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Glossary of cycling terms
Bead
Part of the tire that clinches to the
wheel’s rim.
Bar ends
Perpendicular extensions to the end of
straight handlebars for additional hand
positions.
Bike share
A fun, easy, affordable urban transit
system in which users rent bikes for short
rides, checking them in and out at docking
stations.
Biomotion or body movement
Highlighting the movement of your feet and
legs with contrasting colors to improve your
visibility. Use fluorescent during daylight and
reflective at night.
Cadence
The rate at which a cyclist pedals (in
revolutions per minute).
Captain
The rider on a tandem bike steering
(shifting, braking) the bike. Also pilot.
Chainguard
A housing around your chain.
Drive side
Refers to the side of the bike where the
chain and related drivetrain components sit.
Drivetrain
The system that transfers pedaling power
to the wheels. Components include crank,
chainring, and chain (or belt), as well as
derailleurs and a cassette in geared bikes.
Dropout
Small notch in the bike frame where the
seatstay meets the chainstay. The rear
wheel skewer or axle rests in the dropouts.
Dynamo hub
A small electrical generator built into the
hub of a bicycle wheel usually used to
power lights.
e-bike assist
An e-bike amplifies your pedal power with a
motor and battery. When riding, the electric
motor only kicks in when pedaling.
Fat bike
A tough, capable bike built to accommodate
extra-wide tires and designed to ride on any
kind of terrain you darned well please.
Frameset
The bicycle frame plus the front fork.
High-vis
Short for high-visibility. High-vis gear and
apparel makes riders more likely to be seen.
Hybrid
A versatile style of bike that combines traits
of road and mountain bikes. Equally suited
to city streets and gravel paths, but not
intended for rigorous off-road use.
Pannier
A bag or similar container attached to the
frame, handle bars, or on racks above the
wheels of a bicycle.
Quick release
A mechanism for attaching a wheel to a
bicycle. It consists of a rod threaded on one
end and a lever-operated cam assembly on
the other.
Ride tuned
Tuned for optimal ride feel.
Road rash
Skin abrasions caused from sliding on the
asphalt in a crash.
Single-Speed
A beautifully simple bicycle: one free-wheel
gear, no shifting.
Singletrack
A trail just wide enough for a single bike
to ride.
Steerer tube
The part of the fork that is inserted into the
head tube of the frame. Used to attach the
fork to the frame using a headset.
Step-Thru
A type of bicycle frame with a low or absent
top tube or cross-bar (a.k.a. open frame or
low-step frame).
Stoker
The rider on a tandem bike not steering.
Tandem
A bicycle built for two.
Thru axle
An alternative to the quick-release skewer.
A thru axle slides through holes in closed
dropouts. It’s a stronger, stiffer axle, and
has long been a standard for mountain
bike wheels.
Wheelie
Lifting the front wheel of the bicycle in the
air while riding on only the back wheel.