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Definition: Cycling |
CyclingNoun1. The sport of traveling on a bicycle or motorcycle. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "cycling" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1903. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Post & Telecom | The condition when a repetition procedure is in progress. Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
A bicycle is a small land vehicle with two tandem wheels (hence the name) powered by a seated human rider -- in other words a pedal vehicle. Cycling or riding bicycles is one of the principal forms of transportation in several parts of the world. It is also a common recreation and popular sport.
The bicycle is the most energy efficient means of transprt known to man. It has been calculated that, in terms of converting food energy to motion, a bicycle is the most efficient form of locomotion found anywhere in biology. See Science of Cycling: Human Power: page 1.
Speed
Typical speeds for bicycles are 16-32 km/h (10-20 mph). On a really fast racing bicycle, a reasonably fit rider can ride at 30 mph or 50 km/h on the flat for short periods. The highest speed ever attained on the flat, without riding behind a wind-block, is by Canadian Sam Whittingham, who in 2001 set a 80.55 mph or 142.51 km/h record on his highly aerodynamic recumbent bicycle. This stands as the record for all human-powered vehicles.
History
There is some debate about who invented the first bicycle or precursor to the bicycle. Pierre and Ernest Michaux are often credited, but another Frenchman Comte Mede de Sivrac probably has the strongest claim, with the "celerifere" machine he produced in 1790. The German Karl Drais also has a claim with a "Laufmaschine" or "walking machine", which he exhibited in Paris in 1818.The first successful machines that resembled bicycles were invented in the early 1800s. The "draisine" of 1817 had two inline wheels connected to a wooden frame by forks, and the front wheel was steerable. It became rather popular, especially in England and America.
The draisine and machines like it went by a variety of names, such as hobby horse, dandy horse, biciped or swift walker. They were more like scooters than bicycles, because the only means of propulsion was to push against the ground.
In 1840 the Scottish blacksmith Kirkpatrick McMillan designed and built the first rear-drive bicycle with pedals and cranks, and can therefore be credited as the inventor of the modern bicycle. MacMillan called his machine a "velocipede", and rode it the 40 miles from his home to Glasgow. On his approach to the city, crowds gathered on the road and unfortunately Kirkpatrick collided with a young girl. Although she was only very slightly injured, he was subsequently charged with causing the first ever bicycle accident. The judge could not believe Kirkpatrick had travelled the 40 miles to Glasgow in only 5 hours, but after much explaining, he was allowed to return home. Kirkpatrick McMillan never patented his designs, and his key role in the development of the modern bicycle has been largely unrecognised.
Machines similar to the "velocipede" became very popular after 1866, which is when Pierre Lallement obtained a US patent for a machine he called the "bisicle". Others called it a "boneshaker", an appropriate name for a contraption with steel-rimmed wooden wheels.
Solid rubber tires appeared in 1869 and improved the ride somewhat. The front wheel got bigger, and the rear wheel got smaller. A bicycle boom began. The first highwheeler or 'Ordinary' appeared in 1872. This was called a "Penny Farthing" in England (a penny representing the front wheel, and a much smaller coin, the farthing, representing the rear wheel).
Since a large wheel went farther for each turn of the cranks, and since the maximum pedalling speed was limited, the larger the wheel, the faster a rider could go. Some of the highwheelers had wheels nearly 60" in diameter. They were fast. They weren't particularly safe. The rider was way up in the air and travelling at a great speed. If he hit a bad spot in the road he could easily be thrown over the front wheel and be seriously injured or even killed. "Taking a header", which was not all that uncommon, was no joking matter. The dangerous nature of these bicycles, meant that cycling was the preserve of adventurous young men (there were no women riders) and had little appeal to the wider public.
In 1884, J. K. Starley of the Coventry Sewing Machine Company, invented the "safety bicycle" with wheels of moderate size and a chain drive. With the rider sitting far back on the bicycle, it was almost impossible to take a header on such a machine. With the front chainwheel larger than the rear sprocket, the rear wheel turned faster than the cranks, making it possible for a chain-driven bicycle to go fast even without a huge wheel.
John Boyd Dunlop invented the pneumatic tyre in 1888. This made for a much smoother ride.
The safety bicycles of 1890 were very much like today's bicycles. They had pneumatic tyres similar in size to those on a modern bicycle, spoked wheels, a steel frame and a chain drive. About all they didn't have was a method of changing the gears.
