Glossary of cycling

; 27.5 Mountain bike: A mountain bike with wheels that are approximately in diameter and are based on ISO 584 mm (650B) rims. ; 29er (bicycle):A mountain bike with wheels that are approximately in diameter and are based on ISO 622 mm (700C) rims. ; 3:1 rule:A UCI rule stating the depth and breadth (in cross-section) of the bicycle frame tubes cannot exceed the ratio of 3:1. ==A==

; À bloc: Going à bloc means riding as hard as one possibly can, which can be risky as it leaves one in a state where recovery is needed, and therefore vulnerable to being attacked. ; Abandon: To leave a race prior to its completion - as the rider is unable to finish (for example, because of a crash or injury). ; Aero bars: Extension of the handlebars usually allowing the rider to rest their elbows and benefit from improved aerodynamics. Often found on Time trial bicycles. ; All terrain tire: Off-road tire, or a bicycle tire designed to function well for varied terrain and uses. ; All-rounder: A racing cyclist who excels in both climbing and time trialing, and may also be a decent sprinter. In stage races, an all-rounder is likely to place well in the general classification. All-rounders are usually Team Leaders in both stage races and classics cycle races. The term all-rounder can also mean a bicycle designed to function well for varied terrain and uses. ; Alleycat race: A bicycle race typically organized by bicycle messengers or couriers. Alleycat races seek to replicate some of the duties that a working messenger might encounter during a typical day. The races usually consist of previously undisclosed checkpoints, which are listed on a manifest, that a racer will have to go to; once at the checkpoint, the racer will have their manifest updated. First racer to return with a completed manifest wins. Alleycats were first formalized in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1989; however, messengers have been racing against each other for much longer. Recently, with the boom in urban cycling, many non-messengers have been participating in and organizing alleycat races. ; Arrière du peloton: From French, literally the "rear of the peloton" (main group of riders). Also called the Feu Rouge (red tail light) or Lanterne rouge ; Art bike: A bicycle modified for creative purposes while still being ridable. ; Attack: To quickly accelerate while riding in a pack, or in smaller numbers, with a view to creating a gap between yourself and other riders. ; Audax: • In the United Kingdom and a few other places: the same as randonneuring. ; Autobus: A group of riders in a stage race (typically non-climbers and suffering domestiques) who ride together as a group on the mountain stages with the sole intention of finishing within the stage's time limit to allow them to start the next day. Also known by the Italian term gruppetto. ==B==

;Barrage: French term for a technique used by race officials to impede the progress of team cars at times when they would affect the outcome of the race, specifically when they would allow dropped riders to regain a group they were dropped from. ; Bar-end shifter (or "Barcon"): A shift lever mounted as a bar-end plug. Used with drop bars on road bikes, and on various under- and over-seat bars on recumbent bicycles or tricycles. ; Baroudeur: French term for adventurer. See Breakaway specialist. ; British Best All-Rounder (BBAR): A season-long time trial competition held in the UK. ; Bead: Designates the part of the tire that clinches to the wheel's rim. ; Beyond category:See Hors catégorie. ; Bidon: (French) A water bottle. ; Bike throw:A bike throw occurs in the final moments of a bike race, usually within the last few feet. A sprint is involved, and at the end of the sprint, the rider pushes their arms forward, stretches their back out, and attempts to move their bike as far forward as possible, getting to the finish line before their competitors. ; Blocking:Riders of one team who set a relatively slow tempo at the front of a group to control the speed, often to the advantage of one of their teammates who may be in a break. ; Bonk:A condition of sudden fatigue and loss of energy which is caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. Usually brought on by the lack of a proper nutritional strategy or proper fuelling. Also known as hitting the wall. ; Booties:Fabric overshoes worn by cyclists to protect their feet from rain or cold. ; Bottom bracket (BB):The bearing assembly which allows the crank to rotate relative to the frame. May or may not include the spindle which connects the two arms, depending on the standard to which it was designed. ; Bunch:Synonym of peloton. ; Bunch sprint:The riders arrive near the finish in massive numbers to contest the victory and attempt to draft their sprinters in a good position to claim the victory. Speeds higher than 60 km/h are to be expected.: ; Bunny hop:To cause one's bicycle to become airborne by lifting the front wheel and then the rear wheel into the air with such timing that both wheels are simultaneously airborne for a period. Bunny hops are performed either to navigate course features, to perform tricks or to avoid obstacles, depending on the discipline of competition. ==C==

