Welcome to our gravel cycling glossary page. If you want to get a solid grip on gravel biking lingo, you’re in the right place. We’ve all been there – getting tripped up by the technical terms, acronyms, and slang in this field. But that’s what this glossary’s for. This is your roadmap to understanding the real talk of the gravel cycling world. No fluff, just straight-up knowledge. Consider this the ultimate gravel biking dictionary.
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A
Aero Bars: Extensions on the handlebars that allow riders to adopt a more aerodynamic position, reducing wind resistance and increasing speed.
All-Road Bike: A type of gravel bike designed to handle a variety of surfaces, from smooth pavement to rough gravel roads, while providing a comfortable riding position.
Adventure Cycling: A style of cycling that involves traveling long distances on mixed terrain, often carrying camping gear and supplies.
B
Bottom Bracket: The bearings and spindle that connect the crankset to the bike frame, allowing the cranks to rotate smoothly.
Bikepacking: A combination of backpacking and cycling, where riders carry their gear on their bikes to travel and camp in remote areas.
Brifters: Combination brake and shift levers found on modern gravel bikes, allowing riders to change gears and brake without moving their hands from the handlebars.
C
Chainring: The front gears attached to the crankset, which the chain engages with to propel the bike forward.
Cassette: The cluster of gears mounted on the rear wheel hub, which provides a range of gear ratios for different riding conditions.
Clincher Tires: The most common type of tire used on gravel bikes, featuring a bead that hooks onto the rim and can be easily removed for repairs or replacement.
Cyclocross (CX): A type of bike racing that involves riding on mixed terrain, including grass, dirt, and pavement, often requiring riders to dismount and carry their bikes over obstacles.
D
Dropper Post: A type of seatpost that can be raised or lowered on-the-fly, allowing riders to adjust their saddle height for better control and comfort on varying terrain.
Disc Brakes: A type of brake that uses calipers to squeeze a rotor mounted on the wheel hub, providing more powerful and consistent braking performance than traditional rim brakes.
Double Crankset: A type of crankset with two chainrings, typically offering a wider range of gear ratios than a single chainring setup.
E
Endurance Geometry: A frame design that prioritizes comfort and stability over aggressive racing positions, typically featuring a longer wheelbase, taller head tube, and more upright riding position.
Ebb and Flow: A term used to describe the varying intensity and pace of a gravel ride, with periods of hard effort followed by periods of recovery.
Elevation Gain: The total amount of vertical distance climbed during a ride, measured in feet or meters.
F
Fork: The part of the bike that holds the front wheel, connecting it to the frame and providing steering control.
Frame Bag: A type of storage bag that fits within the main triangle of the bike frame, providing a convenient and aerodynamic way to carry gear.
Flared Handlebars: A type of handlebar that widens towards the ends, providing more stability and control on rough terrain.
Frameset: The main components of a bike, including the frame, fork, and sometimes the headset, sold together without components like wheels, drivetrain, or brakes.
G
Gravel Specific Shoes: Cycling shoes designed for gravel riding, often featuring more tread for better traction when walking on loose surfaces and a stiffer sole for efficient power transfer.
Gravel Grinding: A term used to describe the act of riding a gravel bike on rough, unpaved roads for an extended period.
Gravel Bike: A type of bicycle designed for riding on unpaved roads, featuring wider tires, a more upright geometry, and often, disc brakes for improved stopping power.
Gearing: The combination of chainrings and cassette cogs that determine the range of gear ratios available on a bike.
H
Handlebar Bag: A small storage bag that attaches to the handlebars, providing easy access to essentials like snacks, tools, or a phone.
Hydration Pack: A backpack-style bag with a built-in water reservoir and drinking tube, allowing riders to stay hydrated without reaching for a water bottle.
Headset: The bearings that connect the fork to the frame, allowing the handlebars to turn smoothly.
Hub: The central part of a wheel that rotates on bearings and connects to the spokes.
I
Interval Training: A type of training that involves alternating periods of high-intensity effort with periods of rest or low-intensity recovery, often used to improve speed and endurance.