In the 1890s the new safety bicycle broadened the appeal of cycling. In addition, bicycles became mass produced, bringing bicycles down in price to a point where ordinary working people could afford one. This fuelled a "bicycling craze", which ushered in a social revolution see below.
Multi-ratio gearing systems were present in racing bicycles by the 1930s, and derailleur systems evolved in the 1950s.
Social & Historical aspect
Socially, the bicycle helped to strengthen the gene pool for rural workers. It tripled their courting radius on the one day per week they had off and thus was a factor in reducing rural inbreeding. The two-wheeled, diamond-frame safety bicycle (basically the same one we ride today) gave women unprecedented mobility, and contributed to their emancipation. In the 1890s the craze for cycling amongst women, created a whole new set of fashions such as "bloomers" (a garment which is a cross between a skirt and trousers). which helped liberate women from the corset, and other restrictive clothing.
In cities, bicycles helped reduce the crowding in inner-city tenements by allowing workers to commute from single-family dwellings in suburbs. They helped reduce people's dependence on horses. They allowed people to travel in the country. They were three times as efficient as walking and three to four times as fast. Moreover, in terms of distance and speed travelled compared to energy consumed, the bicycle is the most efficient machine yet created.
On an historical note, the development of the modern bicycle had two important implications. First, manufacture of the double-diamond-frame safety bicycle required the development of advanced metalworking techniques to produce the frames, and components such as ball bearings, washers and sprockets. These techniques later enabled skilled metalworkers and mechanics to develop the components that were used in early automobiles and aircraft. The best examples were the Wright Brothers, who got their start as bicycle mechanics.
The second major implication of the bicycle was the political organization of bicycle riders and enthusiasts in such groups as the League of American Wheelmen, in order to persuade local and state governments to create a system of well-maintained and mapped paved roads. Both the model of political organization and the roads themselves later facilitated the growth in the use of another type of wheeled vehicle, the automobile.
In some Western societies, after World War II the bicycle was largely relegated to a device for children, particularly in the United States. In some western countries, most notably the Netherlands and Germany bicycle use for transportation remained fairly common. However, interest has gradually returned, mostly as a fitness activity, hobby, and competitive sport. However, more and more people are using it as a short-range transportation tool, particularly in large, densely populated cities where slow vehicle traffic, high registration and parking costs, and environmental concerns have made commuting by automobile less attractive. This trend has been accelerated by the process of "gentrification" of the inner suburbs of many cities. Many cities are now providing cyclist-only lanes on roads, as well as cycle trails, for both commuting and hobbyist cyclists.
The bicycle remains a primary means of personal transportation in many developing countries. The image of Asian cities clogged with bicycles is a common stereotype, though as they become wealthier it is becoming less popular. According to the magazine, The Economist, one of the major reasons for the proliferation of Chinese-made bicycles on foreign markets is the increasing preference of its own citizens for cars and motorcycles.
Other transportation methods attempt to accommodate the local use of bicycles by providing attachment points on busses, trains, etc. To cope with frequent theft, many destinations provide bike racks or lockable bike mini-garages.
Technical aspect
All modern bicycles are largely similar, consisting of a number of easily identified parts. The frame is the major part of the bicycle, typically consisting of a large triangle on which the rider's weight is distributed fore and aft, and a smaller triangle at the rear onto which the rear wheel is mounted. The front wheel is attached to the bike with a fork, the top of which runs through a bearing system known as the head set on the front of the frame. There is attached to the stem, an adaptor that is in turn attached to the handle bars. Many modern mountain bikes no longer have a rear triangle, but use a fork-like system on the rear as well, with both forks on suspension systems for a smooth ride over rough ground.
Power is taken from the feet on the pedals, through the cranks which are attached to the bike on a bearing system known as the bottom braket. A gear (typically more than one) attached to the crank known as the chainring drives the chain, which runs to the rear of the bike. There a second set of gears, known collectively as the cassette, drives the rear wheel. Depending on the type of cycling the bike is designed for, the cassette may be "flat" as on a road bike, meaning that the differences from one gear to the next are 1 tooth apart, or much more varied as on a mountain bike. The entire system from pedal to rear wheel is known as the drive train, and the gear sets have far too many alternative names; front and rear, driving vs. driven, etc.