; Cabeza de carrera: From Spanish, literally "head of the race". The leading cyclist or group of cyclists, when separated from (in front of) the peloton. See Tête de la course. ; Cadence: The rate at which a cyclist pedals (in revolutions per minute). ; Chain suck: The tendency of a chain to stick to chainrings and be sucked up into the bike instead of coming off the chainring. Primarily caused by worn chainrings and rust on small chainrings, under high loads, and in dirty conditions. also known as "Cancellara's Trick". Surprise attack in the two last kilometers to detach from the peloton and, finally, win the race. ; Crack: When a cyclist runs out of strength or energy, they are said to have cracked. Compare with hit the wall. ; Crank arm: A crank. One of the two arms of a crankset. Each arm connects a pedal to the bottom bracket. ; Crankset: The bicycle drivetrain assembly that converts the rider's reciprocating pedaling action to rotating motion. It consists of two cranks (or arms), one or more chainrings (or chainwheels), plus the stack bolts that connect them. Sometimes the bottom bracket is included. ; Criterium: A race on a closed short distance course with multiple laps. Often a four-cornered course; often includes primes (French for "bonus" and rhymes with 'seems') which are points or prizes for intermediate laps. Course length varies from 800 meters to 5 kilometers. ; Cyclability: Degree of ease of bicycle circulation. ; Cyclocross: A form of bicycle racing that consists of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike past some obstacles and remount. ==D==

; Danseuse: ( – to dance) Riding out of the saddle, standing up, usually in a taller gear than normal, and rocking side to side for leverage. The phrase dancing on the pedals is related. ; Devil : Colloquial name for an elimination race, an endurance track event where the last rider across the finish line is eliminated every two laps (from the phrase "the Devil takes the hindmost"). ; Dossard: Race number attached to the back of a competitor's jersey. ; Drafting: To ride closely behind another rider to make maximum use of their slipstream, reducing wind resistance and effort required to ride at the same speed. • To be dropped is to be left behind a breakaway or the peloton for whatever reason, usually because the rider cannot sustain the tempo required to stay with the group. To drop someone is to accelerate strongly with the intent of causing following riders to no longer gain the benefit of drafting. • (or "Drops") The lower part of the handlebars on a road bike; they run parallel with the top-tube. ; Dropout: The slot, of various sizes and orientations, in the frame that the axles of the wheels attach to. ==E==

; Echelon: (French) A line of riders seeking maximum drafting in a crosswind, resulting in a diagonal line across the road. ; Espoir: (French: hope) Age class for riders 19 to 22. Also called U23. ; Étape: A stage of a stage race. ==F==

riding a trail which follows the fall line ;Faceplant: When a rider impacts their face in a crash. ; Fall line: The fall line describes the direction on a mountain or hill which is most directly downhill. A trail is said to follow the "fall line" if it generally descends in the most downward direction, rather than traversing in a sideways direction. ; False flat: A low-gradient climb, usually occurring partway up a steeper climb. So-called because while it may look deceptively flat and easy (especially after the steep climb preceding it), it is still a climb. ; Fast finisher: A rider who has superior sprinting speed over the last few hundred meters of a race. ; Feed zone: In road bicycle racing, a location along the course of a long race where team personnel hand musettes containing food and beverages to passing riders. In mountain bicycle racing, a limited section of the course in which riders may accept food from non-racing assistants. Sometimes this is combined with the technical assistance zone if one exists. ; Flamme rouge: A red flag displayed with one kilometer remaining from the finish line of a race. Usually suspended over the road. or a bicycle frame with shock and fork included, or just the including the shock if it's a full suspension frame. ; Fred:Disparaging term for any cyclist who "is marching to the beat of a different drummer", or a novice cyclist. ; Funduro:An informal Enduro, ridden more for fun, or sometimes as training for a real Enduro. ==G==