ISO Speed: A feature found on some Trek gravel bikes that helps to absorb vibrations and smooth out rough rides by allowing the seat tube to flex independently from the top tube.
J
Jersey: A type of cycling-specific shirt designed to wick moisture, provide a snug fit, and often featuring pockets on the back for carrying essentials.
Jockey Wheels: The small wheels on the rear derailleur that guide the chain during gear shifts.
K
Klicks: A slang term for kilometers, often used by cyclists to describe ride distances.
Kevlar Bead: A type of tire bead made from Kevlar fibers, which helps to make the tire lighter and more foldable than a traditional wire bead.
King of the Mountains (KOM): A term borrowed from road cycling that refers to the fastest rider on a particular climb or segment, often used in the context of Strava or other cycling apps.
L
Lace-up Grips: A type of handlebar grip that uses laces to secure it to the handlebars, providing a customizable fit and classic look.
Lugs: The connectors that join the tubes of a steel or titanium bike frame, often decorative and used to reinforce the joints.
Lumen: A unit of measurement for the amount of light emitted by a bicycle light, with higher lumen values indicating brighter lights.
M
Microshift: A type of drivetrain component manufacturer that specializes in gravel and adventure cycling components, known for their wide-range cassettes and durable shifters.
Monstercross: A style of gravel bike that uses 29er mountain bike wheels and tires for increased traction and rollover ability on rough terrain.
Mixed Terrain: A term used to describe a route that includes a variety of surfaces, from smooth pavement to rough gravel roads and singletrack trails.
N
No-Drop Ride: A group ride where the pace is adjusted to ensure that no one is left behind, promoting a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.
Nutrition Plan: A strategy for fueling during long gravel rides, often involving a combination of sports drinks, energy bars, and whole foods to maintain energy levels and prevent bonking.
Niner: A bike manufacturer known for their gravel and adventure bikes, as well as their use of the 29er wheel size.
O
Off-Camber: A term used to describe a section of trail or road that slopes away from the direction of travel, making it more challenging to maintain traction and control.
Overnighter: A short bikepacking trip that involves camping out for one night, often used as an introduction to longer multi-day adventures.
Out-and-Back: A type of ride route that involves riding out to a destination and then returning along the same path, as opposed to a loop or point-to-point route.
P
Pannier: A type of bag that attaches to a rack mounted over the wheels, used to carry gear and supplies on bikepacking trips.
Peloton: The main group of riders in a gravel race or event, often working together to maintain a steady pace and draft off each other for efficiency.
Powermeter: A device that measures a rider’s power output in watts, used for training and pacing during gravel races and events.
Presta Valve: A type of valve commonly found on higher-end bikes, including gravel bikes, that is narrower and lighter than a Schrader valve and can be used with a wider range of rim shapes and sizes.
Q
Q-Factor: The distance between the pedal attachment points on the crank arms, which can affect a rider’s biomechanics and comfort on the bike.
Quick Release: A mechanism used to easily remove and attach wheels or seatposts without the need for tools.
Quill Stem: A type of stem that inserts into the fork’s steerer tube and is secured by an expanding wedge, commonly found on older or retro-style gravel bikes.
R
Randonneuring: A type of long-distance, unsupported endurance cycling that originated in France, often involving rides of 200km or more.
Rear Derailleur: The component responsible for moving the chain between cogs on the rear cassette, allowing riders to change gears.
Ride With GPS: A popular route-planning and navigation app used by gravel cyclists to create, share, and follow routes.
Rolling Resistance: The amount of force required to keep a tire moving at a constant speed, which can be affected by factors like tire width, tread pattern, and inflation pressure.
Rugged: A term used to describe a bike or component that is built to withstand tough conditions and rough terrain encountered in gravel riding.
S
Saddlebag: A small bag that attaches to the saddle or seatpost, used for carrying essentials like tools, tubes, or snacks.
Sealant: A liquid used in tubeless tire setups to automatically seal small punctures and prevent flats.