Allowing for changing gears is one of the major advances in cycling. The legs work best at particular rotational speeds, known as cadence, and having a wider selection of gear ratios allows you to keep the pedaling speed closer to that chosen value. This is why road bikes use gearing that is close-set, in order to allow the rider to keep the cadence well controlled on the smaller set of terrain a road cycle will typically see. The derailleur is a simple devices that puts strain on the chain by pushing it to the side. The sides of the gears themselves are patterned with chain-like indentations that "catch" the chain when it is pushed against them, pulling it up onto its teeth. The system is considerably simpler than earlier gear-chaning systems like the three-speed bicycle, but took longer to come to market because it is considerably different than any common gearing system in prior use.
The last major component of a bicycle is the brakes. Since the 1950s almost all brake systems were patterned off of the Campagnolo side-pull system, in which two calipers are squeezed together by a cable running from the brake handles. The brake places even pressure on either side of the wheel by way of a spring in the middle that centers them. The increasing use of larger tires on mountain bikes presented a problem however, as the wheels were too large to fit inside calipers of moderate size and weight. This was first solved by the introduction of cantilever systems, in which two "half calipers" are attached to each other with a cable, which is in turn attached to the break cable the user pulls. This design had several disadvantages however; without careful placement of the connector from the break cable to the connecting cable, the breaks would put uneven pressure on either side of the wheel, and if the connector losened completely the cable can drop into the patterning on the tire, thereby causing a quick trip to the hospital when the front wheel instantly stopped turning. A more suitable solution is the v-brake, where the brake cable runs across the top in a way that cannot drop onto the tire, as well as providing considerably more power and being somewhat easier to center.
Materials used in the construction of bicycles are similar to those in aircraft, the goal in both cases to make a strong and light weight structure. Almost all bicycles before the 1970s used chromaloy (or chromoloy), a fairly typical chrome-steel. Starting in the 1980s aluminum started to become popular, largely as a side-effect of its decline in price, and today it is perhaps the most common material used in mid-range bikes. At the high end carbon fibre and titanium are available, although very expensive. Each frame material has certain advantages and disadvantages, although for a given frame geometry all bicycles will have nearly identical ride qualities. The primary differences among frame materials are in the areas of durability, aesthetics, reparability, and weight. Because the vertical stiffness of even a very flexible frame is an order of magnitude higher than the stiffness of the tires and saddle, ride comfort is more a factor of saddle choice, frame geometry, tire choice, and bike fit.
Although the operation of a bicycle is simple in principle, many of the parts are complex and some people prefer to leave repair and maintenance to professionals. However, many prefer to maintain their own bicycles as much as they can, whether to save money or because they enjoy repairs as part of the hobby of cycling.
For more information on the technical aspects of bicycles, see the following:
- list of bicycle parts
- bicycle brake systems
- bicycle repair.
Variations
Variations on the bicycle include:
And maybe at least one reference to a sports science article that explains how cycling is the most efficient form of human powered transport.
- Penny-farthing
- more wheels: tricycles and so on
- one wheel: unicycle
- powered by more than one riders: tandem bicycle
- pedal & seating location: recumbent bicycle
- seatless: scooter
- used to transport taxi passengers: velotaxi or pedicab; trishaw
- push cycle
- equipped for travel on rough terrain Mountain bike or Cyclocross
- equipped to carry cargo long distance Touring bike
- Freight bicycles are designed specifically for transporting large loads
- velomobile for all-weather pedal-powered transportation
- two wings: Gossamer Albatross
Powered bicycles are also known as motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters.
Cycle trivia
A bike can be an insulting term for a locally-promiscuous woman as in the phrase "she's the town bike" (ie, "Everybody's had a ride on her").
See also
- Bike messenger
- Cycling
- List of bicycle manufacturers
External links
- "Kirkpatrick McMillan and the Bicycle" - an opinion article from the Plainview Herald, by Robert R. McMillan, dated Friday, June 18, 1999
- http://www.battewell.freeserve.co.uk/bike.html General useful information
- Freight Bicycles
- :: Lance Armstrong's Official Web Site ::
- AskMen.com - Lance Armstrong
- Bicycle Touring Resources Tips, packing lists, bibliography, travelogues, photographs and more.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Bicycle."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Cycling is a recreation, a sport, and a means of transport across land. As a sport it is governed internationally by the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) in Switzerland. It involves riding bicycles, unicycles, tricycles, and possibly other things; see also human powered vehicles (HPVs).