; Gap: A distance between two or more riders large enough for drafting to no longer be effective. Also used as a verb (US English); for example: "Contador has gapped Armstrong!". It's much easier for a stronger rider to pull ahead of others once a gap has been achieved; without a gap, the others can draft along using significantly less power to sustain the same speed as the rider in front. While gaps are usually achieved through attacks, on mountain climbs, where slower speeds means the advantage of drafting is much less significant, riders are often gapped who simply cannot maintain the tempo of the faster riders. ; G.C.: Abbr.: general classification. The timing splits used to determine who is winning in a stage race, and the overall position of riders relative to the leading rider. Riders can attack in stage races for time rather than winning the day's stage. They are said to be "riding for G.C.". In such circumstances alliances can form where some riders in a breakaway will work to help others win the day's stage despite not contesting the finish as the overall gap the breakaway gains helps them "on G.C." ; Grass crit: Chiefly pejorative term for a cyclocross race with very few technical course features, in which the importance of drafting and overall speed is increased and the importance of technical skills is decreased relative to typical cyclocross races. ; Gravel bike: A type of racing bicycle similar to one used in cyclo-cross but geared towards gravel roads, common in the United States and Europe. ; Green Jersey or Maillot Vert: In some staged races, a jersey awarded daily to the rider who leads on points. Originating in the Tour de France in 1953, it is called in French le Maillot Vert. This is the current usual usage; historically, Green jerseys have sometimes represented different achievements or honours. ; Gregario / Gregaria: Italian for domestique ; Grimpeur: See Climbing specialist ; Group or Groupset: A set of parts usually from a single manufacturer, usually consisting of, at least, bottom bracket, brakes, derailleurs, hubs and shifters, and possibly also including headset, pedals, and seatpost. A kit is a group, plus everything else a frameset needs to make a complete bicycle. ; Gruppetto: See autobus. ; Gravity: Riding down a mountain without pedaling, enduro, freeride/north shore style and downhill are collectively known as "gravity" ; Gnarl or Gnarly: A difficulty, dangerous and/or "technical" path to ride ==H==

; Half-wheel or Half-wheeler: A rider that rides half a wheel in front of another on training rides and group rides. No matter how much the pursuer speeds up to keep up with them, they stay that distance ahead. Usually these people are frowned upon and less desirable to ride with. ; Hammer: To ride fast. ; Handicap: A style of road racing in Australasia where riders are given different start times, calculated based on their previous performance, so that slower riders have a chance of winning. ; Hardtail: A bicycle with front suspension but no rear suspension. ; Hill climb (race): A short distance uphill race, usually an individual time trial over approximately 3–5 km. See Hillclimbing (cycling). ; Hit the wall: To completely run out of energy on a long ride, also known as "bonking". ; Hot seat: A chair in which the provisional leader of a time trial sits. In televised races, there is often a camera showing the reactions of the rider as subsequent riders attempt to beat the rider's time. ; Hunger knock: Also shortened to "the knock". See hit the wall. ; Hybrid: A bicycle that is a compromise between a road bike and a mountain bike. Often chosen by cyclists for its comfort. ==I==

; Individual time trial: Race where riders set off at fixed intervals and complete the course against the clock. ; Intermediate sprint: To keep a race or a tour active there may be points along the course where the riders will sprint for time bonuses or other prizes. ==J==

; Jump: To aggressively increase speed without warning, hopefully creating a substantial advantage over your opponents. Also (more usually) denoting an attempt to bridge a gap from the peloton or gruppetto to a breakaway. For example: "He is trying to jump across". ==K==

; Keirin: The keirin is a 2000-meter track event where the riders start the race in a group behind a motorised derny. The derny paces the riders for 1400 meters and then pulls off the track, at which time the cyclists begin a sprint to the finish line. Keirin racing has traditionally been practised in Japan, where it has been a professional sport for over 20 years, and only in which pari-mutuel betting on the riders is permitted. ; Kick: Accelerating quickly with a few pedal strokes in an effort to break away from other riders (e.g. "Contador kicks again to try to rid himself of Rasmussen") ; King of the Mountains (or "KOM"): • The title given to the best climber in a cycling road race. Also known as Gran Premio della Montagna (GPM) in Italian cycling. • On the ride-tracking web site Strava, usually abbreviated as KOM: The fastest rider on any segment whether uphill, downhill or flat. ; Kit: A group, plus everything else a frameset needs to make a complete bicycle. ; Kite: Is said of a rider who climbs very well but is a poor descender. ; Knock: Referred to as "the knock". Short for "hunger knock". See hit the wall. ==L==

