Glossario Bike

Glossá rio Bike
Lock Ring Anel de travamento

Glossá rio Bike
Apex a turn Tangenciar a curva

Sprocket tool Chave auxiliar de cassete
Short cage (rear derailleur) Cage curto
Stock configuration Configuraçã o original
Low spacer Espaçador de cassete
(Multi) sprocket carriers Conjunto de pinhõ es
Lap / be lapped Dar uma volta em / tomar uma volta
Comprar um terreno (derrapando as rodas de
Wash out
lado)
Wreck
Comprar um terreno (genericamente)
Over the bar Capotar de frente / voar por cima do guidã o
2-Way shifting Trocas 2-Way release
29er Bike com quadro 29”

Actuation effort Menos esforço no curso da alavanca
Aero Bars Guidã o aero

Airfoil tubing Tubos em forma de aerofó lio
And an increased traction range E maior faixa de ação para uso em bikes Trail com curso
for use on the longest travel trail maior (curso do amortecedor)
bikes (este ‘travel’ é o curso do
amortecedor, ou o percurso da
bike?)
Axle caps Tampas de eixo do cubo

Backing plate (brake pads) Placa de suporte da pastilha de freio
Ball retainer Colar de esferas
Bar Apelido de “handlebar” = guidã o
Bar shaper Bar shaper
Trocador de marcha de bicicleta que fica na ponta
Bar-end friction shifters
do bar end
Barrel Inserto (do canote)
Ajustador da tensã o do cabo, em formato
Barrel adjuster cilíndrico e oco, que aloja o conduíte e que lembra
um barril
Barrel adjuster ajustador do cabo de freio
Bead Talã o (do pneu)
Bead, folding Talã o dobrá vel
Bearing Rolamento
Bearing races Bacia (do cubo)
Bedding-in Amaciamento do freio
Belt system Sistema de correia dentada (em vez de corrente)
Bg shim Calço varizante ou valgizante
Bib Shorts Bretelle
Bike shop Loja de bike
Binding Fixaçã o
Glossá rio Bike
Potência de frenagem, pegada, atrito, frenagem

Bite (brakes)
agressiva
Biting Edge Borda de tracionamento (pneu)
Blacktop Asfalto
Bottle Caramanhola
Bottom bracket (BB) Movimento central
Bottom bracket drop (BB
Altura do movimento central
drop)
Bottom bracket shell Copo do movimento central
Cablagem com roteamento interno e contato
Bottom mount cable routing
inferior
Brake arm Braço do freio
Brake hood Protetor ou capa de manete
Brake pads Pastilha de freio
Brake pivot Braço do freio
Brake shoes Sapata de freio
Parede do aro pista de frenagem ou superfície de
Brake track
frenagem
Braze-ons Fixaçõ es (de rack, bagageiro ou cestinha...)
Pode ser “quebrar”, no sentido físico. A pessoa
Break
quebra de exaustã o.
Breakaway group Pelotã o dos escapados, grupo dos escapados
Bretelle Bib shorts
Bushing type bearing Rolamento de bucha
Processo na fabricaçã o do alumínio que o deixa
com parede de espessura variá vel. (Normalmente
Butted / double butted alloy
o resultado da traduçã o é “parede de espessura
variá vel”)
Cable Housing Conduíte
Cage Suporte para caramanhola
Cage (Long Cage in rear
Tensor longo (Câ mbio traseiro com)
derailleur)
Caliper bolts Parafusos da pinça
Rabeira superior em formato de aerofó lio
Cambered airfoil seatstay
inclinado
Canti Cantilever (freio)
Carbon friction paste Pasta de carbono
Casing Carcaça (do pneu)
Categorized climb Subida de categoria X
Nos EUA as categorias sã o divididas em 4 –
Category 1, 2, 3, 4...
quanto menor o numero, mais rá pido o ciclista
Granfondo (corrida de bike com cem milhas ou
Century
mais – 160 a 255 Km)
Chain plate Placa da corrente – interna e externa
Chain Pin Pino (de conexã o)
Chain Roller Rolete
Glossá rio Bike
Chain guide Guia de corrente

Chain line Linha da corrente
Chain stretch Alongamento da corrente
Chainrings
Coroas (as coroas do pedivela)
Chainstay Rabeira inferior

Chamber (quando se refere à Cabo da bomba de encher pneu (onde a gente
pump) segura enquanto bombeia com a handle)
Chamois Forro (acolchoamento na virilha da bermuda)
Creme para virilha. É assim chamado porque no
passado quando os forros das bermudas eram de
Chamois cream couro ou camurça (chamois), tinha que passar
esse creme direto nele para nã o ressecar o
material e evitar a assadura
Cheeckpads (helmets) Almofadas faciais
Clamp Mechanism (seatpost) Castanha de fixaçã o do selim
Clearance Espaço livre
Cleat Taco, taquinho

Clincher Clincher – pneu que se encaixa no aro da roda
Clipping Colisã o, colidindo
Close-step chainwheels Coroas com relações próximas
Coast (to) Descer na banguela

Coaster brake Freio contrapedal
Cog Pinhã o
Cogset Cassete
Collet Anel expansivo que tem a finalidade de fixar algo.
Compliance Absorçã o
Composite Carbono
Cone & Locknut Cone e Contraporca
Cone holding tube Anel de travamento
Cranks Pedivelas
Crankset Conjunto coroas + pedivelas
Campeonato de [circuito] critérium
É uma prova de speed em circuito curto em que

Criterium (short-course) os atletas ficam fazendo voltas, e a cada volta o
championships ultimo é eliminado até que sobre um pequeno
grupo que vai para o sprint final ao completar o
nº total de voltas da corrida
Cross country Cross country
Crown Coroa
Cup and cone bearing Rolamento de capa e copo
Cyclocross. Bike de estrada especial para andar na
Cyclocross
terra
Glossá rio Bike
Dab a foot Botar um pé no chã o

Garfo com canelas em magnésio, amortecido
Damped magnesium fork
hidraulicamente
Damper cartridge Cartucho de retorno
Dash Srpint final
deep dish rim Aro de perfil alto
Deeper tubing Tubos mais altos
Derailleur Câ mbio
Derailleur attachment Fixaçã o do câ mbio
Gancheira da bicicleta, que é a peça anexada na
Derailleur hanger ponta do quadro da bicicleta, na qual é fixado o
câ mbio traseiro
Disc wheels Rodas fechadas
Disc-brake rotors Rotores de freio a disco
Disk mounts Suporte para freio a disco
DNF Did Not Finish – nã o terminou a prova
Double-butted (frame) Espessura variá vel (quadro)
Down tube Tubo inferior
Downhill Downhill
Alavancas de mudança de marchas no quadro
Downtube shifters (bem antigas, pré 1990 - hoje sã o todas integradas
à s manetes de freio)
Drafting Vá cuo
Drive-side lado da transmissã o
Driver body (hub) Nú cleo (do cubo)
Drivetrain Transmissã o
Drop Degrau, barranco
Parte de baixo do guidã o de bicicleta de estrada
Drop bars ou só “drop”
(que tem uma curvatura para baixo)
Dropout Gancheira
Dropouts Gancheiras
Dropper seatpost Canote retrá til
Dual keyway shaft? Embolo com duas guias
Dual-cog Duas engrenagens
Dynamic Chain Engagement Dynamic Chain Engagement (No caso de tecnologias, não
traduzimos)
Elastomeric frame inserts Enxertos elastoméricos

Embedded (brakes) Freio amaciado
End cap Tampa da ponta do eixo
Enduro Enduro
Engagement Engajamento tipo estrela (cubo)
Entrant Inscrito (numa competiçã o)
Escape Group Grupo dos Escapados
Extension clamp bolt
Glossá rio Bike
Extension riser cap Tampa do ajuste de altura do extensor

Extension riser cap nut Parafuso da tampa do ajuste de altura do extensor
Extension riser clamp Abraçadeira do ajustes de altura do extensor
Faceplate Tampa da mesa
Faceplate cover Capa da tampa de mesa
Fairing Carenagem
Fender Para-lamas
Ferrule Ponteira (cabo de aço)
Fin Pads Aletas de resfriamento (de freio)
First-year Calouro, estreante
Bike fixa / Pinhã o fixo (nã o dá para pedalar em
Fixed-gear
falso para trá s)
Fixing bolt Parafuso de travamento
Flange (hub) A flange do cubo
Flank wear (corrente) Desgaste do flanco
Flat (verb) Pneu furado, furar um pneu
Flat bar Guidã o reto
Flat bar bikes Bike de guidã o reto
Flippable seatpost Canote reversível
Floatation Flutuaçã o (pneus sobre a trilha)
Flying mount / dismount Subir / descer da bike em movimento
Fork Garfo
Fork expander plug Expansor do garfo
Â ngulo do garfo (Offset mais aberto, significa uma
Fork offset
bike mais está vel)
Fork rake Abertura do garfo
Forward-position and taller- Roldanas guia com posição otimizada e dentes mais altos,
Tooth Guide pulleys, which que aumentam a capacidade total e a eficiência das
increase chain wrap and trocas
improve shifting
Frame Quadro
Frameset
Freehub Cubo livre
Freehub body Nú cleo
Freeride Freeride
Freewheel Catraca
Freewheel Roda livre
Friction Fricçã o
Friction Damper Estabilizador de corrente
Espaço entre roda e garfo (vã o livre entre pneu e

Front Wheel Spacing
garfo ou quadro)
FSR linkage system Sistema FSR de articulaçã o
Full Face Casco Integral
Glossá rio Bike
Full suspension system Sistema de suspensã o nas duas rodas

Garmin mount trava do Garmin
Gate Gate
Gauge Manô metro
GC General Classification Classificaçã o Geral
Gear range / wide range Relaçã o de marchas / relaçã o de marchas mais
gearing ampla
Gear steps progressão de marchas
Ghost shifting Trocas involuntárias
Volantinho (nã o há gíria equivalente, mas

Granny gear
‘pedalar no volantinho’ dá a ideia)
Grip (bike parts) Manopla
Grip (pneu) Aderência
Guide pulleys Roldanas guia
Half-waffle Desenho meio waffle

Half wheeling Cruzar roda
Handle (quando se refere à Manopla que se usa para bombear o ar com a
pump) bomba de encher pneu
Handlebar Guidã o
Handling Pilotagem
Hanger Gancheira
Head tube Tubo da caixa de direçã o
Headlight Luz Dianteira
Headset Caixa de direçã o
Seçã o onde tem que carregar a bike por nã o ser
Hike a bike
pedalá vel
Manicoto (Cobertura em borracha do manicoto da
Hood
manete de freio)
Housing ferrule conduite metá lico / tripa metá lica
Housing stop guia de cabo
Hub Cubo
Hub Nut Hub Nut (na falta de uma traduçã o melhor, vamos
manter em inglês)
Hub races Bacia (do cubo)
Hub shell Corpo do cubo
Hydraulic damping Amortecimento hidrá ulico
IBD – Independent Bicycle
Lojista Especializado
Dealer
Indoor roller races Provas de ciclismo indoor
Inertia-valve damping Tecnologia de válvula inercial é o recurso que
technology faz nossa suspensã o ser ativada ou desativada
conforme as irregularidades do piso. Existe uma
peça dentro de um cilindro colocado em posiçã o
inclinada, no sentido do vetor de força recebido
Glossá rio Bike
pela roda ao passarmos por um buraco ou

elevaçã o, que se movimenta e abre ou fecha uma
passagem de ó leo, que libera ou cancela a
circulaçã o de ó leo e consequentemente trava e
destrava a suspensã o inteligentemente. Daí o
nome BRAIN TECHNOLOGY
Inner (side) plates – corrente Placas internas da corrente
Install the seals, with “Instale o guarda-pó , com a parte elevada virada
the lip facing up para cima”
Instant Release shifting Trocas Instant Shifting (tecnologia)
Integrated master cylinder cilindros mestres integrados

reservoirs
J-bend spoke Raio com dobra

Knob Cravo (do pneu)
Layups Laminaçõ es (de fibra de carbono)
Lead-out "puxar", "dar roda" ou "trabalhar"
"embalar o sprint", "embalar a chegada" ou
Lead-out no sprint final
"embalar o velocista"
Leading Edge (of a tire) Cravos centrais
Lock bushing Parafuso de travamento
Lockbolt Parafuso de travamento
Locknut Contraporca
Lockout / Light lockout Trava / Trava leve
Low standover Tubo superior baixo
peça / tampa inferior da aranha de caixa de
Lower wedge
direçã o
Lowers Canelas
Lug set Cachimbo (conector dos tubos)
Lugged steel Quadro cachimbado, em aço
Entalhes usinados, onde se encaixa o Anel
Machined slots?
expansivo
Main triangle Triâ ngulo principal
Manicot manicoto é o suporte da manete de freio
Middle course Meio percurso
Mounts Suporte
Multi shifting Multi shifting (tecnologia)
Narrow clamp bands
Needle bearing Rolamento agulha

