Glossary

A DICTIONARY of BICYCLE TERMS COMMONLY USED

Here is a list of terms you may want to reference periodically when enjoying one of your favorite cycling pastimes.

  • ABA: The American Bicycle Association, the world’s largest sanctioning BMX organization.
  • All Mountain: As in all-mountain bicycle, this means a bike or ride that encompasses all types of off-road terrain, climbs, descents, technical and jumping.
  • Aero Helmet: A special helmet with a streamlined shape to reduce wind drag and offer an advantage in races against the clock. Often pretty funny looking.
  • Air Shock: A suspension that uses air pressure as its spring medium.
  • Automatic Transition: A bicycle drivetrain that shifts gears on its own. Ideally, it shifts into the gear needed, too.
  • Axle: The shaft that a wheel, pedal or crankset revolves on.
  • Bash guard: A mountain bike accessory that protects the chainrings/crankset from damage should you run into a rock, log, etc. when you’re riding over it.
  • Bearings: Usually comprised of hardened-steel balls in some type of holder, these fit inside the hubs, pedals, bottom bracket, headset, sometimes derailleur pulleys, and often suspension frames to ensure parts turn with as little friction as possible.
  • Bell Lap: In races with laps, like criteriums which typically race around city blocks, or cyclocross, which follows a fixed route, the bell lap is when the official at the starting line rings a bell. This is done either to signal a one-lap race within the race to contest a mid-race prime (the winner of that lap gets a prize), or as a signal that you’re on the final lap and it’s time to do your best to win.
  • BPM: Beats Per Minute, as in how many times your heart beats in a minute. It’s the basic measurement used in training with a heart-rate monitor.
  • Brake Pad: The piece of rubber inside the brake shoe that provides the stopping power when the brake is applied.
  • Bridge: Or “bridge a gap,” “close the gap,” this is to ride from one group of cyclists to another.
  • BMX (Bicycle Moto-Cross):
    • 1. a type of racing done on a closed dirt track over obstacles, usually on a 20-inch wheel bike with one gear;
    • 2. a special bike designed for this use.
  • Carbo Loading: A popular energy-boosting practice for the days before a race or event, where the cyclist consumes as many carbohydrates as possible to store fuel for the race. Most riders’ favorite part of training.
  • Carbon Fiber: One of the lightest frame and component materials, carbon fiber (also called just carbon) is unique in that it’s a fabric, not a metal. This allows gossamer weights, incredible strength and impressive frame/fork compliance (vibration damping) because the fibers can be oriented in myriad ways.
  • Cartridge Bearings: A bicycle-component bearing that is self contained and pressed in place. It’s designed to be easier to replace when worn out. Sealed cartridge bearings have covers to keep dirt and grit from getting inside and contaminating the bearings and grease inside.
  • Century: a 100-mile ride (161 kilometers).
  • Chamois: a pad in cycling shorts designed to keep riders dry and abrasion-free.
  • Chain: That grimy thing toward the rear of the bike that inexplicably manages to smear your leg with a black tattoo every time you even think of going riding. More importantly, it connects the crank and rear wheel so the bike goes when you pedal.
  • Chain Lube: lubricant that keeps the chain moving freely and rust-free.
  • Circuit Race: Usually a multi-lap road race around a course that exceeds one mile (versus criterium races that are held on shorter courses).
  • Citizen Race: An event not sanctioned and open to the public.
  • Coaster Brake: a foot-operated brake built into the real hubs, normally found on one-speed kid’s bikes and cruisers.
  • Comfort Bike: a bicycle with very upright seating position, wide tires designed primarily for paved surfaces and many components to ensure rider comfort. Similar to a hybrid bike, but stable on packed dirt or gravel trails.
  • Cross-Country: the traditional mountain bike race. Most courses mix fire roads (where you can pass or be passed) with single track (where passing is difficult). Races point, one long loop or two or more laps of a shorter loop.
  • Cross-Country Bike: a mountain bike suited to riding on varied terrain. Features include wide-range gearing with super lows, usually front suspension, great brakes and a lightweight, performance-oriented frame and usually knobby tires.
  • Criterion: a mass start race on paved surfaces, many laps on a short circuit. Great for spectators.
  • Cyclocross: a blend of road and mountain bike racing. Half running, half riding, Cyclocross courses use a blend of paved roads, natural turf trails and barricades to be jumped over.
