thing or two about it.
Chain: Your chain is what connects your pedals to your drive-wheel, allowing the motion of pedalling to move you forward. If your chain slips free, you won’t be able to go anywhere until you hook it back on, which is exactly what our Rehook Chain Handling tools are designed for!
Pedal: Another easy one, the pedals are what allow your feet to rotate the cranks, and are essentially what power the bike through the pedalling motion.
Crank Arm: The centre of your bike, the crank arms are what your pedals are attached to in order to move your chain and create forward motion.
Chainring: An extremely important part of your bike. Attached to the crank arm on the drive-side, the chainring is what transfers the energy generated by pedalling and turning the crank to the chain.
Freewheel/Cassette: A pair of somewhat interchangeable terms among bike retailers, the term freewheel refers to a single set of gears that are screwed onto the bike’s rear wheel, which lock when you pedal the bike forward, forcing the drivetrain to drive the wheel. A cassette on the other hand is a set of sprockets found on your bike’s rear hub that are held together by something called a lockring. If you’re unsure which you have, it’s worth checking so you know what your bike excels at.
Freehub Body: The splined cylindrical part attached to the rear hub of most modern bikes. It’s what the cassette slides onto and locks in place.
Rear Derailleur: The device that keeps your chain tight and allows you to change gears by shifting the chain from one sprocket to another. Knowing how to adjust your rear derailleur is essential for changing gears while on the go. Don’t worry about the spelling, it’s just pronounced “Derailer”!
Front Derailleur: The other device that works similarly to the rear derailleur, but a bit more simplified. Bikes with only one chainring wont have one at all. But if you have two or more chainrings, which is becoming increasingly uncommon, then you'll need a front derailleur to shift the chain from chainring to chainring for different gears.
If you’d like to learn more about bike parts, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide right here, which covers the frameset, drivetrain and wheel parts!
