Cycling glossary: decoding your first Moscow ride

You do not need to learn it all

A Moscow ride announcement can mix English abbreviations with Russian bike slang. Start with the words affecting your ride, then ask the organiser about anything unclear. This glossary follows English alphabetical order. Russian equivalents help you recognise the same idea in a local chat.

Bib shorts — Padded cycling shorts with shoulder straps. Russian: «бибы».

Bonk — A sudden energy slump associated with insufficient fuel. Ease back.

Bottle — Your cycling water bottle. Russian riders call it «фляга».

Cadence — Pedal revolutions per minute. Rhythm, not your road speed.

Cassette — The rear sprocket cluster used to change gears.

Chain — Carries effort between sprockets. Needs cleaning and suitable lubrication.

Cleat — Shoe fitting engaging a clipless pedal. Russian: «шип».

Clincher — Tyre held by its edges on the rim. Tubeless compatibility matters.

Clipless pedals — Pedals holding shoes through cleats. Russian shorthand: «контакты».

Coffee ride — A social ride with coffee. Check pace and distance.

D+ — Total climbing along a route, not start-to-finish height difference.

Disc rotor — Metal braking disc near the hub. Keep grease away.

Drafting — Following with reduced air resistance. Requires attention and group skills.

Endurance — Stamina, or a road-bike category for longer rides.

Fixed gear — Pedals keep turning when the driven wheel turns.

Frame — Structure connecting the bike’s main parts. Correct sizing matters.

Freewheeling — Rolling without pedalling where the drivetrain allows. Russian: «накат».

FTP — Threshold-power estimate for training. Results depend on test method.

Gear — Chainring and sprocket combination. Easier gears help on climbs.

General fitness — Strength, mobility and balance training. Russian schedules use «ОФП».

Geometry — Frame dimensions and angles affecting position and handling.

GPS track — Route file or recording. Different from a velodrome.

Gravel bike — Bike for mixed surfaces and suitable dirt tracks. Russian: «гревел».

Heart rate — Heartbeats per minute. One indicator of effort, affected by other factors.

Indoor trainer — Equipment for pedalling your own bike indoors. Russian: «велостанок».

Inner tube — Inflatable tube inside a tyre. Carry a suitable spare.

Intervals — Effort periods alternating with recovery. Not always maximum effort.

Jersey — Cycling top, often with rear pockets. Russian: «джерси».

No-drop — Riders are not abandoned. Confirm waiting and reporting arrangements.

Pace — Speed and effort. Ask about climbs and stops too.

Peloton — Group of cyclists; in racing, usually the main group.

Power — Work per unit of time, measured in watts.

Pull — Your turn at the front. Russian: «смена», also the changeover.

Riding position — How your body sits on the bike. Russian: «посадка».

Road bike — Bike primarily for paved roads. Russian: «шоссейник».

Saddle — Support beneath your pelvis. Comfort depends on fit and adjustment.

Shifter — Gear control on the bars. Russian: «манетка».

SPD — Shimano cleat system. Not interchangeable with SPD-SL cleats.

Spoke — Connects hub and rim, helping the wheel hold shape.

Sprocket — Toothed wheel carrying the chain. Russian: «звезда».

Sweep rider — Person helping at the group’s back. Russian: «замыкающий».

Track — Velodrome, or a recorded route. Context tells you which.

Tubeless — Tyre system without an inner tube. Sealant helps close punctures.

Tyre levers — Tools lifting a tyre from its rim. Russian: «монтажки».

Watt — Unit of power, describing work done per second.

Wattbike — Stationary training-bike brand; sometimes used loosely in Russian.

Wheel — “Hold the wheel”: follow the rider ahead. Keep a manageable gap.

Zone — Individual training-intensity range, such as heart rate or power.

What to do now

1. Pick three unfamiliar words from a local announcement and find them here.
2. Ask the organiser about pace, no-drop arrangements and equipment. Clear agreements matter more than vocabulary.
3. Read BikeJam’s hand-signal guide before joining a group. Confirm unfamiliar signals with the leader.