  • Cyclocross Bike: a bicycle similar to a road bike, but with slightly wider tires, used to race on a short circuit, off-road, multiple-lap course, often with obstacles that require the rider to dismount. Also called a cross bike.
  • Direct Pull Brake: Also called a “linear-pull brake,” these are the most powerful type of rim brake. They feature long parallel arms (greater leverage), inflexible brake-pad mounts and short cable paths. They are common on mountain bikes.
  • Disc Brakes: a very powerful brake system found on mountain bikes using pistons and rotors similar to cars or motorcycles.
  • Disc Wheel: Used for an aerodynamic edge, mostly in individual races against the clock, like time trials and triathlons, these high-tech wheels feature closed construction making them disc-like and super slippery so they slice through the wind for free speed.
  • Double Century: A 200-mile road ride, usually completed in a day. Just like there are lots of popular organized centuries, there are also many organized doubles.
  • Double-track: two parallel dirt trails formed by the wheel ruts of off-road motor vehicles.
  • Downhill: a race held at ski areas. The faster rider from top to bottom wins. Competitors wear protective clothing and pads due to the many obstacles that are used to challenge riders.
  • Downhill Bike: a bike designed for riding downhill, featuring long-travel dual suspension frames, disc brakes, single chain ring and a riser handlebar.
  • Down Shift: to shift to a lower gear, that is, a larger rear cog or smaller front chain ring.
  • Dry Lube: Chain lubricants that don’t attract grit and grime and are best suited to dry riding conditions. They oftehttps://havefunbiking.com/glossary/n include paraffin.
  • Dual Suspension Bike: A bicycle (usually designed for off-road use) with front and rear suspension.
  • Fat Bike: an off-road bicycle with over-sized tires, typically 3.8 in (97 mm) or larger and rims 2.6 in (66 mm) or wider, designed for low ground pressure to allow riding on soft unstable terrain, such as snow, sand, bogs and mud.
  • Floor Pump: a tool for putting air into tires, often with built-in gauge for accuracy and strong for everyday use.
  • Folding Bike: a bike that can be folded for transport or storage.
  • Frame Set: The foundation of every bicycle, it’s comprised of a complete frame and fork.
  • Free Hub: The barrel-shaped and splined part found on the drive side of a rear-wheel cassette hub. The freehub contains the mechanism that drives the bicycle when you pedal. The cassette (cluster of gears) slides onto and is attached to the freehub so you can’t see the freehub until the gears are removed.
  • Gear: The chain/sprocket mechanism that makes the bicycle go when you pedal. Also, commonly used to mean “equipment,” as in, “Time to buy some more biking gear.”
  • Group Rides: Rides with more than one person, usually a lot more. Before joining an established group ride find out what type it is so you go on one that you’ll like. Some are conversational and fun, others are hard-core training rides designed to simulate tough, race conditions.
  • Hard Tail: A mountain bike that has a rigid frame equipped with a front suspension.
  • Hybrid Bike: a bicycle featuring upright riding position and medium width tires. Similar to a comfort bike, but rolls faster and easier on paved surfaces.
  • IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association): an organization that creates, maintains and protects mountain bike trails.
  • Interval Training: An intense type of workout excellent for building strength, where you go hard for a set distance, pedal easily to recover, and then repeat the hard/easy efforts a number of times.
  • Jersey: A shirt made for cycling. Jerseys are often brightly colored for visibility when riding. And they’re made of fabrics that wick moisture away from the skin to keep you dry and comfortable while pedaling. Usually they have rear pockets for carrying energy food, tools and clothing you might need or have removed. And, they often have long zippers, which are great for cooling off on hot days.
  • Kickstand: A device attached to the bicycle that supports it for parking. It’s called a “kickstand” because you put it up and down by kicking it with your foot.
  • Kilometer: a metric form of measure. A kilometer is equal to .62 miles. Example: a 10K race is equal to 6.2 miles.
  • Knobby Tires: Tires with a tread pattern comprised of blocks that provide excellent traction.
  • LAB: League of American Bicyclists
  • Lineer Pull Brakes: a side pull style of rim brake with high leverage. Commonly referred to as a “V” brake, a trademark of Shimano.
  • Lug: Sleeves used to join frame tubes. The tubes fit inside the lugs and are brazed (sometimes bonded) in place. Lugs reinforce joints and also make it relatively easy to disassemble the joint should a tube need replacing after a crash.
