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Bicycles provide a number of potential advantages over automobiles, including prolonged physical activity during cycling, simpler parking, improved manoeuvrability, and access to highways, bike lanes, and country trails. Cycling also reduces fossil fuel usage, air and noise pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and traffic congestion substantially. These have reduced financial costs for both users and society as a whole (negligible damage to roads, less road area required). By installing bicycle racks on the front of buses, transportation agencies may expand their service area dramatically.
Additionally, riding gives several health benefits. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cycling can lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes associated with sedentary lifestyles. Cycling on stationary cycles has also been utilised as part of the rehabilitation process for injuries to the lower extremities, notably hip surgery. Regular cyclists have also reported improved mental health, including reduced perceived stress and greater energy.
Among the disadvantages of cycling are the fact that bicycles (with the exception of tricycles and quadricycles) must be balanced by the rider in order to remain upright, the reduced protection in collisions compared to motor vehicles, the often longer travel time (except in densely populated areas), the susceptibility to weather conditions, the difficulty in transporting passengers, and the requirement of a minimum level of fitness for cycling moderate to long distances.
CYCLING TERMINOLOGY
Following is a list of the most used cycling words.
Attack: A sudden effort to evade a rider or group of cyclists.
Berm: An incline on a BMX track.
Another name for a collision.
Black Line: The 5-centimeter-wide line at the bottom of a velodrome track that indicates the track’s length.
When a cyclist impedes another rider’s progress, typically as part of a team tactic to slow down the main field when a teammate is ahead in a breakaway.
Blue Band: The part of a velodrome between the racing track and the infield. Technically, it is not against the law to ride on the Blue Band, but it is against the law to increase one’s position while riding on it.
BMX: BMC stands for Bicycle Motocross.
Bonk: When a cyclist runs out of energy totally
Breakaway: A cyclist or group of riders who have broken from the main pack and moved ahead.
Bridge the Gap: When a rider or group of riders attempts to pass a group of cyclists in order to reach a group of riders farther ahead.
Included in a caravan are team cars, race officials, media, medical, VIP, and neutral support vehicles.
Chasers: Riders aiming to catch a rider or group of riders in front of them.
Chicane: A series of tricky, tight twists
A criterium is a multi-lap road race on a course that is typically one mile or less in length. Sportif: The customary designation for a team’s leader
Domestique: A cyclist who normally follows the designated team leader.
Drafting is riding in the slipstream of the rider in front of you. Typically, a cyclist who draughts off another uses 30% less energy.
To leave another cyclist or group of riders behind by attacking and passing them.
Echelon: A line of cyclists positioned behind one another for optimal wind protection.
An accident that causes a cyclist to fall over the front handlebars.
Espoir is a French name for cyclists aged 19 to 22 who compete in the Under-23 division.
Etape is the French word for a stage in a stage race.
Feed Zone: A specified area on a road course where a rider’s soigneur can provide them with food and drink.
When cyclists receive food and fluids during a race, either from a team car or a soigneur stationed in a feed zone.
The primary group of cyclists, often called the Pack, Peloton, or Bunch.
Field Sprint: The last sprint among the main group of cyclists in a race, not always for first place.
The ratio of gears between the front chainring and rear gear cluster.
Granny Gear: The lowest gear ratio on a multi-speed bicycle, with the smallest front chainring and the largest rear chainring.
A mountain bike with just front suspension; a hardtail.
Hole-Shot: In BMX racing, taking the lead out of the starting gate and into the first turn.
A quick acceleration, typically at the beginning of a sprint.
Kick: The last acceleration of a sprint
Lanterne Rouge is the French term for the red lantern located at the conclusion of a train. Used to describe the cyclist who finishes last in a race.
Lead Out: A team-oriented manoeuvre in which a cyclist launches a race to give a teammate riding in his draught a head start.
Moto: Used to describe a BMX racing heat
Musette: A bag containing food, water, and energy drinks that is provided to cyclists in a feed zone.
Neo-Pro is the phrase for a professional cycling rookie.
The leading group of cyclists in a road race.
Prime: A mid-race event in which cyclists rush for points, cash, or prizes during a criterium; used to add excitement to the race.
Prologue: A brief individual time trial at the start of a stage race, used to determine the leader of the first stage.
Pull: To take a turn at the head of a paceline and shield other riders from the wind.
Pull Through: When a cyclist goes to the front of a paceline and blocks the wind with his body.
Pull Off: When a cyclist shifts to the side of a paceline to let another cyclist to pass.
Sag A vehicle that follows a race and collects cyclists who are unable to complete it.
Singletrack: A tiny off-road route that is just wide enough for single-file bicycle use.
When a cyclist refuses to take a pull and break the wind for the group in which he is riding, he is sitting in.
Slipstream: The air pocket generated by a moving rider in auto or motorbike racing.
A mountain bike with both front and rear suspension is a soft-tail.
Soigneur is the French word for a trainer in cycling. Typically, a soigneur cares after a rider’s physical health and administers massages.
A sprint is a quick burst of speed at the end of a race or an intermediate sprint point.
Sprinter’s Lane: The area on the velodrome between the Black Line and The Sprinter’s Line. A leader cannot be passed on the inside in this zone.
Sprinter’s Line is a 5-centimeter-wide line situated 90 centimetres above the Black Line.
Stage A multi- day event that involves many races. The winner is the rider with the lowest cumulative time.
Stagiaire: An amateur rider who competes with a professional team during the season to obtain experience at the professional level.
Tech Zone: A portion of a mountain bike route where cyclists may exchange components or obtain mechanical help from other riders.
Take a Flyer: When a rider assaults the main group and breaks away alone.
Time Individual or team competition against the time.
Track Stand: A tactic employed in track racing to compel an opponent to seize the lead.
Velodrome: An oval cycling track with banking used for track racing
Wheel Sucker: A pejorative phrase for a cyclist who cycles in a group without taking a pull and obstructing the wind.
Conclusion
We conclude that Despite the risk of harm that it is frequently associated with, cycling has a net positive influence on public health. Nonetheless, policymakers are concerned that the growing number of bikers poses a risk of increased traffic injuries and fatalities.