Neutral Support Suporte Neutro
Nipple Niple
Nipple com Cross-Tip Niple com cabeça em cruz
Nipple com Slotted End Niple com cabeça para fenda
Non-drive-side lado oposto ao da transmissã o
Glossá rio Bike
Offset Offset
Movimento Central Superdimensionado
OSBB
(OverSized)
OTB – Off The Back Ficar para trá s no pelotã o
Paceline Revezamento – rendez-vous - Paceline
Pad holder clamp Abraçadeira do apoio
Apó ia braços (nas bikes de corrida)
Pads
Pode ser também a pastilha de freio
Palmares é o currículo, a coletâ nea de resultados
Palmares
de um ciclista – fica igual
Park bike Bicicleta ideal para andar em Bike Parks
Pawl (da washer spring) Garra
Pedal body cover Cobertura do pedal
Pick (ferramenta) Agulha
Pinch bolt Parafuso de aperto
Presta valve Bico fino
Fator Q é a distancia entre os pedais esquerdo e
direito. Uma distancia reduzida, posiciona os pés
Q Factor
e pernas de uma maneira mais natural e
confortá vel para se pedalar
Rail (seat) Trilhos do selim
Ratchet system Mecanismo do cassete ratchet system
Alcance (medido do central ao centro da cx de
Reach
direçã o)
Real suspension Suspensã o de verdade, de alto rendimento
Rear end Rabeira
Rear hub Cubo traseiro
Rear triangle Triâ ngulo traseiro
Rebound (shock) Retorno de amortecedor
Amortecedor com controle da vá lvula do brain
Remote brain shock
remota
Repair stand Suporte de reparo
Responsive Reativa
Rim Aro
Ring (in crankset) Coroa
Riser block Bloco de elevaçã o
Road Spider Aranha para estrada
Rock Garden (seçã o cheia de pedras numa prova
Rock Garden
de MTB)
Roller Anilha
Roller Rolo
Roller Subidinha / Pequeno morro
Roller (corrente) Rolete
Rolling Resistance Resistência ao Rolamento
Roomy top tube Tubo superior rebaixado (espaçoso para passar a
Glossá rio Bike
perna por cima)

Rotors Rotores de freio
Rotor straightener Desempenador de rotor do freio
Saddle rail Trilho do selim
SBCU - Specialized’s dealer
Programa de educaçã o do revendedor Specialized
education program
Seat collar Abraçadeira do selim
Seat tube Tubo do selim
Seatpost Canote
Rabeira superior ou tubos superiores do triangulo
Seatstay
traseiro
Setback (do seatpost) Recuo (do canote)
Shadow construction Construção Shadow
Conjunto que forma o êmbolo (da bomba de

Shaft and barrel
encher pneu)
Shallow-slant linkage Link com ângulo de inclinação otimizado
Shaped seatstays Rabeiras com formato especial

Shaped tube sets Tubos manipulados ou com formato especial
conduite simples ou macarrã o (acredite) – coloca
Sheath
o macarrã o entre parênteses
dobra na ponta do conduite / ponta na tripa de
Sheath flange
guiagem
Shell (bottom bracket) Copos do movimento central
Shell (helmets) Casco
Shell (saddle) Corpo
Shifters Alavancas
Shifting Câ mbio
Shim (do stem) Calço da caixa de direçã o
Shimano Technical Education Educaçã o Técnica da Shimano
Side-swing (front derailleur) Side Swing
Bicicleta de andar na cidade com apenas uma

Single-speed city bike
marcha (muito usada pelos bike courriers)
Sintered metal Metal sinterizado
Sipes Ranhuras (do pneu)
Skewer Blocagem
Skinsuit Macaquinho
Sleeved seams Juntas embuchadas
Sliders Canelas de suspensã o
Slipstream Vá cuo
Slop Folga
Snappy chainstays Rabeira rígida
Spanner Wrench Chave de Cone
Specialized Rider Care Departamento de Pó s-Venda Specialized
Glossá rio Bike
Spider Aranha do pedivela

Spindle vice tool Trava de eixo
Spoke Raio
Spoke pattern Raiaçã o
Spoke Plug Plug do raio
Spoke Plug with Washer Plug do raio com arruela
Spring holes Insert da mola
Spring rate Curva de acionamento da suspensã o
Spring tabs molas
Sprint Tiro, sprint
Sprint-distance race Prova de curta duraçã o
Sprocket Pinhã o
Sram red group Grupo sram red
Stack Apó ia braços (bike de corrida)
Stack Altura (Central ao topo da cx de direçã o)
Stacker Stacker
Competiçã o de vá rias etapas em dias consecutivos
Stage race
como o Tour de France
Stanchion tubes Hastes da suspensã o
Standover Altura do quadro
Standover Alt. do solo ao topo do tubo superior
Steer Espiga
Steerer Espiga
Steerer Tube Espiga
Stem Mesa ou suporte do guidã o
Stem Bico da vá lvula do pneu
Stem Suporte do guidã o
Stem clamp area Regiã o de aperto da mesa
Tubo superior baixo (feminino, para passar a
Step-through frame
perna por cima pelo meio da bike)
Sti brifters Trocador de marcha para bicicletas de estrada
Stiff Rígido
Straight pull spoke Raio sem dobra (Shimano)
Straight pull spokes Cabeça de encaixe direto (Specialized)
Sunny hop Salto do coelho
Swing link Braço oscilante, elo (link) em forma de balanço
Taillight Luz Traseira
Tapered Cô nico
Throwing Down Botar para baixo (descer um downhill)
Thru-axle hub Cubo com eixo passante
Time-trial (Individual TT, Contra-reló gio (contra-reló gio individual, contra-
Team TT - ITT, TTT) reló gio em equipe)
Tire Boot Manchã o
Glossá rio Bike
Tire clearance Vã o do pneu

Tire lever Espá tula para trocar pneu
Toe overlap Sobreposiçã o da ponta do pé com a roda dianteira
Toeclip Firma-pé
Top Bar Parte reta do guidã o (em cima)
Top tube Tubo superior
Touring bike Bicicleta para cicloturismo
Track Wheels Rodas para pista
Trailing edge (of a tire) Cravos laterais
Tread Banda de rodagem
True the wheel Alinhar a roda
Tubes Tubos estruturais ou câ maras de ar
Ponto de retorno, num percurso que vai e volta
Turnaround
pelo mesmo caminho
peça / tampa superior da aranha de caixa de
Upper wedge
direçã o
Varus wedge Palmilhas em cunha
Resiliência, absorçã o de irregularidades ou
Vertical compliance
absorçã o vertical
Wake Turbulência
Washer spring Arruela de travamento
Water bottle Caramanhola
Wedge Vinco (montagem da Venge ViAS)
Wheelbase Distâ ncia entre eixos
Wipe out ‘comprar um terreno’ , ‘levar um chã o’
Yellow jersey Camisa amarela do líder do Tour de France
Zertz inserts Enxertos Zertz
A
alleycat
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 his/her manifest updated. First racer to return with a completed manifest wins.
Alleycats were first formalized in Toronto, 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
and organizing alleycat races.
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 seeks a top-10 place in the General Classification. Eddy Merckx and Lance Armstrong were both
notable all-rounders; Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso and Alejandro Valverde are more contemporary examples.
Glossá rio Bike
attack
To quickly accelerate while riding in a pack, or in smaller numbers, with a view to create a gap between yourself
and other riders.
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.
B
BBAR
Short for British Best All-Rounder, a season-long time trial competition held in the UK.
beyond category
See hors catégorie.
à bloc
Riding or going "à bloc" means giving it all you've got, going all out, riding as hard as one possibly can (which
can be dangerous for it leaves one in a state where recovery is needed, and therefore vulnerable to being
attacked). Example: "I really gave it all in the last kilometres, although I didn't think it was possible until I
crossed the line. I just went 'à bloc' " --Alexander Vinokourov describing his win of the final stage of the 2005
Tour de France.
bidon
A water bottle.
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.
bike nazi
An aggressive and rude rider.
bonk
To completely run out of energy on a long ride. Related to hitting the wall. See Bonk (condition)
Box of spanners
To totally lose all ability to pedal smoothly after overexertion but still remain on one's bike. Expressive: "He's
pedaling like a box of spanners"
brain bucket
A bicycle helmet designed to prevent or lessen damage to the head and face of a rider; this term is considered
slightly insulting and is usually used by those advocating not using helmets.
breakaway
Glossá rio Bike
Breakaway, or break in short, is when a small group of riders or an individual have successfully opened a gap
ahead of the peloton.
bridge
When a lone rider or smaller group of riders closes the space between them and the rider or group in front of
them. This term is often used to describe when riders catch up with the main pack (or peloton) of riders or those
who are leading the race.
broom wagon
In road bicycle racing, a synonym for SAG wagon. The broom wagon often has an ironic broom actually fixed to
the front of it.
C
cadence
Main article: Cadence (cycling)
The rate at which a cyclist pedals (in revolutions per minute).
caravane
The team cars following behind the peloton in support of their racers.
chain gang
Main article: Chain gang (cycling)
A group of cyclists cycling in a close knit formation akin to a road race, normally for the purposes of training.
chain slap
Annoying slapping of the bike's chain against the chainstays while riding over rough terrain.
chain suck
The tendency of a chain to stick to chain rings and be sucked up into the bike instead of coming off the
chainring. Primarily caused by worn chainrings and worst on small chain rings, under high loads, and in dirty
conditions.
chase
A group of one or more riders who are ahead of the peloton trying to join the race or stage leader(s). There may
be none, one, or many chases at any given point in a race.
climber
Main article: Climbing specialist (cycling)
A rider who specialises in riding uphill quickly, usually due to having a high power-to-weight ratio.
clincher
A type of tire that uses a bead around the edge of the tire to attach to the rim of the wheel when inflated. The
inner tube is separate.
Glossá rio Bike
commissaire
Main article: Commissaire (cycling)
A race judge, usually based in a car following the event.
counter attack
An attack that is made when a break has been caught by chasers or the peloton.
crack
When a cyclist runs out of strength or energy, they are said to have cracked. Compare with Bonk (condition)
criterium
Main article: criterium
A race on a closed short distance course with multiple laps. Often but not always a 4-cornered course; often
includes primes (short for premiums) which are points or prizes for intermediate laps. Course length varies from
800 meters to 5 kilometers.
cyclo-cross
D
danseuse
(French: danser - 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.
descender
A cyclist who excels at fast descents, often using them to break away from a group, or bridge a gap.
drafting
Main article: Drafting (racing)
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.
drop
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.
domestique
Main article: cycling domestique
A rider whose job it is to support and work for other riders in their team (literally "servant" in French).
drop off
Glossá rio Bike
A drop off is a mountain biking term. Experienced riders who ride on black routes may come across them. A
drop off is a step down in the terrain and can range from 20cm to 20ft. Most drop offs are met either by downhill
riders, or freeriders. These riders have long travel bikes above 6 inches for bigger drops.
E
echelon
(French) a line of riders seeking maximum drafting in a crosswind, resulting in a diagonal line across the road.
endo
To go over the handlebars in a crash. From "end-over-end".
espoir
(French: hope) Age category for riders between 19 and 22 years of age.
étape
A stage of a stage race.
F
fixie
Slang for a fixed-gear bicycle.
Fixed
Slang for a fixed-gear bicycle.
feed zone
A location along the course of a long bicycle road race where team personnel hand musettes containing food and
beverages to passing riders.
Ideally, a feed zone should be along a long, uncongested straight section of road, with a wide shoulder for team
personnel and vehicles. A slight uphill is desirable, as it will slow the passing riders and make grabbing the
musettes easier; the grade should not be so steep as to cause the riders to struggle. The roadway approaching the
feed zone should be straight with a long unobstructed sightline, so riders may easily identify the personnel from
their teams and position themselves for a smooth pickup.
Follow
The ability to follow is the ability to match the pace of riders who are setting the tempo. Following is easer than
pulling or setting the tempo and the term can be used in a derogatory manner, e.g. "He only ever followed".
food stop
A location on the course of a long, supported recreational ride from which volunteers dispense foods such as
bananas, oranges, bread, and food bars, and beverages such as water and sports drinks, to riders who stop for
refreshment. Most cyclists must eat and drink to replenish calories, fluids, and electrolytes lost while completing
a long ride. Thus the food stops are important to the success of most participants.
On recreational rides, riders typically stop and dismount to obtain refreshment (hence the term food stop). In
contrast, long road bicycle races do not typically involve stopping for refreshment; instead, riders grab musettes
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containing food and beverages from team personnel who stand along the road at designated feed zones. In some
events, riders obtain food handups directly from support vehicles.
 See also: SAG station and SAG wagon.
G
gap
A distance between two or more riders large enough for drafting to no longer be effective. Also used as verb (US
English), for example: "Armstrong has gapped Ullrich!". It's much easer 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. calculated from
the first rider over the line each day time is then measured back by gaps from the winner of the day. Time gaps
are then calculated back between riders and added to the overall position of riders relative to each other. Riders
can attack in stage races for time rather than winning the days 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 days
stage despite not contesting the finish as the overall gap the breakaway gains helps them "on G.C."
gruppetto
see autobus
Gutter
To ride in the gutter is ride close to edge of the road making it hard for others to draft.
Granny Gear
The lowest gear ratio on a multi-speed derailleur bicycle; smallest chainring in front and the largest in back.
H
half-wheel or half-wheeler
A rider that rides 1/2 wheel in front of you on training rides and group rides. No matter how much you speed up
to keep up with them, they stay that distance in front of you. Usually these people are frowned upon and less
desirable to ride with.
hammer
Strange expression using hammer origins unknown. "the man with the hammer got him" or "he got hit by the
man with hammer". The saying expresses a rider who suddenly loses the ability to race unexpectedly or contrary
to expectations. alternative expressions are "tapped" short for "he got tapped by the man with hammer"
Associated with the expression "bad day" or "had a bad day".
It could also mean pedaling hard. As in the phrase "We really put the hammer down and sprinted to the end."
More literally, the verb "hammer" refers to pounding along on the pedals. e.g. "Leipheimer really hammered for
the entirety of stage 19".
handicap
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A style of road racing in Australia where riders are given time handicaps in bunches, with scratch being the last
riders to leave and limit being the first riders to leave. The time intervals between groups, and the allocation of
riders to groups is decided by the race handicapper, based on rider's ability, age and form. Race honours are
usually awarded to the first 5 to 10 riders (depending on the size race) and to the fastest time.
Head down
similar to "on the rivet" but slightly less extreme. A rider making a serious effort.
hill climb (race)

