Cycling Terminology

noun a foot-operated lever or control for a vehicle, machine, or instrument

verb to operate a pedal

• She pressed down on the pedal to accelerate the car.
• I like to pedal my bike around the neighborhood for exercise.
• Let's hit the pedal to the metal and get there as fast as we can!
• He really knows how to pedal his ideas to get them accepted.

noun a mechanism for changing gears on a bicycle, typically consisting of a chain, sprockets, and a mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to another

• The derailleur is a crucial component of a bicycle's drivetrain system.
• I had to adjust my derailleur after it started making a strange noise.
• My derailleur got all messed up on that bumpy trail.
• His bad decisions acted like a derailleur, causing his life to go off track.

noun A person who fits the description of a MAMIL

• The MAMILs in the cycling group always ride with precision and style.
• I saw a bunch of MAMILs out on their fancy bikes this morning.
• Those MAMILs are always decked out in their spandex gear.
• He may be a MAMIL on the weekends, but during the week he's just a regular office worker.

noun a motorized bicycle used in track cycling events to pace the riders

adjective relating to or characteristic of a derny

• The derny is a motorized bicycle used in track cycling races to set the pace for the riders.
• I saw the derny leading the cyclists around the track during the race.
• The derny driver had to speed up to keep the cyclists on their toes.
• The coach acted as a derny for the team, pushing them to work harder and faster.

noun the main group of riders in a road bicycle race

• The cyclists rode in a tightly packed peloton during the race.
• The group of riders stayed together in a peloton for most of the race.
• The peloton was cruising along at a good pace during the race.
• The peloton of ideas moved together seamlessly towards a common goal.