Like every area of interest exercise, biking has its personal lingo. Unsure what your new biking friends are jabbering about after your weekend journey? We’ve put collectively a glossary of some frequent biking phrases to get you in control.
“These phrases carry some emotional weight, serving to to downplay horrible issues and including some frisson to issues we’re happy with,” says Scott Saifer, biking coach at Wenzel Teaching.
Took a spill?
Inform your fellow cyclists you “picked up some depraved street rash on the yard sale” and also you’ll earn sympathy and cred.
Certain, saying “I fell off my bike” would get the purpose throughout too — however adopting these biking phrases “is a part of your self-declaration of being a bike owner,” Saiter says.
So whether or not you’re a faithful street racer or want the problem of gnarly trails, subsequent time somebody says they’re bonking, or calls you a good wheel, you’ll know precisely what they imply.
From gear to technical abilities to slang, listed here are some biking phrases to get conversant in.
Biking Gear
1. Beater
A cheap, presumably previous, however operable bike — nice for on a regular basis use, however not an enormous loss if it’s wrecked or stolen.
2. Bib
Biking shorts with overalls-style elastic shoulder straps as a substitute of an elastic waistband.
(Professional tip: You’re alleged to put on these underneath your jersey.)
3. Bidon
A French phrase referring to the squeezable plastic water bottles generally utilized by cyclists.
4. Chamois
The tender pad inside your bike shorts that pads your butt and prevents chafing if you journey lengthy distances (pronounced “shammy”).
5. Clipless pedals
Pedals that accommodate biking sneakers with a cleat that locks right into a groove.
6. eBike
A bicycle with an electrical motor.
7. Onerous tail
A mountain bike with a entrance suspension however no rear suspension.
8. LBS
Native Bike Store — a small enterprise specializing in bike gross sales and repairs.
9. N + 1
Formulation for the right variety of bikes to personal, the place n = the variety of bikes you presently personal.
10. Full suspension
A mountain bike with entrance and rear suspension.
11. The 11 (or the ten)
Handlebars that help a rider’s elbows, permitting them to imagine an aerodynamic form.
Highway Biking and Racing Phrases
12. Athena
In triathlon occasions, a separate division for feminine athletes over 165 kilos.
13. Assault
An aggressive try and overtake one other rider.
14. Cadence
The speed, in revolutions per minute (RPM), {that a} rider pedals.
15. Century
A 100-mile journey or race (a metric century is 100 kilometers, or about 62 miles).
16. Climb
An uphill portion of a race or journey.
17. Clydesdale
In triathlon occasions, a separate division for male athletes over 220 kilos.
18. Nook
To navigate a curving size of street.
19. DFL
To complete behind all the opposite racers (in different phrases, lifeless beeping final).
20. Domestique
A racer who rides in service of one other member of a biking group.
21. Draft
To journey intently behind one other rider to cut back wind resistance.
22. Drop
To depart one other racer behind.
23. Echelon
A gaggle of cyclists driving in a diagonal, single-file formation to reduce wind resistance.
24. Soar
A sudden acceleration to catch a gaggle of riders in entrance of you.
25. Pack
A gaggle of cyclists driving in shut proximity (additionally known as a bunch).
26. Peloton
The principle pack of cyclists in a race.
27. Pull
To imagine the entrance spot in a gaggle of riders, lowering wind resistance for different riders behind you.
28. Sag wagon
A car that rides behind the pack, offering meals, water, and equipment, in addition to choosing up exhausted or injured racers.
29. Time trial
A motorcycle race towards the clock, sometimes held one racer at a time, or with a gaggle of racers working collectively.
30. Wheel sucker
A rider who by no means takes a flip up entrance to protect different riders from the wind.
Biking Slang Phrases
31. Alligator pit
In mountain biking or BMX, a large leap or hole that’s doubtlessly harmful to try.
32. Bikepacking
A mixture of biking and tenting, carrying all of your gear in your bike from place to put.
33. Bonk
To fully run out of vitality throughout a journey or race (a.okay.a. die or hit the wall).
34. Bunny hop
A BMX trick the place each wheels go away the bottom, sometimes used to surmount or keep away from obstacles.
35. Burly
Difficult or hardcore, particularly in BMX.
36. Purchase velocity
To accumulate fancy bikes or elements in hopes of going sooner.
37. Eat it
To wipe out.
38. Emergency dismount
A crash.
39. Endo
A trick during which you journey on the entrance wheel solely (often known as a stoppie); or a crash during which the bike flips over its entrance wheel.
40. Good wheel
A rider who holds a gradual tempo with minimal swerving.
41. Granny gear
The bottom gear on a multi-speed bike, used for very steep climbs.
42. Hammer (or “drop the hammer”)
Experience onerous for an prolonged interval.
43. LSD
Lengthy Gradual Distance or Lengthy Regular Distance — a protracted however leisurely-paced journey.
44. Mash
To push down too onerous in your pedals, normally whereas standing, which can be an indication it’s essential downshift.
45. Noodle
To journey at an easy tempo.
46. Highway rash
Abrasions from sliding on pavement throughout a crash.
47. Singletrack
An off-road path solely broad sufficient for bikes to journey single file.
48. True
To regulate the spokes on a wheel so it spins with out wobbling.
49. Wheelie
A trick during which the rider pedals with their entrance wheel raised off the bottom.
50. Yard sale
A crash so dangerous that objects out of your pockets, and presumably elements of your bicycle, are strewn throughout the street.
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