More Cycling Glossary Terms

cyclingA good part of understanding your triathlon training and performance is having a grasp on the lingo. Here is a guide to cycling terms that you should know in order to get the most out of your experience.

Derailleur - When gears are shifted on a bike, the derailleur is the mechanism that changes which gear sprocket the bicycle chain is on.

Devil Take the Hindmost - Devil take the hindmost is a race type in which the last rider across the finish line in each lap of the course is eliminated from the race, this type of race is also known as a miss-and-out.

Disk Wheel - A disk wheel is a spokeless solid wheel used for its aerodynamic properties, mostly in time trials but also in other types of races.

Domestique - The domestique is a rider in long races who has the responsibility to retrieve items such as water and food to pass along to their teammates from the support vehicle.

Draft - Drafting is a way to decrease a cyclist’s wind resistance by riding closely on the tail of another cyclist.

Drops - On handlebars that are turned down, the drops are the lower portion.

Echelon - An echelon is a formation used by groups of cyclists not competing with each other. By riding in a diagonal pattern with each rider downwind of the one in front of them the lead rider lowers the wind resistance of the whole group. To spread out the extra effort, members of the group take turns riding in the lead.

Field - In a race, the field refers to the main mass of riders.

Field Sprint - A field sprint usually occurs towards the end of a section of a long race, it is when riders within the main group.

Fixed Gear - Seen in track bikes, a fixed gear is what is known as direct drive, where the rear cog is linked to the chain ring, with this configuration a rider cannot coast as the pedals will spin whenever the bike moved.

Flyer - A flyer is when a lone rider makes an unexpected attack.

Force the Pace - Forcing the pace involves speeding up to force the rest of the group to speed up as well.

Full Tuck - The full tuck provides an improvement in a riders aerodynamics by having the rider assume a crouching position.

Gap – The gap is described as being the amount of time that is between riders or between groups of riders. This can also refer to working to increase a lead and widen that gap.

Granny Gear - Used for making difficult inclines, the granny gear is a name for a mountain bike’s lowest gear.

Hammer - To hammer is to ride at the very limit of an individual’s capabilities, or to ride extremely hard.

Hammered - To be hammered is to be completely exhausted.

Photo credits: Futurilla

Originally posted 2009-10-29 03:20:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Cycling Glossary

cyclingA good part of understanding your triathlon training and performance is having a grasp on the lingo. Here is a guide to cycling terms that you should know in order to get the most out of your experience.

Aero Bar – An aero bar is a type of handlebar that juts forward to increase aerodynamics by allowing the rider to assume a lower profile.

Attack - An attack is a tactic to pass another rider, or a group of riders with an abrupt burst of speed, it can also be used as a verb, meaning to try to make an attack.

Biff - In cycling terms, the word biff is used in order to describe a crash.

Block - Blocking is a method of breaking up a chase through slowing down the cadence of the pace line. This can be performed by a single ride or by a group of riders working together. This action is generally used as a way to protect the position of a teammate that is in the lead.

Bonk - The term bonk refers to the state of exhaustion that can be caused by a lack of food while doing a particularly long stretch worth of bike riding.

Break Away – A break away is when a rider makes a successful attack and pulls ahead of the main group.

Bridge - Bridging is the action of leaving one group of riders to catch up to another group of riders farther ahead.

Bunny-Hop - Bunny-hopping refers to jumping over an obstacle with the bike without dismounting.

Cadence – Cadence is the rate at which a cyclist is pedaling, this is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM) of one of the two cyclist’s feet.

Chain suck - Chain suck is the unfortunate occurrence when the bike chain manages to get jammed in between the chain stay and the rear wheel.

Chase - A chase is an effort, most often by a group of cyclists, to catch up with another group of riders that is ahead of them. Often, the group being chased is making a breakaway.

Chasers - Chasers are cyclists that are actively involved in a chase or chases.

Circuit – Like a lap in track racing, a circuit is one trip around a track that will be run through more than one time during a road race.

Circuit race - A circuit race is a race with multiple laps, known as circuits, in which the course is at least two miles long.

Cleat - A cleat is an attachment on the soles of specialized cycling shoes that connect the shoes to the pedals using an opening in the pedal.

Criterium - A criterium is a race held on a track of a mile or less in length with multiple laps.

Cross Country – A cross-country bike race is a type of mountain bike race that crosses over jeep roads, trails and other types of difficult terrain, requiring that the bicyclists competing have a certain level of skill in order to participate.

Photo Credits: /charlene

Originally posted 2009-10-26 03:16:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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