- Indoor cycling
- List of cycleways
- Mountain biking
- Bike trials riding
- Offroad cycling
- Road cycling
- Track cycling
- Bicycle touring
- Bicycle commuting & transport
- Mountainbike-Orienteering
- Tour de France
- Giro d'Italia
- Vuelta a Espana
- World Cycling Championship
- Triple Crown of Cycling
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Cycling."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
At the 1896 Summer Olympics, six cycling events were contested.
One lap individual time trial (333 1/3 m), Men
Pos Athlete 1 Paul Masson (FRA) 2 Stamatios Nikolopoulos (GRE) 3 Adolf Schmal (AUT)
Pos Athlete 1 Paul Masson (FRA) 2 Stamatios Nikolopoulos (GRE) 3 Léon Flameng (FRA)
Pos Athlete 1 Paul Masson (FRA) 2 Léon Flameng (FRA) 3 Adolf Schmal (AUT)
Pos Athlete 1 Léon Flameng (FRA) 2 Georgios Kolettis (GRE) No other competitors finished the race.
Pos Athlete 1 Adolf Schmal (AUT) 2 F. Keeping (GBR) No other competitors finished the race.
Pos Athlete 1 Aristidis Konstantinidis (GRE) 2 August Goedrich (GER) 3 E. Battel (GBR) Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Cycling at the 1896 Summer Olympics."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
At the 1900 Summer Olympics, three cycling events were contested.
Pos Athlete 1 Georges Taillandier (FRA) 2 Fernand Sanz (FRA) 3 John Henry Lake (FRA)
Pos Athlete 1 Louis Bastien (FRA) 2 Louis Hildebrand (FRA) 3 Daumain (FRA)
Pos Athlete 1 Ernesto Mario Brusoni (ITA) 2 Karl Duill (GER) 3 Louis Trousselier (FRA) Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Cycling at the 1900 Summer Olympics."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
At the 1904 Summer Olympics, seven cycling events were contested. They all were track events. Only USA cyclists competed.
Pos Athlete 1 Marcus Hurley (USA) 2 Burton Downing (USA) 3 Teddy Billington (USA)
Pos Athlete 1 Marcus Hurley (USA) 2 Burton Downing (USA) 3 Teddy Billington (USA)
Pos Athlete 1 Marcus Hurley (USA) 2 Teddy Billington (USA) 3 Burton Downing (USA)
Pos Athlete 1 Marcus Hurley (USA) 2 Burton Downing (USA) 3 Teddy Billington (USA)
Pos Athlete 1 Burton Downing (USA) 2 Oscar Goerke (USA) 3 Marcus Hurley (USA)
Pos Athlete 1 Charles Schlee (USA) 2 George Wiley (USA) 3 A.F. Andrews (USA)
Pos Athlete 1 Burton Downing (USA) 2 A.F. Andrews (USA) 3 George Wiley (USA) Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Cycling at the 1904 Summer Olympics."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Road cycling is cycling on roads, as opposed to rough terrain. Road cycling actually encompasses a variety of different activities, each engaged in for a different purpose and using different equipment.
Road bikes are larger, longer, and lighter than mountain or BMX bikes. They are not expected to take the heavy beating a mountain bike would, and thus are not constructed to handle extreme "off-road" conditions.
Types of Road Bikes
...
Typical Road Bicycle
Road bikes today are constructed from a variety of materials, ranging from the traditional steel alloy to aluminum, titanium, magnesium and carbon fiber composites, to combinations of the materials. Each of these materials has its own favorable aspect. Steel alloys are known to produce pliable frames that can be "tuned" for a particular type of riding. Aluminum frames are among the stiffer frames and are thus suitable for heavier riders or those that engage in high-energy pedaling. Titanium and carbon-fiber frames are more exotic, with better strength-to-weight ratios than steel or aluminum, but are higher in cost. The current trend among high-end frames is to use a combination of materials, such as aluminum or titanium for the main part of the frame and using carbon-fiber for the front and rear portions of the frame. In the hands of a skilled framebuilder, lightweight frames can be made out of any of these materials.
Road bikes can be divided into several categories, each category of bike designed for a specific type of activity. In reality, bikes come in a spectrum of designs, ranging from racing bikes on one end to mountain bikes on the other. At the racing end, bikes are lightweight and have higher gearing. At the opposite end, bikes are small and sturdy, with low gearing appropriate for hills and off-road riding.
