Chain Drive

mechanics · bicycles · power transfer · machines

Bikes use chains. Your bicycle's chain connects the pedals to the back wheel, so when you push the pedals, the chain pulls the wheel around and makes you zoom forward.

Metal links lock together. A chain is made of tiny metal links that fit together like puzzle pieces, and they wrap around two different sized sprockets (toothed wheels) to transfer the spinning motion.

Motorcycles rely on them. Motorcycles use chain drives to send power from their engine to the back wheel, which is why you sometimes see chains on the sides of motorcycles.

Used everywhere. Chain drives aren't just for vehicles, they also power factory machines, conveyor belts, and other equipment that needs to move power from one place to another.

Multiplies your strength. Chain drives can be set up so that small pedal rotations create big wheel rotations, which means your leg power gets multiplied to make pedaling easier on hills.