Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A device for shifting gears on a bicycle by moving the chain between sprocket wheels of different sizes.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The
mechanism on abicycle used to move thechain from onesprocket (gear ) to another. - noun The entire
gearset on a bicycle with such a mechanism.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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However, in retrospect it may be a good thing I didn't since the derailleur was the only thing that kept the rear wheel from ejecting completely.
Curlicues: The End of Straight-Ahead Cycling? BikeSnobNYC 2008
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The front derailleur, which is shaped like the blade of a vegetable peeler, guides the chain between the gears attached to the pedals.
BusinessWeek.com -- 2009
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Each appears to be different in its own way from the usual "derailleur", but who am I to judge one's special love for vowels?
BSNYC Road Dairy: Westward Meh BikeSnobNYC 2010
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But I believe the "derailleur" double entendre is "Did you rail her" as in ... well, bang/shag/fill in your fave sexual euphemism here.
Epic-curious: Riding Long and Hard BikeSnobNYC 2009
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It can be quite intimidating for the new cyclist to hear the many complicated questions asked at a bike shop using unfamiliar words like "crank set", "derailleur", and "drop tube".
Archive 2009-09-01 Nomad 2009
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It can be quite intimidating for the new cyclist to hear the many complicated questions asked at a bike shop using unfamiliar words like "crank set", "derailleur", and "drop tube".
Bicycle Vocabulary Nomad 2009
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So even if you saved the weight of the small ring and the shifter, the front derailleur should stay.
Ask Nick: Speed wobble, shoe covers and single-ringing it 2011
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He was running a single chainring and no front derailleur.
Ask Nick: Speed wobble, shoe covers and single-ringing it 2011
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You looking for the derailleur de jour award today?
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In trying to keep a chain on a chainring, a derailleur is impressively effective.
Ask Nick: Speed wobble, shoe covers and single-ringing it 2011
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