Originally Posted by
BCRider
Just a little quibble.
Technically the proper use of the term "cog" is a tooth or projection on a wheel or bar. I know that we call the rear sprockets "cogs" very commonly in the bicycle world but really it's a misuse of the term. So stevage is the more correct by referring to the.... er... sprocket as a "sprocket".
I suppose we could go on forever about proper terminology. Yes, saying "not sprocket" was incorrect as it technically is a sprocket, but yes, in the bicycle industry cog has become short for cog wheel (from Sheldon's glossary - Originally, "cog" referred to just a single tooth on a "cog wheel." Then "cog wheel" was shortened by popular usage to "cog). Several sources show cogwheel as the first or second definition. It's not as much a misuse as an adaptation, which is common with language.
If one uses sprocket it's necessary to specify front or rear (and many don't go to that trouble) which is why many prefer cog for the rear and chainwheel for the front in bicycle usage.