Singletrack: A narrow trail typically used by mountain bikers, but also sometimes incorporated into gravel rides for added challenge and variety.
Stem: The component that connects the handlebars to the fork’s steerer tube, which can be adjusted to change the rider’s position and comfort on the bike.
Suspension Fork: A type of fork that uses springs or air to absorb bumps and vibrations from the road, providing a smoother and more comfortable ride on rough terrain.
T
Tubeless Tires: Tires that are designed to be used without an inner tube, instead relying on a tight seal between the tire and rim to hold air, often with the addition of sealant to prevent flats.
Top Tube Bag: A small bag that sits on the top tube of the frame, providing easy access to essentials like snacks or a phone.
Tread Pattern: The design of a tire’s rubber surface, which can affect its traction, rolling resistance, and performance in different conditions.
Tubeless Ready: A term used to describe rims or tires that are designed to be compatible with tubeless setups, but may require additional components or sealant to be fully converted.
U
Ultralight: A term used to describe gear or components that are designed to be as lightweight as possible, often for the purpose of minimizing weight on long-distance bikepacking trips.
Unbound Gravel: One of the most well-known and prestigious gravel races, held annually in the Flint Hills of Kansas, featuring a challenging 200-mile course.
Underbiking: The practice of riding a bike that is less capable or aggressive than the terrain demands, often done intentionally for an added challenge or to improve skills.
V
Valve Core: The small, removable component inside a Presta valve that allows air to be added or released from the tire.
Velo Orange: A company that specializes in producing retro-inspired components and accessories for gravel and adventure cycling.
Velocity: The speed at which a rider is traveling, often measured in miles per hour or kilometers per hour.
Vernacular: A term used to describe the unique language and terminology used by gravel cyclists and the broader cycling community.
W
Watts: A unit of measurement for power output, often used in cycling to quantify the amount of work being done by the rider.
Wheelbase: The distance between the front and rear axles of a bike, which can affect its stability, handling, and comfort on rough terrain.
Washboard: A term used to describe a rough, corrugated surface often encountered on gravel roads, caused by the repeated passage of vehicles.
Windup: The tendency for a bike frame or component to flex or twist under heavy loads or high-torque pedaling, which can affect power transfer and handling.
X
X-Sync: A type of chainring design used by SRAM on their gravel and mountain bike drivetrains, featuring alternating wide and narrow teeth for improved chain retention and mud-clearing abilities.
XC (Cross Country): A type of mountain bike racing that involves riding on relatively smooth, rolling terrain, often featuring climbs and descents, and requiring a balance of speed and endurance.
XD Driver: A type of freehub body design used by SRAM on their higher-end gravel and mountain bike wheels, which allows for the use of cassettes with a 10-tooth smallest cog for a wider gear range.
Y
Yaw Angle: The angle at which the wind is hitting a rider from the side, which can affect aerodynamics and stability on the bike.
Yoke: A part of the frame that connects the chainstays to the bottom bracket shell, often used to provide clearance for wider tires or to stiffen the rear end of the bike.
Z
Zipp: A high-end wheel and component manufacturer known for their carbon fiber wheels, often used in gravel racing and events.
Zeitgeist: A term used to describe the overall spirit or mood of the gravel cycling community at a given time, often influenced by trends, events, and cultural factors.
Zerts: A proprietary vibration-damping technology used by Specialized in some of their gravel bike frames and components, designed to reduce fatigue and improve comfort on long rides.
#
29er: A type of bike or wheel size that uses 29-inch diameter wheels, often used in gravel and mountain biking for their increased rollover ability and traction.
650B: A wheel size that is smaller in diameter than a traditional 700c road wheel, but larger than a 26-inch mountain bike wheel, often used on gravel bikes to allow for wider tires and improved comfort on rough terrain.
1x (One-By): A type of drivetrain setup that uses a single chainring in the front, paired with a wide-range cassette in the rear, simplifying the shifting process and reducing the potential for dropped chains.