A short distance uphill race, usually an individual time trial over approx 3 - 5 km.
Hold a wheel
Similar to follow but more dramatic. holding a wheel may infer a rider is riding above his normal performance
just to stay with a better rider or indicates he is about to be dropped or crack. Expressive "he can't hold the
wheel"
honking
(UK English), see danseuse.
hors catégorie, or HC
The French term primarily used in French races (most notably, the Tour de France) to designate a climb that is
"beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs are designated from Category 1 (hardest) to
Category 4 (easiest), based on both steepness and length. A climb that is harder than Category 1 is designated as
hors catégorie.
hunger knock
Also shortened to "the knock". See Bonk (condition)
I
individual time trial
Main article: individual time trial
Race where riders set off at fixed intervals and complete the course against the clock; fastest time wins.
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 metre track event where the riders start the race in a group behind a motorised derny. The
derny paces the riders for 1400 metres and then pulls off the track, at which time the cyclists begin a sprint to the
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finish line. Keirin racing has traditionally been practised in Japan, where it has been a professional sport for over
20 years, and in which Pari-mutuel betting on the riders is permitted.
Kick
Accelerating quickly with a few pedalstrokes in an effort to break away from other riders (e.g. "Contador kicks
again to try to rid himself of Rasmussen")
knock
Referred to as "the knock". Short for "hunger knock". See Bonk (condition)
L
lanterne rouge
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.
Laughing group
Same as autobus. Riders who collect together in a road race just concerned with making it to the finish "in the
time" so as not to be disqualified or "swept up". Members of the laughing group are not concerned with
contesting the finish.
lead out
Sprinting technique often used by the leadout man where the rider will accelerate to maximum speed close to the
sprint point with a teammate, the sprinter, drafting behind, hoping to create space between the sprinter and the
pack. When the leadout man is exhausted he will move to the side to allow his teammate to race in the sprint.
Often a line of leadout men will be used to form a leadout train to drive the speed higher and higher (and to
reduce the chances of other riders attacking) over the closing stages of a race. The purpose of a leadout is for the
sprinter to achieve high speed at the sprint approach using as little of his own energy as possible, so he has as
much energy as possible for the final sprint.
Let go
two meanings one the opposite meaning of the other
1
To let go a rider or break is allowing a rider(s) to attack and not responding even if one has the capability to
follow the attacking move. This is done for tactical reasons. Can be applied in the plural. "the peloton let the
break go"
To let go the wheels is to not be able to "hold a wheel" unable to follow the pace. "he let the wheels go" or "let
go the wheel" the difference is the use of wheel rather than the rider or riders. if you let a rider or a break go you
do so voluntarily. To let go a wheel is involuntary but has slightly derogatory edge in that the rider "let the
wheels go" before he was pushed to his absolute limit, to be "dropped" (subtle)
limit
First riders to depart in a handicap race.
M
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Madison
The Madison is 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
his partner by a hand sling. The name originates from Madison Square Garden, which was originally constructed
as a velodrome.
musette
Small lightweight cotton shoulder bag, used for containing food and drink given to riders in a feed zone during a
cycle race. The bag is designed so that it can be easily grabbed by a moving rider. The shoulder strap is placed
over the head and one shoulder, the contents are then removed and placed into jersey pockets or bottles (bidons)
are placed into bottle cages. The bag is then discarded.
MTB
The activity of MounTain Biking. Or a mountain bike itself.
N
O
omnium
An omnium is a multi-stage event that differs from a stage race in that points are assigned for placing in each
stage rather than a time. Therefore a rider may win with a slower time than another rider, but more points.
Conceivably a rider can win the omnium without finishing each event.
on the rivet
Describes a rider who is riding at maximum speed. When riding at maximum power output, a road racer often
perches on the front tip of the saddle (seat), where the shell of an old-style leather saddle would be attached to
the saddle frame with a rivet.
on your wheel
Phrase describing the condition of being very close to the rear wheel of the rider ahead of you. Used to inform
the rider that you have positioned yourself in their slipstream for optimum drafting. For example: "I'm on your
wheel."
open road race

Generally going from point A to point B; can include multi-laps. Can also mean a club event in which non-club
members can enter.
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.
Palmares
A list of races a rider has won.
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parcours
The profile of the race or stage route.
peloton
Main article: peloton
(from French, literally meaning ball and related to the English word platoon) or bunch is the large main group in
a cycling road race. Can also be used to describe the body of professional cyclists as a whole, e.g., "he joined the
peloton at 24 years of age."
Prime
Primes (pronounced preems, from French) are intermediate sprints within a race, usually offering a prize and/or
points. Primes are a way to encourage more competitive riding, and also an opportunity for companies to gain
publicity by sponsoring a prime.
In a criterium, a bell is sounded on the lap preceding the prime sprint at the appropriate line for that prime sprint.
The line used for prime sprints need not be the same as the start or finish line. Primes may be either
predetermined for certain laps or spontaneously designated under the supervision of the Chief Referee. All
primes won shall be awarded to riders even if they withdraw from the race. Lapped riders are not eligible for
primes except in the following situation: when a breakaway has lapped the main field, riders in the main field
and the breakaway riders are then both eligible for primes. When primes are announced for a given group, only
riders in that group or behind it at the beginning of the prime lap are eligible. Prizes can be cash, merchandise, or
points, depending on the race.
prologue
A short individual time trial before a stage race, used to determine which rider wears the leader's jersey on the
first stage.
pull
To take the lead on a paceline or echelon.
Pull back time

To pull back time is to make up time on another rider who is ahead on G.C. "he needs to "pull back" two minutes
if he wants to get in yellow"
Pull it back
to work too hard and reduce the lead of a breakaway, also used as "he needs to pull him back" or "they need to
pull him back."
Q
queen stage
The most difficult stage of a multi-day road race, typically involving multiple low- or beyond-category climbs.
R
Ride
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A rider who does a ride is one who makes an endeavor to win a race or move up on GC against the odds and
pulls it off. "he did a ride"
road race
a race on a road
rotating weight
Weight that is rotating while the bike is moving, particularly referring to the wheels. Weight near the perimeter
of a wheel has about twice the stored energy of non-rotating weight on a bicycle when moving. Rotation of
cranks, wheel hubs, and other parts are of little significance because the radius and speed of rotation are small.
Rotating weight resists acceleration (or deceleration), so lighter wheel rims, spoke nipples, and tires allow
slightly quicker acceleration. There is no significant difference between rotating and non-rotating weight when at
steady speeds or for hill climbing.
S
SAG station
A location along the course of a long mass-participation recreational ride providing mechanical and/or medical
assistance to riders in need. Volunteers at the SAG station may also dispatch SAG wagons to assist riders
stranded along the course. A SAG station may also function as a food stop.
"SAG" (most commonly written in all uppercase) may derive from a rider "sagging" off the back of the group, or
it may be an acronym (or a backronym) for "Support And Gear" or "Support Aid Group."
SAG wagon
Support motor vehicle following long races or recreational rides to pick up riders unable to complete the event.
See also: food stop and SAG station.
In racing events, typically the main group of riders will ride as a peloton and can be served by one or more SAG
wagons trailing behind. In large recreational rides, there may be thousands of riders spread over much of the
course, so ride organizers may employ roving SAG wagons to locate and assist stranded riders.
In bicycle racing, another term for SAG wagon is broom wagon.
scratch
Last riders to depart in a handicap race. Also referred to as the "scratch bunch" or "scratchies".
Shapes
To pull or throw shapes, throwing shapes is a rider whose exertions has caused him to pedal in a ungainly and
un-fluid manner. A sign a rider is about to crack or has cracked. Can be used in expressive ways. "He's throwing
a whole basket of shapes".
singles
Australian English for tubular tyres, which have the inner tube permanently stitched inside the casing, and are
glued to special rims. Singles take very high pressure (up to 10 bar or 145 psi) and offer the least rolling
resistance and lowest weight. However, they are difficult to replace and repair and are very expensive. See also
tub.
sit on and sit in

