| A TO Z |
| A |
| aerobic: exercise at an intensity that allows the body's need for oxygen to be continually met. This intensity can be sustained for long periods. |
| anaerobic: exercise above the intensity at which the body's need for oxygen can be met. This intensity can be sustained only briefly. |
| apex: the sharpest part of a turn where the transition from entering to exiting takes place. |
| attack: an aggressive, high-speed jump away from other riders. |
| attack position: a well-balanced riding posture in which the elbows and knees are bent and flexible, the butt is just above the saddle, the torso is low, and the head is up. This position is used to float over rough ground, prepare for unweighting maneuvers, and so on. Also called the ready position. |
| B |
| balaclava: a thin hood that covers the head and neck with an opening for the face. It's worn under the helmet to prevent heat loss in cold or wet conditions. |
| bead: in tires, the edge along each side's inner circumference that fits into the rim. |
| berm: small embankment along the edge of a trail, often occurring in turns. |
| blocking: legally impeding the progress of opposing riders to allow teammates a better chance of success. |
| blow up: to suddenly be unable to continue at the required pace due to overexertion. |
| bonk: a state of severe exhaustion caused mainly by the depletion of glycogen in the muscles because the rider has failed to eat or drink enough. Once it occurs, rest and high-carbohydrate foods are necessary for recovery. |
| boot: a small piece of material used inside a tire to cover a cut in the tread or sidewall. Without it, the tube will push through and blow out. |
| bottom bracket: the part of the frame where the crankset installed. Also, the axle, cups and bearings of a traditional crankset, or the axle, retainer rings and bearing cartridges of a sealed crankset. |
| break, breakaway: a rider or group of riders that has escaped the pack. |
| bridge, bridge a gap: to catch a rider or group that has opened a lead. |
| bunch: the main cluster of riders in a race. Also called the group, pack, field, or peloton. |
| bunny hop: a way to ride over obstacles such as rocks or logs in which both wheels leave the ground. |
| C |
| cadence: the number of times during one minute that a pedal stroke is completed. Also called pedal rpm. |
| cassette: the set of gear cogs on the rear hub. Also called a freewheel, cluster or block. |
| catch air: when both wheels leave the ground, usually because of a rise or dip in the riding surface. |
| century: a 100-mile ride. |
| chainring: a sprocket on the crankset. There may be one, two, or three. Short version is ring. |
| chain suck: when the chain sticks to the chainring teeth during a downshift and gets drawn up and jammed between the small ring and the frame. |
| chamois: the soft, absorbent, and usually padded liner in the crotch of cycling shorts. Once made of real chamois leather, the term is still used for modern synthetics. Also called an insert. |
| chasers: those who are trying to catch a group or a lead rider. |
| circuit: a course that is ridden two or more times to compose the race. |
| classic: the major one-day races, as opposed to stage races, are called classics. Milan-San Remo in Italy, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, in Belgium, Paris-Roubaix in France are classics. |
| cleat: a metal or plastic fitting on the sole of a cycling shoe that engages the pedal. |
| clincher: a conventional tire with a separate inner tube. |
| cobblestone: a naturally rounded stone larger than a pebble and smaller than a boulder; such a stone used in paving a street or in construction. |
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cog: a sprocket on the rear wheel's cassette or freewheel.
|
| contact patch: the portion of a tire in touch with the ground.
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crash rash: any skin abrasion resulting from a fall. Also called road rash.
|
| criterium: a mass-start race covering numerous laps of a course that is normally about one mile or less in length.
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cyclocross: a fall or winter event contested mostly or entirely off pavement. Courses include obstacles, steps, and steep hills that force riders to dismount and run with their bikes.
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| D |
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dab: to put a foot on the ground to prevent falling over.
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| downshift: to shift to a lower gear, i.e. a larger cog or smaller chainring.
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drafting: riding closely behind another rider to take advantage of the windbreak (slipstream) and use about 20 percent less energy. Also called sitting in or wheelsucking.
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| drift: when inertia or centrifugal force pulls the bike off-line, often in a turn. Also called wheel drift.
