No matter what language you speak, cycling lingo might sound foreign. Here's a small round-up of words and terms that might come in handy on and around the bike:
Aero - Short for aerodynamic, anything that makes you go faster by minimizing wind resistance
Ass saver - A handy gadget that clips in under the saddle and protects your bum from mud sprayed up by the tire
Attack - A sudden breakaway made to get ahead of other cyclists
Base layer - A long- or short-sleeve layer worn under a jersey for added warmth or to prevent chafing
Bibs - The bottom half of a cycling outfit, with a padded seat (see chamois), and either shorts or full length legs
Bidon - The fancy French word for water bottle
Bikepacking - A longer cycling tour that includes multiple days, meaning supplies must be carried on the bike
*Brake levers - The handle that you squeeze to activate the brakes, often integrated with the shift levers that change the gears
Cadence - The rate at which a cyclist pedals
*Cassette - The set of cogs located on the rear wheel that hold the chain in place
*Chain - The metal links that allow the bike to run and shift gears
*Chainrings - The metal discs that that hold the chain in place at the front (see chainset)
*Chainstay - The section of the bike frame that runs between the chainset and the cassette
Chamois (pronounced “shammy”) - The pad inside bibs
Climb - To go uphill
*Cog – One ring in the cassette, aka sprocket or gear
Cornering – Steering around a curve
*Crankarm – The arm that connects the pedals to the chainrings
*Crankset - The set of chainrings at the front of the chain
*Derailleur, front and rear – The mechanism that pushes the chain to the right place on the chainrings and cassette for the desired gear
*Disc brakes - The most common type of brake system these days, using pressure applied by discs attached to the wheel hub
*Down Tube - The section of the frame that runs from the head tube to the crankset
Drafting – benefiting from the rider in front of you breaking the wind (aka motorpacing when trailing a car) aka Riding in the slipstream
*Drivetrain – The whole package of the pedals, cranks, front and rear derailleurs, chainrings, cassette, and chain.
*Drops – The lower level of handlebars on road bikes, where you can place your hands to go aero
Fixie aka Fixed Gear - A bike with only one gear, most often used in urban areas
Flat aka Flat Tire – A puncture or pinch of the tire requiring that the inner tube be changed
*Frame – The outline or "geometry" of the bike, consisting of all the piping other than the fork: top tube, head tube, down tube, seat tube, chainstay, seatstay, and seatpost
*Fork – The metal piping that runs down from the head tube and holds the front tire in place
Gears - The levels of resistance achieved by adjusting the chain across chainrings and cassette
*Gear levers - The manual tabs or electric buttons usually integrated into the brake levers
*Handlebar - The steering wheel, not the mustache
*Head tube - The short section of frame connecting the top tube and the down tube
*Headset – The connection between the stem and the rest of the bike frame
Helmet – aka lid - wear one!
*Hub – center of bike wheels, front and rear
Jersey - Short- or long-sleeved top, usually zip-up, with pockets in the back for convenience
Kit - The whole cycling outfit that will keep you looking good and performing at your best
LBS – Local Bike Shop, as in support your LBS!
LSD – Long slow distance riding for training purposes
Musette - A small bag that can be worn across the chest
Overshoe - A waterproof layer that fits over the cycling shoe to protect from cold, wet conditions
Pavé – Fancy French word for cobblestones
*Pedal - That thing you push with your feet
Peloton - A group of cyclists riding and working together to improve speed and efficiency
Presta – type of valve that you press as opposed to a Schrader valve
PSI – pounds per square inch - A measurement system for tire pressure
Pull – To take the lead position in the peleton
QR – Quick Release, as in saddle, wheels, etc. characterized by an easily open-and-close lever
*Rims - The metal ledge of the wheel that the tire fits into
Rim brakes - A slightly outdated technology that applies pressure to rims using pads
Road rash – A fancy term for falling and scraping your skin up, aka bacon, aka cheese grater
Roadie – A road bike rider
RPM – Revolutions per minute
Running it out – standing up to pedal through a small incline or instead of downshifting. It’s best to keep the bike one gear higher for this position than you would if seated. Aka dancing
*Saddle – Because why would you just call it a seat? Height -adjustable for size
*Seat post - The adjustable piece that the saddle sits on and that fits inside the seat tube
*Seat post clamp - The QR clamp or similar apparatus on many bikes that secures the saddle height
*Seat stay - The thin section of frame that runs between the seat tube and the cassette
*Seat tube - The section of the frame running from the back of the top tube down to the crankset
Spindle - All the bits and pieces running through the drivetrain to connect one crankarm with the other
Spinning – Cycling at a high cadence
*Spokes – The thin, straight wires that connect the hub to the rim of the wheel
*Stem – The piece that runs from the frame to the handlebars and can be adjusted for size
Switchbacks - Those dramatic roads running back and forth up the side of a mountain and causing you pain
*Tire - The rubber casing around the wheel
Tire clearance - The space between the tire and the frame, fork, or any non-wheel part of the bike
*Top Tube - The section of frame running from the headset to the top of the seat tube
Tubeless tires - Tires designed to function without inner tubes, using liquid sealant to fix punctures and providing some benefits over tires with tubes
*Valve stem – The little spigot where the air goes into the tire
Vest aka gilet (pronounced "jee-lay") - Another nice layer option for cold or windy conditions