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To ride behind another rider without taking a turn on the front (thus tiring the lead rider), often in preparation for
an attack or sprint finish. "sitting in the wheels" is to take an easy ride drafted by the peloton or gruppeto. often a
strategic decision to save energy in 21 day stage race
Soft break
A breakaway that is allowed to go from the peloton in a stage race because it poses no strategic threat to any of
the main contenders on GC.
Soigneur
A non-riding member of a team whose role is to provide support for the riders, possibly including transportation
and organization of supplies, preparation of the team's food, post-ride massages and personal encouragement.
sprinter
Main article: Cycling sprinter
Has the ability to generate very high power over short periods (a few seconds to a minute) allowing for great
finishing speeds, but is usually unable to sustain sufficiently high power over long periods to be a good time
trialist, and is usually too big to have a high enough power-to-weight ratio to be a good climber.
squares
Similar to shapes. pedaling squares is pedaling with out fluid rhythm. Pedaling in a labored fashion
stage
Main article: Stage (bicycle race)
One part of a multi-day race, such as the Tour de France.
stagiaire
An amateur rider, who is taken in by a professional team during the season. This lets the rider get some
experience at riding a few pro races, and the team gets a chance to assess the abilities of the rider.
T
team
Main article: cycling team
A team of professional cyclists. Usually one rider will be the team leader and the others will support him, though
the team itself will be comprised of a mix of riders from the various specialisations.
team time trial

Riders start in groups or teams, usually of a fixed size. The time of the nth rider of a team counts for the
classification.
tempo
Steady pace at the front of a group of riders. A relatively fast tempo can be used by a group or team to control
the peloton, often to make up time to a break. The group will ride at the head of the bunch and set a fast enough
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pace to stretch the peloton out (also known as stringing out) and discourage other riders from attacking. Setting a
slower tempo can be done for the purpose of blocking.
Tester
A time trialist who tends to over-specialize in the discipline. Slightly derogatory
time trial
Main article: time trial
A race against the clock where riders are started separately (ranging from 30 seconds to 5 minutes apart). The
winner of the race is determined by the fastest person across the course. No drafting may be employed in a time
trial as it is a solo race event.
time trialist
Main article: time trialist
A rider that can generate relatively high power over long periods of time (5 minutes to an hour or more) in a race
against the clock.
track
An oval cycling track for races, banked at up to 42 degrees. Cycling tracks are usually, but not always indoors
Bicycling or cycle tracks are also called velodromes.
trainer
A piece of equipment that a bicycle stands on so that the rear wheel can spin while the bicycle is stationary,
allowing stationary riding.These are usually used when the conditioins outside are bad.
tubs
Short for tubular tires/tires, a type of tire that is glued onto wheels with tubular (sprint) rims. Also referred to as
singles in Australian English.
turbo-trainer
A trainer that spins a fan assembly at the same time (for pedal resistance and air flow)
Turn
A turn is a rider sharing the workload on a pace line "he took a turn" or "he is doing a lot of turns on the front".
Missing turns can be expressed thus "he has missed a few turns now and has stopped working". In a breakaway
the riders expect to share the work equally in "turns". A rider who doesn't take his turn is "sitting on the break"
U
V
velodrome
A cycling track for races. See track.
W
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wall
A steep incline along a race's course. Also used as an expression of a rider reaching the end of his ability to make
a contesting effort. "he's hit the wall"
wheelsucker
A rider who sits on the rear wheel of others in a group, enjoying the draft but not working. This is often a
sprinter who is being "protected" for the finish
with
In contexts such as "riding with" and "finished with" used to mean "next to each other or one behind another,
close enough to be drafting". Example: "Samuel Dumoulin (Française Des Jeux) and Simon Gerrans (Ag2r-
Prevoyance) joined up with the leading four and set about working well together."
WOL
Abbreviation of wide outside lane. An outside lane on a roadway that is wide enough to be safely shared side-
by-side by a bicycle and motor vehicle. The road may be marked with partial lane markings to designate the
portion of the lane to be used by bicycles.
Work
To work is to do "turns on the front", aid a group of riders by sharing the workload of working against air
resistance by "pulling on the front" of the group. similar to pull. Often used expressively in-combination with
other expressions:eg "he is hasn't done any work all day he has just sat on the breakaway" working is used in
many contexts in the peloton and road racing
X
Xylemthe tubes inside a plant used to transport nutrients, also known as the spinal tissue that spews on the
ground after a bad bike wreck (in most cases causes death).
Y
Z
References
 Glossary at Adventure Sports Online
 Glossary at 7 Stains
Cycling is a means of transport, a form of recreation, and a sport. The bicycle carries riders across land, through
tunnels, over bridges, snow, or, less frequently, over ice (icebiking).
..... Click the link for more information.
Road bicycle racing is a popular bicycle racing sport held on roads (following the geography of the area), using
racing bicycles. The term 'road racing' is usually applied to massed-start events where competing riders start
simultaneously (unless riding a handicap event) with the
mountain bike racing relatively late in 1990, when it sanctioned the world championships in Purgatory,
Colorado. The first mountain biking world cup series took place in 1991. Its nine-race circuit covered two
continents - Europe and North America - and was sponsored by Grundig.
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Bicycle messengers (also known as bike or cycle couriers) are people who work for courier companies (also
known as messenger companies) carrying and delivering items by bicycle. Bicycle messengers are most often
found in the central business districts of metropolitan areas.
A courier is a person or company employed to deliver messages, packages and mail. Couriers are distinguished
from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and
individualization of services, and committed delivery times, which
City of Toronto
Flag
Coat of arms
Nickname: T.O., Hogtown, The Big Smoke, T-Dot, Toronto the Good
Motto: Diversity Our Strength
The General Classification (or the GC) in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle
riders in multi-stage bicycle races. Each stage will have a stage winner, but the overall winner in the GC is the
rider who has the fastest time when all the stage
Eddy Merckx
L to R: Jean-Marie Leblanc, Anne-Marie Lizin, Eddy Merckx

Personal information
Full name Edouard Louis Joseph Merckx
Nickname The Cannibal
Date of birth May 17 1945
Lance Armstrong
Armstrong speaking at the NIH
Full name Lance Edward Armstrong
Nickname Mellow Johnny
(from Maillot Jaune, French for Yellow jersey) [1]
Jan Ullrich
Jan Ullrich at Giro d'Italia in 2006

Full name Jan Ullrich
Nickname Ulle, Der Kaiser
Date of birth November 2 1973
Ivan Basso
Nickname Ivan the Terrible
Date of birth November 26 1977 (age 31)
Alejandro Valverde
Full name Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
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Nickname The Green Bullet, Piti
Date of birth March 25 1980
A stage in road bicycle racing is a part of a multi-day event, such as the Tour de France or the Giro d'Italia.
Usually, the race consists of "ordinary" stages (see below), but sometimes stages are held as an individual time
trial or a team time trial.
The British Best All-Rounder (BBAR) competition, organised by Cycling Time Trials, is an annual British
cycle-racing competition. It ranks riders by their average speeds in individual time trials, over 50 and 100 miles
and 12 hours for men, and over 25, 50 and 100 miles for women.
Alexander Vinokourov
Full name Alexander Nikolaivich Vinokourov
Алексaндр Николаевич
The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised
21 stages over 3607 km, ridden at an average speed of 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the
département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years.
energy (from the Greek ενεργός, energos, "active, working")[1] is a scalar physical quantity that is a property of
objects and systems of objects which is conserved by nature.
In endurance sports, particularly cycling, bonk describes a condition when the athlete suddenly loses energy and
fatigue sets in, usually caused when glycogen stores in the liver and muscles are depleted, resulting in a major
performance drop.
helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head. Traditionally, helmets have been made of metal. In recent
decades helmets made from resin or plastic and typically reinforced with Aramid fiber (e.g. Twaron or Kevlar)
have become preferred for most applications.
Road bicycle racing is a popular bicycle racing sport held on roads (following the geography of the area), using
racing bicycles. The term 'road racing' is usually applied to massed-start events where competing riders start
simultaneously (unless riding a handicap event) with the
Cadence in cycling is the number of revolutions of the crank per minute; roughly speaking, this is the speed at
which a cyclist is pedalling/turning the pedals.
Cyclists typically have a preferred cadence at which they feel most comfortable, and on bicycles with many
gears
In the sport of cycling, a chain gang is a group of cyclists in a close knit formation usually of two parallel lines.
The formation comes from the fact that it is harder to cycle at the front of a group than in the shelter of another
rider.
A climbing specialist is a road bicycle racer who can ride especially well on highly inclined roads, such as those
found among hills or mountains.
Role of climber in a race

