chainwheel
chainwheel — noun
1. a wheel with teeth around its edge, attached to the pedals of a bicycle, that th
a wheel with teeth around its edge, attached to the pedals of a bicycle, that the chain fits around to make the bike move forward.
Trang cleaned the chainwheel on her bike with a small brush.
The mechanic said the chainwheel was worn and needed replacing.
collocation: worn chainwheel / replace chainwheel
A larger chainwheel makes the bike go faster but requires more effort to pedal.
Léa removed the chainwheel so she could replace the damaged crank arm.
Dirt between the chainwheel teeth can cause the chain to slip off.
- chainring
more common term among cyclists; chainring is used far more often than chainwheel in everyday cycling contexts
- front sprocket
describes the position on the bike; less formal and more accessible to non-specialists
- crankset sprocket
formal technical term that distinguishes the front gear from the rear cassette sprockets