Racing Bicycle
The two most important things about a racing bike are its weight and low aerodynamic drag. Everything else in the design is sacrificed for these properties. In order to reduce wheel weight and improve aerodynamic efficiency, racing bikes have fewer spokes; a typical number is 24. The resulting weaker wheel is not suitable for carrying heavy loads, landing jumps, etc., since this could cause spokes to break. To reduce both air resistance and friction on the road, tires are thin and smooth. Drop handlebars and optional handlebar extensions are combined with a raised seat stem in order to put the rider in a more aerodynamic posture. Even more extreme in the search for speed, however, is the track bike. These bikes, designed specifically for racing on a circular track, are not considered appropriate for use on the road. As such, they will not be covered any further here.
Road Bicycling is one of the most popular sports in a number of European countries. The top countries in this sport are Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United States and Switzerland (not necessarily in the order of interest).
Races can be categorized by length and types:
Length
- Single-day races: The competitor to cross the finish line first is declared the winner.
- Multi-stage races: Consists of several one-day races, often consecutively.
The competitor with the lowest cumulative time to complete all the stages is declared the winner.
Type
The most famous cycling race is the Tour de France, a multi-stage tour over three weeks through France, traditionally ending in Paris. Similar long multi-stage tours are held in Italy (the Giro d'Italia) and Spain (the Vuelta a España). The most important one-day races form the World Cup: Milan-Sanremo (Italy), Tour of Flanders (Belgium), Paris-Roubaix (France), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Belgium) and Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands) in spring, Clasica San Sebastian (Spain), HEW-Cyclassics Cup (Germany), Championship of Zürich (Switzerland), Paris-Tours (France) and Giro di Lombardia (Italy) in autumn.
- Open road race: Generally going from point A to point B; can include multi-laps.
- Criterium: Generally a circuit race with multiple laps and some sort of elimination scheme (for example, last 5 competitors of each lap are eliminated).
- Individual time trial: Every rider starts apart, and the rider with the fastest time wins.
- Team time trials: Riders start in groups or teams, usually of a fixed size. The time of the nth rider of a team counts for the classification.
Touring Bicycle
This form of road cycling can be thought of as backpacking on a bicycle. Bicycle touring is popular with a certain core set of riders, who think it's the best thing in the world. Touring clubs are fairly rare, due to lack of popular interest, but local cycling clubs will often sponsor at least one short touring event annually. For those interested in longer touring trips, a number of private companies organize tours around the world, ranging from a week in length up to several months.
In touring, speed is no longer critical as it is in racing. Instead, the ability to haul cargo is key. Touring bikes are thus designed to have stronger frames and wheels, lower gearing (useful for taking all that weight up a big hill), and better brakes (useful for taking all that weight down a big hill). In addition, the frame is designed to allow for easy mounting of panniers and fenders. Steel and aluminum are the metals of choice for the frame. Wheels have more spokes: 36 is a typical number. Racing tires are sometimes used, but often the tire is slightly thicker with more tread for improved traction on wet or poor roads.
Thus, touring bikes trade off some speed for extra utility and ruggedness. This combination of features turns out to be very popular with commuters and couriers as well.
Hybrid Bicycle
A bicycle consisting of a road or touring type of frame and wheels but is usually geared low and has a straight handle bar for a more upright riding position. Tires tend to be wider to handle light off-road duty. This bicycle is a favorite of the day cyclist and some commuters.
Cyclo-Cross Bicycle
Cyclo-Cross refers to a particular type of on and off-road racing and the bikes can sometimes be confused with a Hybrid bicycle. Cyclo-cross bikes traditionally are modified touring bikes with wider drop outs for even wider tires and even more sturdy frames so they can handle terrain like that a mountain bike would deal with. Tires are usually cross specific as they must deal with mud well, but still have low drag for paved sections of the race. Racers also must dismount and carry their bicycles over barriers or up hills for part of the race.
Mountain Bicycle
While Mountain bicycling is an off-road event, the popularity and low cost of the Mountain Bicycle has found them a niche with the general biking public. Mountain bikes varieties are broad with various shocks ahd gearing but for the most part they are very rigid bikes that can take a lot of abuse.