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A commissaire is an official in competitive cycling, usually seen with a copy of the racing rules, a stopwatch,
and a clipboard. Commissaires are similar to judges or referees in other sports — a commissaire is the person in
charge of the race.
In endurance sports, particularly cycling, bonk describes a condition when the athlete suddenly loses energy and
fatigue sets in, usually caused when glycogen stores in the liver and muscles are depleted, resulting in a major
performance drop.
A criterium, or crit, is a type of bike race held on a short course (usually less than 5 km), often run on closed-
off city centre streets.
Race length can be determined by a total time or a number of laps, in which case the number of remaining laps is
calculated
French (français, pronounced [fʁɑ̃ˈsɛ]) is a Romance language originally spoken in France, Belgium,
Luxembourg, and Switzerland, and today by about 300 million people around the world as either
Drafting or slipstreaming is a technique in sports racing where competitors align in a close group in order to
reduce the overall effect of drag or fluid resistance of the group in a slipstream.
slipstream is a region of reduced pressure produced behind an object as it moves through a fluid medium
(usually air) or as that medium moves around an object. It is caused because the progress of the object forces the
particles of the medium (air molecules, etc) apart and
drag (sometimes called resistance) is the force that resists the movement of a solid object through a fluid (a
liquid or gas). Drag is made up of friction forces, which act in a direction parallel to the object's surface
(primarily along its sides, as friction forces at the
Home> You> Culture Section> Glossary of Biking Terms and Slang
The largest, most comprehensive cycling glossary on the Internet. 425 words of wisdom.
aero
adj. abbreviation for aerodynamically efficient.
aero-bars
n. handlebar extension which rests the hands close together over the front hub, which is a very
aero tuck.
air
n. space between the tires and the ground. (Both tires must be off the ground or it isn't "air".)
Said to be caught or gotten. See sky.
anchor
n. your child, or children (anchors) that keep(s) you from riding. "Wait till you anchors grow
up, you'll have road rash for breakfast and prunes for dinner!" To be used as an endearing, not
demeaning, phrase.
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ano
adj. frequently-misspelled abbreviation for "anodized". See purple.
ANSI
n. a withdrawn and totally wimpy bicycle helmet standard set by the American National
Standards Institute. ANSI-1984 is less strict than any current standard. Read about helmet
standards.
apex
1) n. the apex is the middle or sharpest point of a curve
2) v. to plan your line around a bend to touch the inside of the lane at the apex, starting and
leaving the turn at the outside of the lane, to flatten out the required curve and increase
allowable speeds. Read about such turning techniques.
ashtabula crank
n. one-piece crank -- the crank arm starts on one side of the bike, bends to go through the
bottom bracket, and bends again on the other side to go down to the other pedal. Typically
heavy, cheap, and robust. See "cottered crank" and "cotterless crank".
ASTM
n. a bicycle helmet standard set by the American Society for Testing and Materials. The most
frequently used helmet standard, is a bit watered down compared to Snell B-95 and many
international standards. Read about helmet standards.
ATB
n. All-Terrain Bike or Biking. A synonym for MTB.
attack
n., v. a sudden attempt to ride ahead of a group of riders.
auger
v. to involuntarily take samples of the local geology, usually with one's face, during a crash.
See face plant.
baby heads
n. small boulders about the size of, yep, a baby's head.
bacon
n. scabs on a rider's knees, elbows, or other body parts.
bagger
n. a person that habitually bags out. Also known as a loser.
bagging a peak
v. making it to the summit of a mountain.
bagging out
v. canceling a ride for something other than a death in the family.
bail
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1) or bail out. v. to jump off in order to avoid an imminent crash.
2) v. to give up on a ride because of bad weather coming in. (from climbing)
bars
n. on mountain bikes, a technologically backward straight pipe that was otherwise discarded as
obsolete in the 19th century. For road bikes, a refined component which promotes
aerodynamics, body geometry, muscle teamwork, stability, and comfort.
basecamp rides
adj. setting up camp and using it as the start and finish of tours.
bead
n. the part of your tire that fits onto the rim, either wire (heavy and cheap) or Kevlar (light and
expensive), or what you find in Missy Giovie's hair.
beartrap
1) v. to slip off one pedal, causing the other pedal to slam one in the shin, when one gets
kracked with a pedal.
2) n. the toothlike scars resulting from being beartrapped.
beat
1) v. to ride with reckless disregard to one's equipment, well-being, and/or the ecology of the
trail.
2) adj. a term used to describe something that is not good. e.g. "It's pretty beat that the yellow
trail is closed."
beater
n. a bike of such little value as to be able to beat on, or a bike that reaction after prolonged
beating.
beta
n. insider information about a ride. Running or auto beta is someone telling you how to do the
moves as you go (as in "can you please shut up with that running beta, I want to find out
myself").
beta flash
n. leading a ride through technical singletrack with no dabbing or dogging, but with a piece of
previous knowledge hints on how to do those crux moves. Even seeing someone do the ride
already classifies as "previous knowledge."
betty
1) n. any female rider.
2) n. the girlfriend of an addictive rider. (see bob)
biff
1) n. a crash. Synonyms: lid nailed that rock, I had a definite feeling of cranial disharmony."
crank
Glossá rio Bike
1) v. to mash on the pedals as hard as you can, and then some. As in, "I cranked so hard on
getting out of that little valley, but my tire spun out and I had to walk it."
2) v. to hammer or sprint.
crank arm
n. the metal arms to which the pedals attach .
crater
1) v. to fail to remain on the trail on the side of the 50 foot dropoff. Usually painful, as in "One
of those death cookies joggled my wheel and I almost cratered on that section that looks down
on the river."
2) v. to bonk.
crayon
v. a mostly road-specific verb that refers to the leaving of skin and viscera on the asphalt after
a crash. "I'm not sure Lisa's going to make it tonight. We locked wheels this morning and she
crayoned all over the place."
creamed
adv. as in, "stick close to the shoulder on the blind corner coming up. I almost got creamed by
a transport there last week."
criterium
n. a massed start, high-speed bicycle race events in which riders race around a closed circuit
racecourse to compete for order of finish. Criteriums are usually held on closed urban or
suburban public streets. The racecourse is normally one-half to one mile in length.
cross country
n. a specific form of a time trial, in which competitors cover great distances riding almost
around the clock.
crotch-testing
n. sudden impact between a male rider's private parts and something very hard and pointy,
such as a handlebar stem or seat.
cruiser
1) n. a bike for feeble people, where the seat is lower than the handlebars, the rider sits upright,
and the top speed is a joke (especially given their usual owners.)
2) n. derisive term for a mountain bike or hybrid with a large wheelbase, seat below the bars,
and/or crappy components and lead-pipe tubing.
crux
n. the hard part.
curb grind
n. expensive erasure of low-hanging, shiny parts of the bike on a curb or rock.
curb slide
v. to place the front wheel up on a curb and allow the rear tire to scrape along the curb, usually
resulting in a loud tearing sound.
Glossá rio Bike
cyclocross
n. a race run much like a criterium, except that the racecourse involves dirt surfaces, trails, and
a variety of other surfaces and obstacles, many of which must be overcome by running with
the bicycle. All cyclocross races are held on closed circuits on either park or vacant land,
although roads are occasionally integrated into the racecourse.
dab
v. to put a foot down in order to catch your balance on a difficult section of trail. "I made it
without crashing, but I had to dab once."
dance
v. to ride out of the saddle.
death cookies
n. fist-sized rocks that knock your bike in every direction but the one you want to proceed in.
death grip
n. an overly tight grip on the handlebars caused by fear of terrain, resulting in an endo or other
unfortunate mishap.
death march
n. a ride that turns into an investigation of your endurance limit. "The bridge was out, and I had
to go all the way back the way I came. So the morning's nice, easy ride turned into a Bataan
death march."
derailleur
n. those things that move the chain and change gears, one in the front and one in the back.
Usually horribly mispronounced.
DFL
n. abbreviation for, uh, Dead... Last.
dialed in
adj. when a bike is set up nicely and everything works just right. Learn to get your bike dialed.
digger
n. a face plant. "Look at that guy on that gnarly single track... he's going to go over the bars
and do a digger."
dirt bike
n. an off-road motorcycle. Regarded as only for those too feeble to do the work themselves.
Usually louder than MTBs.
dishing a wheel
n. refers to the need to build a rear wheel off center, to accomodate the freewheel on one side
-- the wider the freewheen, the more the wheel needs to be dished.
dolphin hop
n. a technique much like a bunny hop, but executed diferently. The rider pulls a wheelie, then
maves far forward to pitches his bike down, transferring the wheelie to the rear as an obstacle
passes underneath. This is the only type of hop possible for a rider using platform pedals.
double-butted
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n. tubing with a higher wall thickness at both ends, to reduce the weight of the tubing for a
given weight. See single-butted, triple-butted.
doubletrack
n. overgrown road that is like two parallel trails.
down tube
n. the part of the frame that connects the head tube and the bottom bracket.
downstroke
n. when the rider is pushing down on the pedal.
draft
1) v. to ride behind a windshield, such as another rider or a motor vehicle. "When I was
drafting you down that huge-ass hill, you were pedalling madly while I barely had to turn the
cranks!"
2) n. the area sheltered behing a moving object. "You know, it's kinda hard to stay in your draft
at high speed if you don't ride in a straight line."
drillium
n. any part with lots of holes drilled in it to make it lighter.
dropouts
n. the U-shaped slots that accept the wheel axle.
drops
n. the dropped section on dropped handlebars. Used when muscle geometry and an aero tuck
are important, such as when ascending, descending, or going fast.
dual-track
n. a dirt road used by four-wheeled vehicles rarely enough that their tires have made ruts that
became parallel singletracks. Also called doubletrack. See singletrack.
Durango, Colorado
Mountain biking's defacto capital, with amazing trails, several manufacturers, and an insanely
high number of resident pros, including Tomac, Giove, Herbold, Overend, and Furtado.
echlon
n. a diagonal paceline, which modifies the single-file formation for a crosswind.
endo
n. the maneuver of flying unexpectedly over the handlebars, thus being forcibly ejected from
the bike. Short for "end over end". "I hit that rock and went endo like nobody's business." See
"superman". In BMX riding, "endo" used to be a synonym for front wheelie.
engine
n. the rider.
enscarfment
n. a food break at the edge of a cliff.
Euell Gibbons Trail

Glossá rio Bike
adj. means that "some parts (of the trail) are rideable."
excedrin descent
n. bone jarring downhill that rattles your brain (providing you have one).
extreme
adj. the single adjective that defines a worthwhile sport.
face plant
n. hitting the ground face first. "Joe hit a tree root and did a spectacular face plant." Synonyms:
auger, digger, soil sample, spring planting.
fair grunt
n. an expression exclusively used non-chalantly by others to describe a death march, in hopes

others will try it, fail, and revere them as bike gods.
feeling nedly
v., adj. when older riders are having a particular strong outing.
field
n. the clump of riders near or at the front in a road race. "We made a break on that big ascent,
and at one point the rest of the field was over a minute behind."
fieldsprint
n. a sprint for the finish line involving a large group of riders. THis is an impressive sight
indeed.
filet brazing
n. the magical art of welding high-end metal bikes. The tubes fit together with almost invisible
seams, as opposed to the monstrous, caterpillar-like welds on most mountain bikes.
first blood
n. credit to the first rider in a group who crashes and starts bleeding as a result.
fishtail
v. when the rear end locks and slides about behind you. Occurs during strong braking on loose
terrain.
fit kit
n. a great set of equipment and instructions to measure the components of a correct bicycle fit.
Generally, pretty accurate, and are especially good for positioning cleats.
flail
v. to ride badly and out of control. e.g. "He flailed off the jump and hit a tree."
flash
v. clearing a technical pitch without dabbing, especially if the rider has no previous experience
on the route (See also onsight flash, where the rider has never seen the trail before, and beta
flash, where the rider has seen or studied the route.)
flex
Glossá rio Bike
n. when the frame doesn't stay put when you mash the brakes, mash the pedals, or do other
normal things.
flick
v. to whip your bike through sweet singletrack.
foot fault
n. when a rider can't disengage his cleats from the pedals before falling over. See horizontal
track stand.
forcing the pace
v. to increase the speed of the race to the point that other riders have trouble keeping up.
forks
n. what holds the front wheel, or a modern eating utensil, unfamiliar to most mountain bikers.
frame table
n. a big strong table that Will Not Flex and which has anchors at critical places -- dropouts,
bottom bracket, seat, head. It also has places to attach accurate measuring instruments like dial
gauges, scratch needles, etc. The frame is clamped to the table and out-of-line parts are yielded
into alignment.
fred
1) n. a person who spends a lot of money on his bike and clothing, but still can't ride. "What a
fred -- too much Lycra and titanium and not enough skill." Synonym for poser. Occasionally
called a "barney".
2) n. a person who has a mishmash of old gear, does't care at all about technology or fashion,
didn't race or follow racing, etc. Often identified by chainring marks on white calf socks. Used
by "serious" roadies to disparage utility cyclists and touring riders, especially after these totally
unfashionable "freds" drop the "serious" roadies on hills because the "serious" guys were really
posers. This term is from road touring and, according to popular myth, "Fred" was a well-
known grumpy old touring rider, who really was named Fred.
freewheel
n. the part of the rear gear cluster that allows the bike to coast without the pedals turning, or
what you find in the parking lot after a big race.
front wheelie
n. what endo used to mean in BMX: a trick where the rider applies the front brake and lifts the
back wheel off the ground; this is the basis for many BMX tricks. Most riders cannot pedal
effectively while doing a front wheelie.
FS
or F/S. adj. an ambiguous term, can mean Front Suspension or Full Suspension. Not used by
anyone who wishes to be understood.
Full On Conditions (FOC)
adj. biking with the chance of running into severe foul weather conditions.
gear cluster
n. an assembly of gears. Usually described by their configuration: "My rear cluster is a 12-25."
Also known as a casette.
Glossá rio Bike
getting air
v. uh... the exchange of currency for cylinders containing a mixture of compressed nitrogen,
oygen, and other trace gasses.
giblets
n. sexy little add-ons or upgrades, usually made of titanium or CNC'd aluminum. "That's the
fourth time this week that Tom's gone by the shop to gawk at giblets." (See also velo-porn.)
gnarly
adj. an 80's term for a particular steep and rough section of trail.
gnarly dude
adj. Southern Californian for Gnarly.
gonzo
1) adj. treacherous, extreme. "That vertical drop was sheer gonzo."
2) v. riding with reckless abandon. Not generally appropriate for singletrack.
granny gear
n. the lowest gear available on a bike, or a third and smallest front cog, which is only found on
bikes for the feeble. Roadies don't have, need, or want them.
grate
v. the act of producing bacon or little flaps of severed skin, against either the ground or a bike
component. See also crayon and cheese grater).
gravity check
n. a fall.
Greg Herbold
"The Mighty Goof," off-roading's resident personality. First downhill world champ. A favorite
with manufacturers; his input helped develop and fine tune the original Rock Shox and SPD
pedals. Now semi-retired, but still a major force on the R&D circuit, and still Japan's biggest
off-road star.
grindies
n. as in, "all that dried mud and sand left me with a loud case of the grindies in my drivetrain."
gripped
adj. paralyzed with fear and utterly confused.
grunt
n. a very difficult climb, requiring use of the granny gear. Often used in understatement, as in
"Well, I suppose it's a fair grunt, but we used to ride it all the time."
gutter bunny
n. a bicycling commuter.
half-track
n. a trail so narrow and/or overgrown that you'd hesitate even to call it singletrack.
Glossá rio Bike
hammer
1) v. to ride fast and hard. Also to "put the hammer down."
2) n. a hammerhead.
hammered
adj. exhausted.
hammerhead
n. a rider who hammers, or simply can ride faster than the one commenting.
hand plant
n. a crash where your fall is broken only by cheese grating your hands. Best if done wearing
bicycle gloves.
hanging on
v. riding in the slipstream of another rider, but being lazy and refusing to take your turn in at
the front.
hardcore
1) excl. word of praise and amazement, generally spoken as two separate syllables.
2) adj. impressive or requiring devotion, such as an extreme cliffbombing session.
hardtail
n. any bike with front suspension but no rear suspension. Contrast with rigid and F/S.
head tube
n. the short frame member that attaches the top tube to the down tube, and holds the headset in
place
header
n. going over the handlebars.
headset
n. the bearing assembly that attaches the fork to the head tube.
Henrik "Hank" Djernis
n. pronounced "JER-nis," the three-time defending world cross-country mountain-bike