  • Metric Century: a 100-kilometer ride (62 miles).
  • Mountain Bike: a bicycle with sturdy tires and a wide range of gears designed for off-pavement use. A generic term for bikes including cross-country, downhill etc.
  • Multi-Tool: many tools combined into one compact, easy to transport tool to use for emergency repairs; in the USA.
  • NORBA (National Off Road Bicycle Association): the governing body of off-road bicycle racing in the USA.
  • Omnium: A track racing event in which riders compete against each other in five different disciplines including the 200-meter flying-start time trial, the 5-kilometer scratch race, the 3-kilometer individual pursuit, the 15-kilometer points race and the 1-kilometer time trial.
  • Paceline: A line of riders (all it takes is two, yet the more there are, the better it works) traveling closely together and taking turns in the lead in order to save energy, share the work and travel more quickly than possible riding alone. There are many types of pacelines, such as single and double ones, but the goal is always the same, to cover the distance more efficiently by riding closely together, sharing the work of riding in front and breaking the wind, while your riding partners rest and get ready for their “pull” at the front when the time comes. In racing, there are paceline tactics that come into play too.
  • Pannier: a bicycle pack that attaches to a rack and dangles on the side of the bike.
  • Patch Kit: a kit that generally contains patch, glue and sandpaper to repair a tube puncture.
  • Pinch Flat: A flat tire caused by riding over a rock or pothole and bottoming out the tire and pinching and puncturing the tube against the rim. Also called a “snakebite” because it causes side-by-side cuts in the tube that resemble a snakebite. A common cause is riding with too little air pressure
  • Platform Damping: A feature found on many mountain bike shocks and some suspension forks. Platform damping stiffens the suspension for efficient pedaling, while allowing the shock to stay active to absorb larger bumps on the trail.
  • PSI (pounds per square inch): the unit of measure for tire inflation and air pressure (usually printed on the side of the tire).
  • Presta Valves: (French) smaller diameter tire valve, often used on more expensive bikes.
  • Pursuit: A track cycling event where riders start on opposite sides of the track and race over a set distance (4K for men, 3K for women). The racer who finishes the distance the quickest wins. It’s an exciting event to watch as you can see who is ahead and a rider might even catch his opponent.
  • Reach: the combined length of a bike’s top tube and stem, which determines the rider’s distance to the handlebar. An important adjustment for comfort and efficiency.
  • Recumbent Bikes: a bicycle that puts the rider in a reclining position. Usually a very comfortable bike, but does not climb as well or maneuver as well as a more traditional-style bike.
  • Road Bike: a bicycle with drop-style handlebars, narrow tires, very light frame and components, built specifically to ride on paved surfaces quickly and efficiently.
  • Road Race: a mass start race on paved surfaces that goes from point to point, covers one large loop or is held on a circuit longer than those used for criterions.
  • Sag (support and gear) Wagon: a motor vehicle that follows a group of riders, carrying equipment and lending assistance in the event of mechanical trouble.
  • Single-track: a single, narrow dirt path, often caused by animals. Not the most efficient way to get from point A to point B, but often the most fun.
  • Shraeder Valves: (American) larger diameter tire valve, same as used in autos.
  • Tandem: a bicycle that has seats, bars and pedals for two, one behind the other.
  • Tire Lever (tire spone): a tool designed to help remove a tire from the rim.
  • Track Bike: a bicycle used for racing on a velodome. It looks a lot like a road bike, but features only one gear, has no brakes and doesn’t allow coasting; also in fixed gear.
  • Triathlon: a race usually involving swimming, biking and running.
  • USA Cycling: the umbrella organization for American bicycle racing. Affiliated with the UCI.
  • UCI (Union Cyclist International): the world governing body of bicycling racing, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Up Shift: to shift to a higher gear, that is, a smaller rear cog or larger front chain ring.
  • USCF (U. S. Cycling Federation): the organization that governs amateur road, track and Cyclocross racing in America. A division of USA Cycling.
  • USPRO (U. S. Professional Racing Organization): the organization in charge of professional bicycling racing in America. A division of USA Cycling.
  • Velodome: a banked track approximately 250 meters around for bicycling racing. Commonly referred to as a “track.” Wheelbase: the distance between the front and rear axles.