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| drivetrain: the components directly involved with making the rear wheel turn, i.e. the chain, crankset and cassette. Also called the power train. |
| drops: the lower part of a down-turned handlebar typically found on a road bike. The curved portions are called the hooks.
|
| E |
| echelon: a form of paceline in which the riders angle off behind each other to get maximum draft in a crosswind. |
| endo: to crash by going over the bike's handlebar. Short for end over end. |
| ergometer: a stationary, bicycle-like device with adjustable pedal resistance used in physiological testing or for indoor training. |
| F |
| feed zone: a designated area on a race course where riders can be handed food and drinks. |
| field sprint: the dash for the finish line by the main group of riders.
|
| fixed gear: a direct-drive setup using one chainring and one rear cog, as on a track bike. When the rear wheel turns so does the chain and crank; coasting isn't possible.
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| full tuck: an extremely crouched position used for maximum speed on descents.
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| G |
| general classification: the overall standings in a stage race. Often referred to as GC.
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| glutes: the gluteal muscles of the buttocks. They are key to pedaling power.
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| granny gear: the lowest gear ratio, combining the small chainring with the largest cassette cog. It's mainly used for very steep climbs. Named after the gear that grandmothers use most frequently.
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| granny ring: the smallest of the three chainrings on a triple chainring.
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| gruppetto: group of riders at the rear of the race. Gruppettos generally form in mountain stages when trailing riders get together to reach the finishing line within time to avoid elimination. |
| H |
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hammer: to ride strongly in big gears.
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| hamstrings: the muscle on the back of the thigh, not well developed by cycling.
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hanging in: barely maintaining contact at the back of the pack.
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| headset: the parts at the top and bottom of the frame's head tube, into which the handlebar stem and fork are fitted.
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| I |
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interval training: a structured method of training that alternates brief, hard efforts with short periods of easier riding for partial recovery; intervals for short.
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| J |
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jam: a period of hard, fast riding.
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| jump: a quick, hard acceleration.
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| K |
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knobbies: off-road tires with a lugged tread for good traction on unpaved surfaces.
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| L |
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leadout: a race tactic in which a rider accelerates to his maximum speed for the benefit of a teammate in tow. The second rider then leaves the draft and sprints past at even greater speed near the finish line.
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| M |
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mass start: events such as road races, cross-country races and criteriums in which all contestants leave the starting line at the same time.
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| metric century: a 100-kilometer ride (62 miles).
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minuteman: in a time trial, the rider who is one place in front of you in the starting order. So called because in most TTs riders start on one-minute intervals.
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| motorpace: to ride behind a motorcycle or other vehicle that breaks the wind.
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mudguards: fenders
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| N |
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nose wheelie: a technique in which you elevate the rear wheel and ride on the front wheel only. Opposite of wheelie.
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| O |
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off-camber: turns in which the ground slopes toward the outside, making it harder to keep traction as speed increases.
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| off the back: describes one or more riders who have failed to keep pace with the main group. Also referred to as OTB.
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overgear: using a gear ratio too big for the terrain or level of fitness.
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| oxygen debt: the amount of oxygen that must be consumed to pay back the deficit incurred by anaerobic work.
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| P |
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paceline: a group formation in which each rider takes a turn breaking the wind at the front before pulling off, dropping to the rear position, and riding the others' draft until at the front once again.
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| peak: a relatively short period during which maximum performance is achieved.
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peloton: the main group of riders in a race.
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| pinch flat: an internal puncture marked by two small holes caused by the tube being squeezed against the rim. It results from riding into an object too hard for the air pressure in the tube. Also called a snakebite.
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plow: when the front wheel digs into a soft surface instead of responding to steering inputs, taking the bike off-line.
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| portage: to lift and carry the bike, such as when crossing a stream, ditch, or ground too rocky to ride.
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power: the combination of speed and strength.
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| presta valve: the narrow European-style valve found on some inner tubes. A small metal cap on its end must be unscrewed before air can enter or exit.
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prime: a special award given to the leader on selected laps during a criterium, or the first rider to reach a certain landmark in a road or cross-country race. It's used to heighten the action. Pronounced "preem."
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| psi: abbreviation for pounds per square inch. The unit of measure for tire inflation and air pressure in some suspensions.
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pull, pull through: take a turn at the front.
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| pull off: to move to the side after riding in the lead so that another rider can come to the front.
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pusher: a rider who pedals in a large gear at a relatively slow cadence, relying on the gear size for speed. This is called pushing.
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| Q |
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quadriceps: the large muscle in front of the thigh, the strength of which helps determine a cyclist's ability to pedal with power.
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| R |
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ratchet: to pedal back and forth in partial strokes. This allows a rider to pass obstacles that would cause a pedal to hit if it were to reach the bottom of a normal stroke.
