Engineering / Component study / PUBLIC SAMPLE
Why does a smaller gear make a big difference?
Connect your pedals, chain, and wheels—and see how a gear change changes the effort.
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PEDALS
Start with the rider
Turning the pedals rotates the crank and front chainring.
- 01 / PEDALS
Start with the rider
Turning the pedals rotates the crank and front chainring.
- 02 / CHAIN
Transfer the motion
The chain connects the front chainring to a cog on the rear wheel.
- 03 / COGS
Choose a different relationship
The sizes of the front chainring and rear cog affect how hard it feels to pedal.
- 04 / SHIFT
Move the chain
A shifter operates a derailleur, which guides the chain onto a different gear.
- 05 / EASIER
Make the climb easier
A smaller front chainring or a larger rear cog makes pedaling easier.
- 06 / HARDER
Choose more resistance
A larger front chainring or a smaller rear cog makes pedaling harder. More gears offer more choices, not automatically a better ride.