Derailleur gears battery pack and to a small electric motor that drives the derailleur. Although expensive, an electronic system could save a racing cyclist time when changing gears. Derailleur gears Derailleur gears are a variable-ratio transmission system commonly used on bicycles, consisting of a chain, multiple sprockets of different sizes, and a mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to another. Although referred to as "gears" in the bike world, these bicycle "gears" are technically "sprockets" since they drive or are driven by a chain, and are not driven by one another. Modern front and rear derailleurs typically consist of a
Influence of French on English the century, to Henri VI and Marguerite in the 15th century, all kings of England married French princesses. These marriages made French the language of the English court for several centuries and were decisive in strengthening the use of French in England. This period (12th-15th centuries) is characterized by a massive influx of French words into Old English vocabulary. In 1204, under Philippe Auguste, Normandy was officially annexed to the Capetian royal demesne (previously, Normandy, though part of French kingdom, was largely autonomous, under the authority of its dukes, kings of England), politically isolating England from the continent. Normans who