champion and hard-guy of the dirt. Use his surname (charitably) to make your riding chum feel
very tough. "Man, you really Djernised me on that last climb."
HOHA
n. Hateful Old Hikers Association. "HOHA members hate mountain bicyclists with a fervor
exceeding that of rabid wolverines."
honk
1) v. to vomit due to cycling exertion.
2) v. to grab hard on the bar ends while climbing to increase torque and traction on the rear
wheel.
hook
Glossá rio Bike
v. to lock handlebars or wheels, and go down in a bloody pile of metal and muscle.
hooks
n. the dropped section on dropped handlebars. Used when muscle geometry and an aero tuck
are important, such as when ascending, descending, or going fast.
horizontal track stand
n. a foot fault that happens at a stop sign.
hose-pipes
n. large-section tubular tires, about the size and weight of clincher touring tires. Much heavier
than racing tubulars, which can be two or three times lighter, at as little at 150 grams.
hub
n. located at the center of the wheel attached to the rim by the spokes.
hucker
n. one who is ejected wildly through the air and does not land on his/her feet
hydraulic
n. a flavour of brakes which use brake fluid to actuate the pads, which offer better modulation
even than most high-end side-pull calipers, but at an intimidating cost.
hyperglide
n. freewheel cogs with small "ramps" cut into the sides of the cogs which tend to pull the chain
more quickly to the next larger cog when shifting.
idiot lever
n. the gimmicky brake assist lever found on some older road bikes, which allow the rider to
brake with his hands on top of the bars, rather than on the brake hoods or on the drops.
Ignorant consumers buy bikes with them, although they're no more convienant than braking
from the hoods, and for powerful braking the stability, steering, and weight distribution from
using the drops is essential.
IMBA
n. International Mountain Biking Association. An organization for trail advocacy.
impedimentia
n. all the junk on a bike that impeeds performance and looks bad.
involuntary dismount
n. a crash.
jet
v. to accelerate quickly; to go very fast.
John Tomac
One of the greatest ever and certainly mountain biking's biggest star. He's won every major
race at least once and is still the highest-paid racer.
JRA
Glossá rio Bike
n. abbreviation for the Just Riding Along syndrome (and then the bike spontaneously
exploded), a class of warrently claims viewed as highly suspect.
Juli Furtado
The toughest, most fit rider on earth. Had a remarkable two-year winning streak through 1995.
Former Olympic-level ski racer who blew out her knees and reinvented herself as an off-road
pro. Rides for Team GT. "Cursed" in the world championships--despite her skills, she's never
won.
jump
n., v. where we now say bunny hop, BMXers used to say "jump".
kack
n. an injury to the shin received while doing trials, a kack can be the result of any injury
receive during technical riding.
kick-out
n. a bunny hop in which the rider pushes the back tire to one side.
kicker
n. a steep section of road or trail.
knurled
adj. a pattern stamped onto the sides of some steel rims to improve the braking surface.
large
n. synonym for high. e.g. "You can get some seriously large air off that jump."
LBS
n. abbreviation for "Local Bike Shop".
lead out
n., v. a rider intentionally sacrificing his chances of winning a sprint, so that a teammate can
ride in his draft until ready to begin the final sprint.
leadout
n., v. helping another rider to do well in a final sprint, by providing a windbreak and opening
up a hole in the pack.
lid
n. helmet.
line
n. the desirable path or strategy to take on a tricky trail section.
loop trip
n. ride that forms a loop with no backtracking.
lug
n. metal reinforcing piece into which the tubing for expensive road bikes is brazed, allowing
lighter tubing. The seat lug reinforces the connection between the top tube and the seat tube,
for example.
Glossá rio Bike
Magura
n. the first hydraulic brake for the mountain bike. It's screaming yellow, powerful, and made in
Germany.
male blindness
n. when a male rider watches a beautiful female ride over rough terrain and stares intensely at
all the jiggling parts, making him too dizzy to see straight when it's his turn to ride the same
terrain.
mandibular disharmony
adv. how one's jaw feels when it and the handle bars attempt to occupy the same space and
time.
 [banshee screech, in stereo]

 "Pray, whats wrong?"
 "I've got mandibular disharmony."
mantrap
n. hole covered with autumn leaves, resembling solid earth and effective at eating the front
wheel of the unsuspecting rider.
Marin
n. (muh RINN') the county in Northern California where MTBing is said to have been
invented. Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.
mash
v. to apply much force to the pedals on their downward cycle, generally while standing to
climb a steep hill.
mechanic
n. a bike mechanic, especially at a professional bike race in Europe. See also tech and wrench.
Missy Giove
The wildest, fastest chick on Planet Dirt. If she doesn't crash and injure herself, she's
guaranteed to win. Tattoos and hair and piercings. She races for Cannondale. There are
probably only ten men on earth faster than her, and she's knocking them off, one-by-one.
Bonus points: came out in 1995.
mo
n. momentum. "If you don't get in gear at the bottom of that hill, you'll lose your mo."
modulation
n. the ability to finely and consistantly select a specific braking force, rather than moving
straight from no braking power to locked wheels and an endo. Hydraulic brakes have great
modulation; V-brakes are gimmicky crap.
mojo
n. charm or icon worn by a biker or attached to the bike.
moto
Glossá rio Bike
or Motor Official. n. a race referee or official who uses a motorcycle during the bicycle race
event. The motor referee is often primarily responsible for centerline rule enforcement during
road races using a rolling enclosure. Motor officials are also used to keep track of riders where
cars and the peloton cannot mix (narrow roads, winding roads, etc.).
motor marshal
n. race staff on motorcycles responsible for assisting in keeping a racecourse clear and safe for
competitors, usually in conjunction with a rolling or protected enclosure.
mountainbike-aneering
n. off shoot sport of mountain biking where peak bagging is a prime consideration. Another
sport featuring the "because it's there" attitude.
MTB
n. the activity of MounTain Biking. Or a mountain bike itself. Also v. "MTBing". See ATB,
OHV, ORV, VTT.
mud bogging
v. riding through muck for fun.
mud diving
n. what happens when a bike slows abruptly in mud, throwing the rider into wet goo.
mud-ectomy
1) v. a shower after a ride on a muddy trail.
2) v. the act of becoming clean.
nard guard
n. used to prevent wang chung.
NCCA
n. abbreviation for National Collegiate Cycling Association .

The NCCA is a standing committee of USA Cycling. The NCCA administers, develops,
promotes and governs collegiate bicycling across the country. Rules for NCCA bicycle road
races are the same as for USCF bicycle race events.
nipple
n. the nut at the end of a spoke that nobody knows the real name for.
nirvana
n. the state of being in absolute control and totally in tune with your bike, the trail, and your
physical strength. "I was just doing it all so smoothly and delicately and quickly, it was
nirvana!" Synonym for The Zone.
NORBA
n. National Off-Road Bicycling Association. As part of USAC, they organize most of the
larger mountain bike races.
nosepickium
n. the crusties you pick from your nose after a ride in a dusty environ.
Glossá rio Bike
O.D.
This is short for "Off Day". Even the best riders have them. It is important to recognize the
symptoms and to back off when you are having an O.D.
off the back
adj. when a rider is dropped, or cannot keep up with the pace of the windshield (such as a
peloton or another rider) and falls behind.
off the front
adj. when a rider takes part in a breakaway, where one or more riders scoot up ahead of the
main peloton in a race.
off-camber turn
n. a turn which would usually be banked in the opposite direction, so the banking is the
opposite of what would be expected on a racetrack corner. The road's angle is added to, rather
than subtracted from, the lean angle. Take these turns cautiously for, among other things, your
tread may not extend far enough up the side.
OHV, ORV
n. abbreviations for Off-Highway Vehicle and Off-Road Vehicle. These have motors and are
not bicycles.
onsight flash
v. to clean a section with no previous knowledge of its layout or elements (See also beta flash).
out and back
n. tour where the return is a retracing of the route in.
Over The Bars (OTB)
n. unexpected dismount over the handlebars.
over-the-bar blood donor
n. a rider who is injured while doing an endo.
overgeared
adj. a condition where the rider is using a gear combination which is too high or "hard" given
the circumstances. Generally results in bogging out or needless fatigue.
paceline
n. A single file of riders, each of which takes his turn battling the wind at the front.
pack
v., n. a crash or fall. e.g. "He packed into that snow bank and broke his leg."
panic skid
v. to try with all one's will and strength to prevent an impending stack by attempting to implant
one's heels as deeply as possible in the ground. Usually a dumb idea.
pass
n. the lowest passage between two mountains. The french - but not just the french - know this
as a col. The mathematicians would call this the saddle point.
Glossá rio Bike
pavement polish
n. the small paralell grooves you find an your bike and its expensive components after you
wipe out and smear all aver the blacktop. Pavement polish is the bike equivalent of road rash.
peloton
n. the large, aerodynamicly efficient, and extremely fast pack of riders near the front in a road
race, also known as the field.
phat
or fat. adj. used to describe how exceptional something is like a "Phat Air" might be a really
styled out trick as well as being "large", that is, very high.
picking a line
v. planning the path of the bike by anticipating approaching terrain, or choosing a barroom
introduction. Example: "What's your sign?" Common reply: "Trail closed"
pimp
n. a Bike Store Guy who is always trying to sell stuff on the trail. "Blow off, pimp. If I want
your opinion, I'll give it to you."
pinch flat
n. flat tire caused by the tube being pinched between the rim and a hard object, usually due to
under -inflated tires
pitch
n. a short section of technical road or trail.
pogo
v. to bounce on a full-suspension bike like a pogo stick. Also, for a full-suspension bike to
bounce annoyingly and uncontrollably.
pokes
n. short for slow pokes. This is someone that always lingers in the back of the pack. This is not
a crime.
'pooter
n. also known as a brain, the electronic doodad that keeps track of your speed, cadence, heart
rate, and the current US Government debt.
portage
v. to carry your bike.
poser
or poseur. n. derogatory term for people with $7,000 bikes that never see an actual trail.
Usually found near a trail head and never dirty. Seinfeld may be an example. Synonym for
fred.
potato chip
n. a wheel that has been bent badly, but not taco'd.
powder run
n. extremely dusty section of trail.

