AMATEUR     PROFESSIONAL     RESOURCES     STORE FRONT     CLUBS     NOTES     HOME   Glossary back to resource main » aero abbreviation for aerodynamically efficient. aero-bars handlebar extension which rests the hands close together over the front hub, which is a very aero tuck. aluminum A metal used for many bicycle parts. Aluminum is light and does not rust. By weight, it is not as strong as steel, but it weighs 1/3 what a similar volume of steel weighs. attack a sudden attempt to ride ahead of a group of riders. auger to involuntarily take samples of the local geology, usually with one's face, during a crash. bar ends are small handlebar extensions that are bolted to the ends of the handlebar to provide extra hand positions. betty any female rider blocking getting in the way of slow down in front of rival riders, to help a teammate get ahead on a breakaway. bonk Slang for running out of energy due to low glycogen levels usually coupled with dehydration. bottom bracket the bearing assembly to which your crank arms attach brain bucket helmet breakaway a splitting of the field, where some riders race ahead, trying to avoid being reabsorbed by the larger and more aerodynamicly efficient peloton. bsg abbreviation for "Bike Store Guy". burrito a rim braking surface that's bent inward towards the tube, forming a section that looks rolled like a burrito. cadence the rate at which the crank arms are spun while riding. campy short for Campagnolo, the famed Italian road bike component manufacturer. They are generally artfully machined and elegantly engineered, and cost enough to feed a starving Sudanese village for a year. casette the assembly of gears mated to the rear hub. century a 100 mile bike ride, or a metric century which is 100 km. chainring a gear at the front, attached to the cranks. chase when a chase group tries to catch up with a group of riders who have broken away from a pack. cleat n. a cleat attaches to the bottom of a cycling shoe. Older style cleats have a slot that fits over the back of the pedal, and in conjunction with toe clips and straps, hold your foot on the pedal. crank arm the metal arms to which the pedals attach criterium a massed start, high-speed bicycle race events in which riders race around a closed circuit racecourse to compete for order of finish. cyclocross 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.   derailleur those things that move the chain and change gears, one in the front and one in the back. dialed in when a bike is set up nicely and everything works just right. double-butted tubing with a higher wall thickness at both ends, to reduce the weight of the tubing for a given weight. down tube the part of the frame that connects the head tube and the bottom bracket. draft to ride behind a windshield, such as another rider or a motor vehicle. dropouts the U-shaped slots that accept the wheel axle. echlon a diagonal paceline, which modifies the single-file formation for a crosswind. field the clump of riders near or at the front in a road race. field sprint a sprint for the finish line involving a large group of riders. fred a person who spends a lot of money on his bike and clothing, but still can't ride. gear cluster an assembly of gears. Usually described by their configuration: "My rear cluster is a 12-25" granny gear the lowest gear available on a bike, or a third and smallest front cog gutter bunny a bicycling commuter. hammer to ride fast and hard. Also to "put the hammer down. headset the bearing assembly that attaches the fork to the head tube. hub located at the center of the wheel attached to the rim by the spokes. IMBA International Mountain Biking Association. An organization for trail advocacy. involuntary dismount a crash lead out 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. line the desirable path or strategy to take on a tricky trail section. mash to apply much force to the pedals on their downward cycle, generally while standing to climb a steep hill. moto 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. MTB the activity of MounTain Biking. Or a mountain bike itself. NORBA National Off-Road Bicycling Association. As part of USAC, they organize most of the larger mountain bike races.   off the back when a rider is dropped, or cannot keep up with the pace of the pelton and falls behind. off the front when a rider takes part in a breakaway, where one or more riders scoot up ahead of the main peloton in a race. paceline A single file of riders, each of which takes his turn battling the wind at the front. peloton the large, aerodynamicly efficient, and extremely fast pack of riders near the front in a road race, also known as the field. pinch flat flat tire caused by the tube being pinched between the rim and a hard object, usually due to under -inflated tires Presta valve which is taller, lighter and skinnier than Shraeder valves. pull to ride at the front of a group of riders, where there is no protection from wind resistance. quick-release bolts with levers attached, for easy adjustment and removal of wheels and seat height road rash large abrasions on a rider's legs and body caused by a crash, particularly on asphalt. orocket fuel the mandatory pre-ride coffee. rookie mark chain grease on a rider's pant leg saddle the bike seat Schraeder valve found on cars, and most mountain bikes. Tubular road tires, and some clincher mountain and road tubes, use the better, Presta system. seat tube the part of the frame that accepts the seat post, and attaches the top tube to the bottom bracket shifter the lever that activates the derailleurs ostage race 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. time trials bicycle race events in which individuals or small teams of riders ride the same route and distance separately for elapsed time. tubulars 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. tuck a riding position, generally a contorted one with the head and torso low, back flat, and arms close in for aerodynamics. UCI abbreviation for Union Cycliste Internationale, an international sanctioning organization for bicycle racing. USCF 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. valve stem where the pump is attached to fill the tube with air.