; Laché: French for "released", see drop. ; Lanterne rouge: French for "red lantern", as found at the end of a railway train, and the name given to the rider placed last in a race. ; Log pile: A TTF (technical trail feature) which consists of a pile of logs designed to be ridden over as a "challenge" or "test" of a rider's skill. ; Log ride: A TTF (technical trail feature) which consists of a log designed to be ridden over along its length as a "challenge" or "test" of a rider's skill. ; Limit: (Australian) First riders to depart in a handicap race. ; Lowracer: A short wheel base recumbent bicycle made to be as low to the ground as possible, for less wind resistance. ; LWB: Long wheel base, a recumbent bicycle geometry where the crank is behind the front wheel. Used to be common in the USA. ==M==

; Madison: A mass-start track event comprising teams of two riders per team. It is similar to a team points race, as points are awarded to the top finishers at the intermediate sprints and for the finishing sprint. Only one of the two team riders is racing on the track at any one time, riding for a number of laps, and then exchanging with their partner by a hand sling. The name comes from the original Madison Square Garden, which was constructed as a velodrome. ; Magic spanner: The situation where a mechanic in a support vehicle will appear to be making adjustments to the bike but in reality they are giving fatigued riders a break by holding onto the car and getting a massive push-off when the commissaires get too close. ;Maglia Rosa: Italian for Pink Jersey. ;Maillot Jaune: French for Yellow Jersey. ; Manual: Lifting the front wheel off the ground by the shifting of the rider's weight. ; Mechanical: An issue with the bike, which can result in rider abandoning the race if the issue isn't fixed. When a rider throws/drops his or her chain or has their seatpost loosen they have suffered 'a mechanical'. ; Motor pace: Following a motor vehicle close enough to take advantage of their slip stream. ; MTB: Mountain biking, or a mountain bike. ; Muur:Dutch for wall. A short, steep climb. Originates from the Tour of Flanders locations such as Muur van Geraardsbergen and Koppenberg. ==N==

; Neo-pro: A first year professional. ; Neutral zone: A non-competitive segment of a bicycle race during which competitors have to stay behind the lead vehicles. ; No one else in the picture: To win a race solo, without any competitors in view. The "victory pose" shows only the winner. A stoppie in motorcycling. ==O==

; Off the back: Getting dropped from the group/peloton. ; OSS: Over seat steering, a steering configuration on recumbent bicycles where the handlebar goes over the seat. ; OTL: Outside time limit, rider failed to finish within a specified time behind the race winner (usually defined as a percentage of the winner's time). ; Over the bars: Unexpected and sudden dismount, either caused by braking too hard with the front wheel or by a road hazard. ==P==

; Paceline: Group of riders riding at high speed by drafting one another. Riders will take turns at the front to break the wind, then rotate to the back of the line to rest in the draft. Larger group rides will often form double pacelines with two columns of riders. Sometimes referred to as "bit and bit". ; Palmarès: A list of races a rider has won. (French, meaning list of achievements or list of winners.) s on a touring bicycle ; Panache: Style or courage, displayed for example by breaking away, taking pulls at the front of the group, remounting after a crash or riding while suffering injuries. ; Pannier: A basket, bag, box, or similar container, carried in pairs attached to the frame, handle bars, or on racks attached above the wheels of a bicycle. Panniers are used by commuters and touring cyclists in the same way hikers and campers use backpacks, as a means to pack and carry gear, clothing and other supplies and items. The term derives from the Old French, from Classical Latin, word for bread basket. ; Parcours: The profile of the race or stage route. (French, course, nm.) ; Pedaling squares: Riding with considerable fatigue such that the rider is unable to maintain an efficient pedaling form that is strong and smooth. ; Pilot: See captain. ; Piranha (piranha’d): (UK) A form of theft that specialises in stealing parts from parked and locked bicycles to the eventual point that very little is left of the bike. ; Pogo: Lifting the front wheel of the bicycle in the air and jumping up and down on the rear wheel while in a stationary position. ; Pull: To take the lead on a paceline or echelon. ; Puncheur: A type of road bicycle racer who specializes in rolling terrain with short but steep climbs. Ideal races for this type of rider are the one-day classics in spring. These races are characterized by hills that are a 10–20% grade and 1–2 km long; examples include the Liège–Bastogne–Liège, the Mur de Huy in the Flèche Wallonne and the Manayunk Wall in the Philadelphia International Championship. The physique of this type of rider allows them to escape from the peloton through quick bursts usually with the assistance of a teammate. Examples of such racers include Philippe Gilbert, Paolo Bettini, Danilo Di Luca and Peter Sagan, who are able to sprint their way up the shorter climbs to win a stage or a single-day race. ==Q==