Glossá rio Bike
powerslide
n. a two-wheel sideways slide, with the foot opposite the direction of travel kept on the ground.
powerslide
n. a two-wheel sideways slide, with the foot opposite the direction of travel kept on the ground.
prang
v. to bend or dent a part of the bike or body.
Presta
n. flavour of valve which is taller, lighter and skinnier than Shraeder car tire valves, which
incorporate a screw-in lock into the valve.
pretzeled
1) adj. the condition in which you find your frame after a less than successful attempt to mail it
third class to Abu Dhabi.
2) adj. the condition both you and your bike are found in after a hairy collision.
protected enclosure
n. a type of traffic control in which the entire road is closed to other traffic as the race passes
any given point. The road reopens after the race passes.
prune
v. to use one's bike or helmet to remove leaves and branches from the surrounding flora.
Usually unintentional.
pull
v. to ride at the front of a group of riders, where there is no protection from wind resistance.
pull off
v. to give up at the front of a group, and return to a position in the formation that is sheltered
from wind resistance, such as the back of a paceline.
pull through
v. to take the front position in a paceline after the previous leader has "pulled off" and left for
the rear.
pump
v. to bounce a suspension fork in hopes of some useful effect, or to encourage excitement
pumped
1) adj. the feeling of overworked muscles, where they swell and strength disappears.
2) adj. a feeling of childish excitement about a new toy or trail.
purple ano
adj. anodized aluminum in purple. Some riders need to obtain as much of this as possible. It
comes in other colors, but they are of no consequence here.
push-push
Glossá rio Bike
1) n. a novice's pedaling motion, consisting of alternately pushing each foot down, instead of
spinning.
2) n. a Shimano techno-fad shifting system.
quick-release
n. bolts with levers attached, for easy adjustment and removal of wheels and seat height
R&D
n. Ripoff & Duplication, or Research & Development.
rag dolly
v. to wreck in such a way that one's person is tossed like a flimsy scrap of cloth. "Did you see
me rag dolly back there? I think I pierced my ear on a tree branch."
railing
v. making fast and hard turns, like you're on rails and are immune to traction loss. e.g. "He was
railing around that turn before he slid out and biffed."
rake
n. the amount, in degrees, that a front fork curves forward from a line drawn down the stem or
steerer. More rake absorbs shock and adds inherant stability to the front wheel, at the cost of a
sprintiness and maneuvrability.
rally
v. to ride exceptionally well, especially on normally difficult routes.
randonee
n. a form of cross country bicycle race event. It is run as a very long recreational event, lasting
two or three days.
RDS
n. abbreviation for Rapid Deceleration Syndrome. Military term for the very sudden illness
that happens when the free-flight following a high-speed involuntary dismount is interrupted
by something solid.
rear triangle
n. the triangle formed by the chain stays, seat stays, and seat tube
refor
v. to ride about with reckless or vandalous disregard for the local ecology. Stems from the
practice of using jeeps to scream around reforestation areas leaving a wake of destruction in
their path. "Heh, we just came back from reforing (ree'four'ing) around the elementry school's
front lawn. Hey, you know how to do a brake torque?"
Regina Siefel
The reigning sex symbol of the downhill circuit. Won the DH world cup twice. Suffers from
same curse as Furtado; she's never won a world championship. Lives with husband and kids
next to the Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, and a damn fun one to say.
relay
n. a specific form of a time trial, in which competitors cover great distances riding almost
around the clock.
Glossá rio Bike
retro-grouch
n. a rider who prefers an old bike with old components and isn't fond of new, high-tech
equipment.
'rhoid buffing
v. going down a hill so steep that your butt touches the rear wheel.
Ride On!
excl. a parting phrase used by riders with out much else to say.
riding the pegs
v. standing on the pedals through rough terrain.
rigid
n. a bike with no suspension.
road rash
n. large abrasions on a rider's legs and body caused by a crash, particularly on asphalt.
roadie
n. a rider who considers trails to be for the weak and feeble.
rock garden
n. section of the trail that is completely covered with grapefruit (baby head) size to basketball
sized rocks.
rock-ectomy
v. removing rocks, dirt, gravel from one's person after a yard sale. "Some betty stopped by and
performed a rock ectomy on my knee after the wreck, I think she digs my scene."
rocket fuel
n. the mandatory pre-ride coffee.
rockwell
v. an unintentionally performed hardness test rendered by a trial side object on your anatomy
or possesions. Requires the use of a number to rate the event. "I 50 Rockwelled on that last
buster." "No way, dude, it was at least a 60!"
rolling enclosure
n. a type of traffic control where escort vehicles form a caravan

leading and following a group of racers. The enclosure sets aside a moving part of the roadway
in the direction of the race for exclusive use of bicyclists. Racers inside the enclosure are not
required to follow the normal rules of the road. Racers are not allowed to cross the center line
unless the entire road is traffic controlled. A rolling enclosure is the typical traffic control used
to run a road race.
ROMP
n. acronym for Responsible Organized Mountain Pedalers, a Silicon Valley organization

teaching mountain biking skills, organizing rides, and active in trail politics.
rookie mark
Glossá rio Bike
n. chain grease on a rider's pant leg. "Give that guy extra points for his rookie mark. It's even
on the wrong leg!" See chainring tattoo.
roost
v. to go fast or accelerate quickly. Or, to stop suddenly.
rooster trail
n. a spray of water flung off the back wheel as the bicycle rolls through water. Particularly
pronounced on bikes without fenders.
rude drop-off
n. a sudden drop on the trail of two feet or more.
saddle
n. the bike seat, or the color of your new Naugahyde recliner
schmooz
v. the act of reaching a trail head and not riding. What is done when one really can't stand the
thought of starting a ride. Talking. Bullshitting.
Schraeder
n. flavour of valve found on cars, and most mountain bikes. Tubular road tires, and some
clincher mountain and road tubes, use the better, Presta system.
schwag
1) n. terrible trail conditions.
2) n. free stuff. See swag.
scream
1) n. a real biker's dream ride.
2) n. a long, straight, and deceptively steep hill.
3) v. to bomb so fast one can't pedal fast enough to make a difference.
screamer
n. a very, very high dropoff. "I was trying so hard to keep my eyes away from the ledge back
there. What a screamer!"
seat tube
n. the part of the frame that accepts the seat post, and attaches the top tube to the bottom
bracket
seatpost
n. the post that attaches your seat to the frame at the seat tube
seatstay
n. the two frame members through which the rear wheel passes that meet the chain stays at the
rear dropouts
semi-loop
Glossá rio Bike
n. loop trip with a section of out and back attached.
sew-ups
n. also known as tubulars, lightweight road tires and rims with the tread directly on the tube,
which is glued right onto a flat rim. Opposite of clincher tires, which have a separate tube
inside.
shifter
n. the lever that activates the derailleurs
side-pull caliper
adj. most common type of brakes found on quality road bikes. Designed such that one braking
surface contacts the rim first, improving brake modulation.
single-butted
n. tubing with a higher wall thickness at only one end, such as a seat tube on a quality frame.
See double-butted, triple-butted.
singletrack
n. trail just wide enough for one person, horse, or bike -- the mountain biker's holy grail.
Contrast with dual-track or doubletrack.
SIS
n. Shimano Indexed Shifters, where you click the shifter and the gears change quickly and
exactly (hopefully). Opposite of friction shifting.
sitting in
v. to be a lazy sot who doesn't take their turn at the front of a paceline. Can be used as a tactic
to tire one's opponent.
sketching
v. the act of riding along precariously and near falling.
skid lid
n. helmet.
skid row
n. that section of trail that nobody ever expects or remembers that always appears too suddenly
when riding too fast. Usually switchbacks. Named after all the skid tracks left there from
previous riders.
sky
v. to jump extremely high. To get big air.
slicks
n. mountain bike tires with no tread to be used at very high pressure, for those too ignorant to
get a fast and efficient road bike for use on roads. They make some difference, but doesn't fix
the aerodynamics, body geometry, handlebar shape, or anything else that matters.
snake bite
n. a double puncture of an inner tube, caused by hitting an obstacle too hard or by under-
inflation of tires.
Glossá rio Bike
snell
n. a bicycle helmet standard; the Snell B-90S is kinda wimpy, but the Snelll B-95 is stricter
than ASTM. Read about helmet standards.
snowmine
n. an object hidden by snow on the trail. "Be careful of the snowmines -- you know, rocks,
logs, hibernating bears..."
soft-tail
n. a fully suspended bike.
soil sample
n. a face plant.
SOPWAMTOS
n. acronym for the Society Of People Who Actually Make Their Own Shit, a loose US
organisation of small framebuilders and component manufacturers.
speed check
n. if you are approaching a jump too fast, you may need to slow down by making quick speed
check. In other words, braking.
spider
n. the five-pronged section or attachment on the right-hand crank into which the chainrings are
screwed.
spike
v. to obtain a chainring tattoo on the back of the calf, usually the result of a newbie trying to
dab or panic skid at high speeds.
spin
v. smooth pedal motion. Opposite of push-push.
spinout
v. loss of traction in the rear tire, resulting in the wheel spinning with no forward movement of
the bike, usually while climbing on loose gravel
splatter
v. to strike a trail decoration following an involuntary dismount.
spring planting
n. a face plant.
spuds
n. "SPD" (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) clipless pedals.
stack
n., v. crash.
stage race
Glossá rio Bike
n. these combine several different types of bicycle races into one multiple part bicycle race
event. Stage races commonly include road races, time trials, and criteriums. These races are
usually scheduled over a period of two or more days. Order of finish is determined by lowest
combined elapsed time or combined points depending on the scoring format.
steed
n. your bike, the reason for your existence.
stem
n. the piece of metal that attaches the handlebars to the headset
STI
adj. "Shimano Total Integration" -- a marketing ploy that forces you to buy new brakes when
you replace your shifters.
stiction
n. when friction maken a suspension fork travel sticky instead of smooth.
stoked
adj. an alternate term for the word psyched. In other words, to be excited.
stoned
adj. describes a rider after a crash which imbeds stones into the rider's skin.
superman
n. a rider who flies over the handlebars and doesn't hit the ground for a long time. This may
result in injury, but when it doesn't, it's really funny for everyone else.
swag
or schwag. n. the stuff that manufacturers and vendors donate to be given away at bike related
events. When you race, go to bike shows, help put on events, write bike articles, you are often
rewarded with swag.
swingoff
n., v. abruptly disengaging from a formation to move from the wind-battered lead position to
sheltered rear when your stint at the front is over.
table-top
n. a jump in which the rider throws the bike sideways in mid-air. Less commonly, a jump
made over a hill that reaches a plateau and goes back down.
taco
v. to bend a wheel over on itself, in the shape of a taco. "I taco'd my wheel, and it cost me a
hundred bucks." Worse than a potato chip.
tea party
n. when a whole group of riders stops and chats, and nobody seems to want to ride on.
tech
n. a bike mechanic, especially at a professional bike race in Western Canada. See also
mechanic and wrench.
technical
Glossá rio Bike
n. a section of trail that is difficult to ride because of rocks, tree roots, steep drops.
techno-fad
n. a screwy or unique technology that a dominant company (usually Shimano) tries to foist
upon the innocent cycling public. Past techno-fads include Biopace chainrings, and overly
complex "thumb-thumb" or "push-push" shifters.
techno-weenie
n. a rider who knows everything about the newest bike parts and techno-fads except how to use
either them or his bike. Someone who buys lots of gadgets to add supposed iotas of
performance to the bike. Greeting a friend whom we haven't seen in a year, I might say "Hi,
Marta!" A techno-weenie might say "Oooh, you got Campy Record hubs on that bike now?"
thrash
1) v. to cause severe ecological damage to a trail, usually during the wet season.
2) adj. a damaged trail "That trail's really thrashed after last winter."
three-hour tour
n. a ride that looks like a piece of cake at the outset but turns out to be a death march. Derived
from the theme song to "Gilligan's Island."
ti
n. pronounced "tie," it's the periodic-table abbreviation for titanium, and just about the only
chemistry-class vestige that a rider should sprinkle into the conversation. "Sheila's running ti
bar ends, ti pedal spindles, a ti seat post, and a ti wedding band."
time trials
n. bicycle race events in which individuals or small teams of riders ride the same route and
distance separately for elapsed time. Time trials are generally started at preset intervals and
held on an out-and-back or circuit course, and are generally 15 or 40 km, but dozens of lengths
are sanctioned.
toe clips
n. a clip-and-strap system that connects a rider's feet and toes to her pedals. Toe clips usually
don't require special shoes.
tombstone
n. one of those damn little rocks protruding out of the trail which you don't notice because you
are having a heart-attack climbing the hill.
top tube
n. the part of the frame that attaches the head tube to the seat tube
topo
n. short for United States Geological Survey topographic map.
tornado
v. to balance on your front wheel while turning your back wheel 90-180 degrees in either
direction.
Track Left!
Glossá rio Bike
imp. a signal to gape at the passing rider on your left, generally accompanied with a sharp
movement to veer right into his path.
Track Right!
imp. a signal to the slowpoke ahead to look around for a hidden turnoff to the left, so he'll get
the hell out of your way because there isn't any room to pass on singletrack anyway.
track stand
n. (from fixed-gear track racing) a maneuver where the rider stops the bike and attempts to
remain standing.
track wobble
n. when the rider stops the bike and attempts to remain standing, but can't do it very well.
Characterised by rolling forward, violent movements of the front wheel, and a distressed
expression on the rider's face. See track stand, above.
trail
n. the distance between a line drawn straight up from the center of the bottom bracket to the
nose of your saddle, generally 30 to 50 mm. The seat tube angle determines this, being less for
sprinting frames, more for touring frames.
trail swag
n. equipment or accessories dropped by other bikers and found on the trail.
trials
n. the art of hopping onto large objects on your bike, for those who can't go fast and have no
endurance. Not to be confused with Time Trials, which is just the opposite.
tricked out
adj. when a bike has the latest and hottest components.
triple-butted
n. tubing with two butts of differing thicknesses, such as 0.9/0.6/0.8 mm. See single-butted,
double-butted.
true
v., adj. The ability of a wheel to spin with no lateral wobble, or the act of effecting this
condition with a swift kick or a spoke wrench.
TST
n. Treadmill Stress Test. A medical procudure recommended for those with heart conditdons
or over 35 before setting out on a rigourous exercise progrem. See this article about TST.
tubulars
n. also known as sew-ups, lightweight road tires and rims with the tread directly on the tube,
which is glued right onto a flat rim. Opposite of clincher tires, which have a separate tube
inside.
tuck
n. a riding position, generally a contorted one with the head and torso low, back flat, and arms
close in for aerodynamics.
tweak
Glossá rio Bike
1) n. a jump during which the rider twists the handlebars back and forth in mid-air, the more
times the better.
2) v. to slightly injure a part of the body or the bike in a crash. "I tweaked my wrist when I
fell."
3) v. to make a minor adjustment. "My brake pads were rubbing but I tweaked the cable and it
went away."
4) adj. when something isn't quite right, "You'd have to be seriously tweaked to replace those
hydraulics with V-brakes."
UCI
n. acronym for Union Cycliste Internationale, an international sanctioning organization for

