Comprehensive Glossary of Cycling Terms for Novices and Veterans Alike

Comprehensive Dictionary of Cycling Slang and Terms Explained

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Cycling is a popular sport that offers a range of health benefits and opportunities for adventure. To help you navigate the world of cycling, we've compiled a list of essential terms for beginners.

Bike Components

Frame: The bike's backbone, connecting its parts.
Fork: The part of the bicycle that holds the front wheel.
Rim: The hoop portion of the wheels that the tire fits onto.
Spokes: Wire rods that connect the center of the wheel or hub to the outer edge or rim.
Wheelie: A bicycle trick where the front wheel is lifted off the ground and the bike is balanced and moved forward.
Stem: The component that connects the handlebars to the steerer tube.
Handlebars: The control bar on a bicycle.
Lid (Helmet): An essential piece of safety gear for cyclists.
Brakes: The things that make you stop, with variations including rim brakes and disc brakes.
Chain: A loop of roller links that transfers power from the pedals to the rear wheel.
Crank (or crankarm): Connects the pedals to the chainrings.
Chainrings: Circular metal discs with teeth that are closest to the front wheel and next to the pedals.
Cassette: The set of sprockets on the rear wheel.
Derailleur: Moves the chain from gear to gear whenever you shift.
Fenders: Block spray from a wet road or mud.
Pedals: The foot-controlled parts of a bicycle that connect to the cranks.
Clipless: A type of pedal that locks into the cleat of special cycling shoes for better power transfer when pedaling.
Cycling shoes: Have a stiff sole and a cleat that locks into special bike pedals.
Gears: Metal disks with teeth, one in the front (chainrings) and one in the back (cassette).
Shifting: The process of transitioning from one gear to another.

Cycling Techniques

Drafting: Cycling behind another rider so they block the wind for you.
Pull: Riding on the front of a paceline or peloton, requiring the most effort since you're not getting benefits from drafting.
Attack: A sudden attempt to pull ahead from a rider or group of riders, also known as a breakaway.
Cornering: When you lean your bike to steer around a curve.
Half wheel: A dangerous maneuver where a cyclist rides too close to another rider's back wheel.
Bunny hop: A bicycle trick in which you use your arms and legs to jump and lift the bike off the ground to avoid an obstacle or hop onto a curb.
Wheelie: A bicycle trick where the front wheel is lifted off the ground and the bike is balanced and moved forward.
Endo: When a cyclist flips over the handlebars, end over end.

Racing and Events

Century: A 100-mile ride or race.
Time trial (TT): A road race against the clock, often featuring aerodynamic bikes, helmets, and skinsuits.
Criterium (or crit): A short cycling race on city streets.
Grand Tour: Consists of three European cycling races, including the Tour de France.
Peloton: The largest pack of riders in a road race, allowing cyclists to take advantage of drafting.
Chasers (or a chase group): Riders who crank away to try to catch a lead rider ahead of them.

Cycling Apparel

Kit: The cycling outfit, including shorts or bibs, a jersey, and accessories like socks, shoes, and a cap.
Jersey: A type of cycling clothing that wicks away sweat and often has pockets for essential supplies.
Bibs: Cycling shorts that have a bib or suspenders instead of an elastic waistband.
Chamois (or shammy): The pad in the seat of cycling shorts that wicks away moisture, prevents chafing, and provides extra cushion.
Pannier: A basket, bag, box, or container that can be attached to a bicycle to carry cargo.

Health and Safety

Cycling provides a range of health benefits, including reduced risk of illness, improved heart health, lung fitness, and metabolism.
Road rash: Scrapes and brush burns that can occur from crashing on the road.
Saddle sores: Chafing that can occur due to friction from the saddle.
Bonk: You've run out of energy due to glycogen depletion.

Racing Awards

In the Tour de France, the yellow, polka dot, green, and white jerseys are coveted awards for the overall race leader, best climber, rider with the greatest number of stage points, and best young rider, respectively.
The "Polka-Dot Jersey" is awarded to the best climber in a cycling race, also known as the King of the Mountains.

Bike Types and Styles

Road bike: A bicycle designed for road riding, often featuring lightweight materials and extra gear combinations.
Mountain bike: A bicycle designed for off-road use, often featuring suspension to absorb rocky terrain.
Cyclocross: A type of off-road bicycle racing done on an obstacle course.
Fixie (or fixed gear): A single-speed bike, often with no brakes, that can't freewheel.
BMX: A bicycle motocross sport, originally used as a gateway to get kids into motocross but blew up into its own sport.
Tubular: A racing-specific tire that is glued to a V-shaped rim and the tube is sewn inside.
Tubeless tires: A wheel system that eliminates the need for an inner tube and allows for lower tire pressure without pinch flatting.
Commuter: A bike used for commuting or getting from point A to B in an urban area.
Beater (or clunker bike): A retired bike that's seen better days but is still capable of getting you around.
Bikepacking: A form of long-distance cycling where you load everything you need on your bike frame.

Miscellaneous Terms

Aero: Gear (bike frames, helmets, and wheels) designed for minimal wind resistance.
PSI: Stands for pounds per square inch, a measure of air pressure in a bicycle tire.
Watt: A unit of measurement for power, or the rate at which energy is used over time.
Granny gear: A low gear used for climbing hills or for riders who have difficulty pedaling.
Flat: A popped tire.
Cog: A sprocket or gear in the cassette.
RPM: Revolutions per minute, a measure of pedaling rate.
Cadence: The pedaling rate or the number of revolutions per minute.
Cross chaining: When the chain is either on the big ring in the front and the easiest ring in the back or on the small ring in the front and the smallest ring in the back.
LBS: The local bike shop where you buy a new bike and bring it in for maintenance.
Resistance: The amount of opposing force put on the wheel of a stationary bike, adjustable during indoor cycling classes.
Schrader: A type of valve used to inflate tires, common on most tires including car tires.
Presta: A style of valve commonly found on high-pressure tubes, like those used on road bikes.
LOOK style: One of the two major clipless pedal styles.
Just riding along until something goes wrong (JRA): A term used to describe a leisurely ride.
Run it out: Rising out of the saddle during an indoor cycling class.
Single-speed: A bike with a single gear ratio.
Athena: A female athlete over 165 pounds according to USA Triathlon Competitive Rules.
Clydesdale: A male athlete over 220 pounds according to official USA Triathlon Competitive Rules.
Steed: Another name for a bicycle.

The article provides a guide to cycling terminology for beginners. The bike shown throughout is a Trek Silque Project One road bike. Road tires are narrow and smooth tires designed for maximum speed on pavement.