Glossary of Bicycling - C

C

cadence

The rate at which a cyclist pedals (in revolutions per minute).

caravane

The team cars following behind the peloton in support of their racers. Also designates the publicity cars.

Cassette

The rear cog cluster on a derailleur bicycle, that fits on a freehub. It consists only of cogs, with no ratcheting mechanism, as the ratcheting mechanism is in the freehub.

chain gang

A group of cyclists cycling in a close knit formation akin to a road race, normally for the purposes of training.

chainring(s)

Or crankset. The front part of the drivetrain where the chain engages. May be composed of one to three gears.

chain slap

Annoying slapping of the bike's chain against the chainstays while riding over rough terrain.

chain suck

The tendency of a chain to stick to chain rings and be sucked up into the bike instead of coming off the chainring. Primarily caused by worn chainrings and rust on small chain rings, under high loads, and in dirty conditions.

chainstay

One of the two frame tubes that run horizontally from the bottom bracket shell back to the rear dropouts.

chase

A group of one or more riders who are ahead of the peloton trying to join the race or stage leader(s). There may be none, one, or many chases at any given point in a race.

chicane

A sequence of tight turns, often s-shaped, usually most important near the finish of a road-race or during a criterium.

classic

A one-day race of great prestige. Some classics date back to the 19th century.

climber

A rider who specialises in riding uphill quickly, usually due to having a high power-to-weight ratio.

clincher

A type of tire that uses a bead around the edge of the tire to attach to the rim of the wheel when inflated. The inner tube is separate.

cog

A dented gear that is part of the cassette.

commissaire

A race judge, in road-racing they are usually based in a car following the event.

counter attack

An attack that is made when a break has been caught by chasers or the peloton.

crack

When a cyclist runs out of strength or energy, they are said to have cracked. Compare with hit the wall.

crankarm

One of the two lever components that attach the bottom bracket spindle to a pedal.

criterium

A race on a closed short distance course with multiple laps. Often but not always a 4-cornered course; often includes primes (short for premiums and rhymes with 'seems') which are points or prizes for intermediate laps. Course length varies from 800 meters to 5 kilometers.

Cyclocross

A form of bicycle racing that consists of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike past some obstacles and remount.