; Queen stage: The stage of a multi-day road race which is deemed the hardest, most demanding and most prestigious stage of the race. Derived from the French étape reine. ;Queen of the Mountains (or "QOM") • The title given to the best female climber in a road race. • The fastest female rider on a segment (such as on the ride-tracking web site Strava). ; Q-factor: The distance between pedal attachment points on a crankset. Ergonomically, affects the distance between a rider's feet. ==R==

; Randonnée: A ride in the randonneuring discipline of cycling, usually 200–600 km long. Also known as a brevet. ; Randonneuring: A long-distance discipline of cycling where riders attempt courses from 200 to over 1200 km, collecting stamps at controls with the clock running constantly. Every participant finishing within minimum and maximum time limits is considered a winner regardless of finishing order. Riders may ride in a group or solo as they please, and are expected to be self-sufficient between controls. Randonneuring is not regulated by UCI. ; Recumbent: A bicycle or tricycle where the rider is placed in a laid-back position, feet first and sitting in a seat instead of on a saddle. Usually used for ergonomics or aerodynamics. All world land speed records are held by (enclosed) recumbent bicycles, but these bikes are not allowed in races governed by the UCI. ; Rip: To ride fast. ; Rigid: A bicycle without any suspension system. ; Road captain: An experienced rider who organizes a team's riders in a road race, including making tactical decisions and improvising new tactics when pre-race plans are overtaken by events on the road. They are the key link between the directeur sportif and the rest of the team. Road captains are normally selected on a race-by-race basis depending on the demands of the event and their relationship with the team leader. Notable road captains in recent years include Bernhard Eisel, Luca Paolini, Mick Rogers and David Millar. ; Road race: A race on pavement. Longer in distance than criteriums. ; Rotating weight: Mass that is rotating while the bike is moving, which is a form of inertia. A bicycle wheel can be approximated as a hollow cylinder with most of its mass near the rim. The rotation of the cranks, hubs, and other parts are less significant because both their radius and rotational speed are smaller. Reducing the rotating weight with lighter wheels and tires will permit faster acceleration and braking (or the same acceleration and braking with less energy). ; Rouleur: A rider who is strong on flat and undulating roads. The rider is well suited for races such as Paris–Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara are examples of this. ==S==

; Saddle: Bike seat. ; Sag wagon: A broom wagon. ; Shifter: A component used by the rider to control the gearing mechanisms and select the desired gear ratio. It is usually connected to the derailleur by a mechanical actuation cable. Electronic shifting systems also exist. ; Singles: Australian English for tubular tyres. ; Sprinter: Rider with the ability to generate very high power over short periods (a few seconds to a minute) allowing for great finishing speeds, but usually unable to sustain sufficiently high power over long periods to be a good time triallist. Sprinters are usually too big to have a high enough power-to-weight ratio to be good climbers. ; Stem: The component that attaches the handlebars to the steer tube of the bicycle. They come in two major types, quill and threadless. The angle and length plays a major part in how the bicycle fits the rider. ; Stoker: The rider on a tandem bike not steering. ; Summit finish: A race that ends at the top of a mountain climb. Such stages favour the climbers and are normally decisive in major stage races like the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. ; Superman: Taking both feet off the pedals and extending them outwards to resemble Superman in flight. ; Swing off: A cyclist fending the air in front of a group of riders, then leaving the front after making their effort by steering their bike to the side is said to "swing off". Example: "Ivan Basso swings off to let Peter Sagan go!" ; SWB: Short wheel base, a recumbent bicycle geometry where the crank is in front of the front wheel. Comes in many shapes, like highracers and lowracers. ==T==