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| reach: the combined length of a bike's top tube and stem, which determines the rider's distance to the handlebar.
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resistance trainer: a stationary training device into which the bike is clamped. Pedaling resistance increases with pedaling speed to simulate actual riding. Also known as an indoor, wind, fluid, or mag trainer (the last three names derived from the fan, liquid, or magnet that creates resistance on the rear wheel).
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| road race: a mass-start race on pavement that goes from point to point, covers one large loop or is held on a circuit longer than those used for criteriums.
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| S |
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saddle sores: skin problems in the crotch that develop from chafing caused by pedaling action. Sores can range from tender raw spots to boil-like lesions if infection occurs.
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| saddle time: time spent cycling.
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sag wagon: a motor vehicle that follows a group of riders, carrying equipment and lending assistance in the event of difficulty. Also called the broom wagon.
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| Schrader valve: an inner tube valve identical to those found on car tires. A tiny plunger in the center of its opening must be depressed for air to enter or exit.
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singletrack: a trail so narrow that two cyclists can't easily ride side by side, which makes passing difficult or impossible.
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| sit on a wheel: to ride in someone's draft.
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slingshot: to ride up behind another rider with help from his draft, then use the momentum to sprint past.
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| slipstream: the pocket of calmer air behind a moving rider. Also called the draft.
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snakebite: see pinch flat.
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| snap: the ability to accelerate quickly.
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soft-pedal: to rotate the pedals without actually applying power.
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| speed: the ability to accelerate quickly and maintain a very fast cadence for brief periods.
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spin: to pedal at high cadence.
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| spinner: a rider who pedals in a moderate gear at a relatively fast cadence, relying on pedal rpm for speed. This is called spinning.
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sprocket: general term for a cog or chainring.
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| squirrel: a nervous or unstable rider who can't be trusted to maintain a steady line.
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stage race: a multi-day event consisting of various types of races. The winner is the rider with the lowest elapsed time for all races (stages).
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| straight block: a cassette with cogs that increase in size in one-tooth increments.
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switchback: a turn sharper than 90 degrees. Switchbacks are found mainly on hills that are too steep to be ascended (or descended) using a direct path.
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| suppleness: a quality of highly conditioned leg muscles that allows a rider to pedal at high cadence with smoothness and power. Also known by the French term, souplesse.
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| T |
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take a flyer: to suddenly sprint away from a group.
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| team time trial (TTT): a race against the clock with two or more riders working together.
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tempo: fast riding at a brisk cadence.
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| throw the bike: a racing technique in which a rider thrusts the bike ahead of his or her body at the finish line, gaining several inches in hopes of winning a close sprint.
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time trial (TT): a race against the clock in which individual riders start at set intervals and cannot give or receive a draft.
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| tops: the part of a drop handlebar between the stem and the brake levers.
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track!: the word to yell when you want a rider you're catching to move over on the singletrack so you can pass.
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| trackstand: a skill where a rider comes to a full stop without putting a foot down. On a technical trail, a trackstand lets you pause to decide what to do next. It can be used by roadies waiting for a traffic light to change.
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triple: a crankset on road, hybrid, or mountain bikes that has three chainrings.
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| tubular: a lightweight tire that has its tube sewn inside the casing. Also called a sew-up. The tire is glued to the rim.
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turnaround: the point where the riders reverse direction on an out-and-back time trial course.
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| U |
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unweight: the act of momentarily lightening the bike through a combination of body movement and position. It's integral to techniques such as wheelies, bunny hops and jumps.
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| USA Cycling: the umbrella organization for American. bicycle racing. Affiliated with the UCI.
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UCI: Union Cycliste Internatioinale, the world governing body of bicycle racing, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
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| upshift: to shift to a higher gear, i.e. a smaller cog or larger chainring.
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| V |
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velodrome: an oval banked track for bicycle racing.
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| W |
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wash out: when one or both wheels lose traction and slide toward the outside of a turn, taking the rider off course and perhaps causing a crash.
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| wheel drift: see drift.
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wheelie: to elevate the front wheel and ride on the rear wheel only. The opposite is called a nose wheelie.
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| wheelsucker: someone who drafts behind others but doesn't take a pull.
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windchill: the effect of air moving across the skin, making the temperature seem colder than it actually is. A cyclist creates a windchill even on a calm day, a situation that must be considered when dressing for winter rides.
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| wind up: steady acceleration to an all-out effort.
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