Road Cycling Tips

Gruppo is a slang for Groupset, which refers to a set of parts for one bicycle.

A groupset (or gruppo) refers to a set of parts for one bicycle, and it usually includes the following: Cassette Crankset Bottom Bracket Front Deraileur Rear Deraileur Shifters Brakes Sometimes, these are also included: Pedals Headset Seat post Wheels

A podium (plural podia) in cycling context is a platform to honor medalists in a cycling race. Typically, a three level podium is used, the highest level in the centre holds the gold medalist, to their right is a somewhat lower one for the silver medalist. To the left of the gold medalist is an [...]

A domestique is a road bicycle racer who works solely for the benefit of his or her team and the leader. Domestique means “servant” in French. In Italy and Spain, the term gregario (a kind of soldier of the roman legions) is used, while in Belgium and the Netherlands the term knecht or helper is [...]

SPD is the abbreviation for Shimano Pedaling Dynamics. It is a clipless pedals system invented by Shimano in 1988 that makes waking possible with cycling shoes, by allowing the cleats to be fitted in a recess of the soles. Shimano makes a number of different SPD cleats, and not all cleats are compatible with all pedals, [...]

Clipless pedals use a mechanism similar to a ski binding. The pedals are used with cleats fitted to the bottom of special cycling shoes. When the rider steps on the pedal with the cleat, the cleat locks into the pedals mechanism, and is held firmly in place. Some systems hold the foot at a fixed [...]

Attack, in the cycling world, refers to a sudden acceleration to move ahead of another rider or group of riders. Cyclists usually ride in a peloton or paceline to take advantage of the benefits of drafting, hence attacking has to be done at the right moment to avoid wasting energy.

A paceline is where a group of cyclists riding closely behind one another in a line formation, so that each cyclist can take advantage of the benefit of drafting.

Slipstreaming or drafting is a technique in cycling where riders ride closely behind one another in order to reduce the overall effect of drag. Especially when riding in high speeds, slipstreaming can drastically reduce the energy expenditure required to maintain a certain speed. A large main group of such tightly packed cyclists in a race is [...]

Drafting or slipstreaming is a technique in cycling where riders ride closely behind one another in order to reduce the overall effect of drag. Especially when riding in high speeds, drafting can drastically reduce the energy expenditure required to maintain a certain speed. A large main group of such tightly packed cyclists in a race is [...]