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 Cycling Buying Guide Glossary  
A - E
Adjusting Barrel | Aero Bars | Aerodynamic | Anodized | Back Pedal Brake | Balaclava | Banana Seat | BMX Bike | Bottom Bracket | Brakes | Cadence | Caliper Brakes | Cantilever Brakes | Chain | Chain Guard | Cleat | Clipless Pedals | Coaster Brake | Comfort Bike | Cruiser | Damper | Derailleur | Disc Brakes | Double Pivot | Downshift | Drive Train | Drop Handlebars | Drop Out | Dual Suspension
F - Z
Fender | Fork | Frame | Freewheel | Front Derailleur | Gears | Handlebars | Hub | Hybrid Bike | Inseam | Lowrider | Mountain Bike | Rear Derailleur | Recumbent Bike | Rim | Road Racing Bike | Shifter | Sidepull | Spokes | Spring | Sprocket | Suspension | Tandem Bike | Top Tube | Tricycle | Unicycle | Upshift | Wheels
 
 Adjusting Barrel
Hollow bolt that allows for adjustment of cable tension.
 
 Aero Bars
Handlebars that allows riders to streamline their upper body position. They are more aerodynamic than traditional handlebars.
 
 Aerodynamic
Bicycle part, riding position, or clothing designed to decrease air resistance.
 
 Anodized
Process of coating metal with a protective film or paint.
 
 Back Pedal Brake
Hub that includes a brake, allowing riders to stop the bike by pedaling backwards. Also called coaster brakes.
 
 Balaclava
Hood worn under a helmet that covers a rider's head and neck.
 
 Banana Seat
Long, banana-shaped seat used on lowrider bikes.
 
 BMX Bike
Bicycle Motocross: Single-speed bicycle popular among children and teenagers that usually have 20" wheels and a freewheel.
 
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 Bottom Bracket
Part of a frame where the pedals revolve.
 
 Brakes
System that slows down or stops a bike by creating friction.
 
 Cadence
Ability to pedal at a constant pace.
 
 Caliper Brakes
Braking system that moves the brakes toward the rim to create friction.
 
 Cantilever Brakes
Braking system that uses two separate arms on each side of the rim to create friction.
 
 Chain
Series of metal links that grips onto sprockets to move a bike when a person pedals.
 
 Chain Guard
Cover placed over a bike chain to prevent clothing from getting caught in the chain or on the sprocket.
 
 Cleat
Wedge-shaped fitting at the bottom of a cycling shoe that engages the pedal.
 
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 Clipless Pedals
Pedals that have the ability to lock cleats into place.
 
 Coaster Brake
Hub that includes a brake, allowing riders to stop the bike by pedaling backwards. Also called back pedal brakes.
 
 Comfort Bike
Bicycle with a short top tube and adjustable handlebars that allow a rider to sit in an upright position. It also has smooth, wide tires and uses the same wheel size, brakes, and gear equipment as a mountain bike.
 
 Cruiser
Basic bicycle with a curved top tube. It's built for comfort, not performance.
 
 Damper
Device that dissipates energy from a spring and prevents a seat from bouncing constantly every time the bike hits a bump.
 
 Derailleur
Device that moves the bike chain from one sprocket to another in order to change gears.
 
 Disc Brakes
Hub brake that uses a caliper to squeeze a disk and create friction.
 
 Double Pivot
Sidepull brakes with two linked arms
 
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 Downshift
Process of shifting to a lower gear.
 
 Drive Train
Parts of a bicycle that work together to generate forward motion.
 
 Drop Handlebars
Handlebars that have a high midpoint.
 
 Drop Out
Bike design that allows a user to remove the rear wheel without removing the bike chain.
 
 Dual Suspension
Suspension for both wheels.
 
 Fender
Covering for the upper part of the wheel that protects a rider from water spray and mud.
 
 Fork
Two blades that hold a wheel.
 
 Frame
Bicycle skeleton consisting of tubes.
 
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 Freewheel
Wheel that spins freely in one direction and locks in the other.
 
 Front Derailleur
Derailleur that moves the top part of the chain between the three front sprockets.
 
 Gears
Mechanism that allows a rider to change the distance a bike can travel with each pedal stroke.
 
 Handlebars
Bar with grips on either end.
 
 Hub
Middle part of a wheel that attaches to spokes and can include a brake.
 
 Hybrid Bike
Cross between a mountain bike and road bike that offers superior performance to a comfort bike.
 
 Inseam
Measurement from the inside of the upper leg to the ankle.
 
 Lowrider
Bicycle with high handlebars and a banana seat.
 
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 Mountain Bike
Bicycle designed for off-road use. It has treaded tires that can be more than 1.75 inches wide, and can have up to 27 speeds, toe clips, and a dense foam seat.
 
 Rear Derailleur
Derailleur that switches gears and keeps tension in the chain.
 
 Recumbent Bike
Bicycle featuring a chair-like seat that sits low to the ground.
 
 Rim
Outer metal hoop of a wheel.
 
 Road Racing Bike
Bicycle with a lightweight frame designed for use on paved roads. Riders usually sit at an incline, crouched toward the handlebars in a streamlined position.
 
 Shifter
Switch that allows a rider to adjust gears to increase or decrease cadence.
 
 Sidepull
Caliper brake with a cable running along the side.
 
 Spokes
Small bars inserted into the hub of a wheel to support the rim.
 
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 Spring
Coil that allows mountain bike suspension to move up when the bike hits a bump.
 
 Sprocket
Cog that grips a chain.
 
 Suspension
System that helps a bicycle and rider absorb shock. It allows a wheel to move up and down while the tire maintains contact with the ground.
 
 Tandem Bike
Bicycle with front-to-back seats and pedals for two or more riders.
 
 Top Tube
Tube that makes up the top of the bike frame.
 
 Tricycle
Three-wheel bicycle geared toward young children.
 
 Unicycle
One-wheel bicycle.
 
 Upshift
Shift to a higher gear.
 
 Wheels
Hub, rim, spokes, and tires.
 
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Trek Road Bikes
Specialized Mountain Bikes
Cannondale Mountain Bikes
Cannondale Road Bikes
Litespeed Road Bikes
Road Bike Wheelsets
Road Bike Cranksets
Jerseys
Cruisers & Lowriders
Trek Road Bike Frames








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