bicycle racing.
Ugly Geek Jerseys
n. shirts worn by posers that are covered with advertising logos for which they are receiving no
compensation.
unobtanium
adj. describing a bike or accessory made from expensive, high-tech material. A play on
"unobtainable" and "titanium."
upstroke
n. when a rider pulls up on the pedal.
USAC
n. acronym for USA Cycling, Inc. The national organization responsible for the governance of
professional and amateur bicycle
racing in the United States. The
USCF,
NCCA,
NORBA, and
USPRO organisations are part of USA Cycling.
USCF
n. abbreviation for the United States Cycling Federation. As a member association of USAC,
the USCF oversees the conduct of road, track, and
cyclocross bicycle racing in the United States.
USPRO
n. acronym for the United States Professional Racing Organization. The USPRO serves as the
governing body for professional racing and is an affiliate
organization of USAC.
v-brakes
n. a gimmicky techno-fad brake system, with two settings: off and locked. For people who
can't understand the concept that if excessive power really was more important that
modulation, people would stop by ramming a stick in their spokes.
valve stem
Glossá rio Bike
n. where the pump is attached to fill the tube with air. Valve stems come in two types,
Shraeder - (standard American style, like the valve found on you car tire), or Presta (like usual,
the Italian version is better thathe American crap; tall and skinny with a screw in seal)
vegetable tunnel
n. a singletrack that is heavily overgrown with foliage, so a rider must duck and bend to get
through it.
velo-porn
n. full-page, four-color advertisements of giblets in cycling magazines. It can arouse giblet

lust, giblet envy, and in serious cases, feelings of bike inadequacy. "Peter skipped right over
the race results and went straight for the velo-porn."
void
1) n. to empty the contents of one's bladder. "Where were you, man? We waited for at least
two minutes." "Sorry, dude, I had to void, my back teeth were floating."
2) n. a deep chasm that you have to clear or you will die.
VTT
n. Velo Tout-Terrain, the French term for mountain biking. Velo = bike, Tout = all, and don't
even ask me about terrain. :-)
vultures
n. spectators who line up at dangerous obstacles in hopes of seeing blood.
wack
n. something that is not good. e.g. "It's pretty wack that my bike broke in two."
wall
n. a road that looks like it goes straight up, because it practically does. Generally used for
grades steeper than 10%, depending on region.
wang chung
n. what you might get when your stem has no nard guard. See crotch-testing.
wash out
or simply wash. v. to have the front tire lose traction, especially while going around a corner or
when inadvertantly locked. Generally results in the wheel ending up somewhere other than
under the rider.
washboard
n. small, regular undulations of the soil surface that make for a very rough ride.
weight-weenie
n. a bike owner (not even necessarily a rider) who is more concerned with how many
milligrams a certain component saves off the bike's total weight than with how to be a better
rider.
wheelie
n. lifting the front wheel off the ground, or the act of riding on the rear wheel only, usually
with some combination of pulling on the handlebars, pedaling harder, and balance.
Glossá rio Bike
whiteknuckle
v. to rapidly descend on a trail that's sheer gonzo when you were expecting a cake walk. "Man,
I just whiteknuckled that descent at like 50 kph! Why didn't you tell me about the dropoff and
rock garden?"
wild pigs
n. poorly adjusted brake pads that squeal in use.
winky
n. a reflector. "Nice winky set, fred!"
wipe out
v. to crash.
wipeout
n. a crash.
WOMBATS
n. "WOmen's Mountain Biking And Tea Society", a Marin-based organization founded by

writer and former MTB racer Jacquie Phelan.
wonky
adj. not functioning properly. "I bailed, and now my wheel is all wonky and all I hear are wild
pigs."
wrench
n. a bike mechanic, especially at a professional bike race in the US. See also tech and
mechanic.
WSBA
n. abbreviation for the Washington State Bicycling Association.
yard sale
n. (from skiing) a horrendous crash that leaves all your various "wares" -- water bottles, pump,
tool bag, etc. -- scattered as if on display for sale.
zone out
v. a state of mind where you think you've reached The Zone, but you really just stopped paying
attention to what you're doing. Usually used as an excuse for a particularly embarrassing biff.
Zone, the
n. a state of mind experienced while riding. You don't think, you just do. A truly Zen
experience that can't be fully explained, but when you get there you'll know it and strive to
reach it again.
zonk
v. same as bonk.

Glossario Bike

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Glossá rio Bike

Lock Ring Anel de travamento

Apex a turn Tangenciar a curva

29er Bike com quadro 29”

Aero Bars Guidã o aero

Axle caps Tampas de eixo do cubo

Potência de frenagem, pegada, atrito, frenagem

Chain guide Guia de corrente

Chainstay Rabeira inferior

Cleat Taco, taquinho

Coast (to) Descer na banguela

É uma prova de speed em circuito curto em que

Dab a foot Botar um pé no chã o

Elastomeric frame inserts Enxertos elastoméricos

Extension riser cap Tampa do ajuste de altura do extensor

Espaço entre roda e garfo (vã o livre entre pneu e

Full suspension system Sistema de suspensã o nas duas rodas

Ghost shifting Trocas involuntárias

Volantinho (nã o há gíria equivalente, mas

Half-waffle Desenho meio waffle

pela roda ao passarmos por um buraco ou

Integrated master cylinder cilindros mestres integrados

J-bend spoke Raio com dobra

Narrow clamp bands

Needle bearing Rolamento agulha

perna por cima)

Conjunto que forma o êmbolo (da bomba de

Shaped seatstays Rabeiras com formato especial

Bicicleta de andar na cidade com apenas uma

Spider Aranha do pedivela

Tire clearance Vã o do pneu

The rate at which a cyclist pedals (in revolutions per minute).

A race judge, usually based in a car following the event.

 See also: SAG station and SAG wagon.

hill climb (race)

open road race

Pull back time

In bicycle racing, another term for SAG wagon is broom wagon.

sit on and sit in

One part of a multi-day race, such as the Tour de France.

team time trial

L to R: Jean-Marie Leblanc, Anne-Marie Lizin, Eddy Merckx

Armstrong speaking at the NIH

Jan Ullrich at Giro d'Italia in 2006

Role of climber in a race

..... Click the link for more information.

adj. abbreviation for aerodynamically efficient.

adj. frequently-misspelled abbreviation for "anodized". See purple.

1) n. the apex is the middle or sharpest point of a curve

n. All-Terrain Bike or Biking. A synonym for MTB.

n., v. a sudden attempt to ride ahead of a group of riders.

n. small boulders about the size of, yep, a baby's head.

n. scabs on a rider's knees, elbows, or other body parts.

n. a person that habitually bags out. Also known as a loser.

v. making it to the summit of a mountain.

v. canceling a ride for something other than a death in the family.

2) v. to give up on a ride because of bad weather coming in. (from climbing)

2) n. the toothlike scars resulting from being beartrapped.

1) n. any female rider.

2) n. the girlfriend of an addictive rider. (see bob)

n. the metal arms to which the pedals attach .

n. the hard part.

n. expensive erasure of low-hanging, shiny parts of the bike on a curb or rock.

v. to ride out of the saddle.