Cruisers
Think 1950s Schwinn and you've got a cruiser. Typical examples include the Stingray, the Orange Krate, and the Apple Krate These bikes are becoming increasingly popular today as a faster-than-walking way to get around town. Unlike the other categories of road bike, these aren't designed for performance at all. They are designed for comfort. Handlebars are straight (or slightly curved back, rather than down) facilitating an upright riding position. Large, padded seats are the norm. Shocks are common, both on the wheels and on the seat post. Cruisers typically have simple and minimal gearing, at least compared to the 27 speeds found on many other types of road bike today.
A couple of interesting variations on cruisers popular right now (at least on the San Francisco Peninsula) are the retro Schwinns, which are designed to look like they came straight out of the 1950s, and weird little fixed-gear bikes with tiny wheels and very long posts.
Utility Bicycle
A utility bicycle is a bicycle designed for practical purposes such as shopping, commuting and short trips around town. Utility bicycles are the most common type of bicycle in countries such as the Netherlands where utility cycling is common.
Typically a utility bicycle is designed for comfort, practicality and minimal maintenance rather than speed, for instance utility bicycles usually use low maintenance Hub gears rather than Derailleur gears, and often use Hub brakes rather than rim brakes.
Utility bicycles often come ready equipped with features such as a lugguage rack or basket, and Dynamo (generator) lighting systems. Utility bikes often have frames with a low crossbar, or no crossbar at all, to allow women wearing skirts to use them freely.
Fixed Gear
Fixed Gear bicycles are built without derailleurs, freewheels or freehubs. They do not coast. As long as the rear wheel is turning, the pedals are turning. Braking can be done with the legs by resisting the forward motion of the pedals. This type of bicycle is valued for it's simplicity, durrability and efficiency. They also pack for travel well because there is no fragile derailleur. Racers frequently use them for "winter training". They are also popular with bicycle messengers. They are similar to Track Bikes, but differ in that they utilize a Road, Touring or even Mountain bike frame whereas Track Bikes have a tighter, racier geometry. The more relaxed frame geometry makes these bikes more comfortable on long rides and allows the mounting of fenders (mud guards). Fixed Gears are commonly built with a front hand brake or brakeless. Road bikes are frequently converted to fixed gear by either replacing the cassette with a single gear or replacing the rear hub with a track hub.
Track Bicycles
Track Bicycles, designed and built for Track cycling events, are similar to fixed gear bicycles but generally have tighter frame geometry and no brakes. Brakes are not allowed in Velodrome competitions. An extreme version of the track bike, called the Stayer is utililized in high-speed motor-paced events. Stayers have enormous chainrings and forks that curve backward making the bike more stable and better able to draft motorcycles or dernys at very close distances.
Other Bicycles
There are may other types of bicycles including the tandem bicycle and the recumbent bicycle.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Road cycling."
Synonym: CyclingSynonym: Bicycling. (additional references) |
Crosswords: Cycling |
| Specialty definitions using "cycling": bacterial leaching, boron charge ♦ CENTRIFUGAL-STATION OPERATOR, AUTOMATIC ♦ Ki-67 Antigen ♦ microbial leaching ♦ Substrate Cycling ♦ vitrifying tendency. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Movie/TV Titles | The Tramp's Cycling Mania (1908) Bi Cycling (1989) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
References | |
Books | |
Periodicals | |
Theater & Movies | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Deer pea is a common marsh plant that plays an important role in nitrogen cycling. Credit: America's Coastlines. |  | Boy learning to cycle, injured and disabled men, men cycling. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | Composite photograph of two images, (left) woman wearing a bikini bathing suit and straw sun hat posed next to a bicycle on a beach; (right) an 1890s(?) studio portrait of a woman wearing cycling outfit posed on a high wheeler bicycle. Credit: Library of Congress. | ||
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
 |
| "Tour down under" by Oliver Ransom Commentary: "Tour down under cycling race lap through the city of adelaide, south australia." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | As with stacking, the perceived benefits of pyramiding and cycling have not been substantiated scientifically. (references) | |
However, rapidly cycling bipolar patients, i.e., those who have three or more episodes a year, often respond poorly. (references) | ||
Physical activities like brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and yard work lower the risk of both stroke and heart disease. (references) | ||
Business | Cycling is also gaining popular ground, but the market is relatively small. (references) | |
Other highlights at Bluewater include a 12-screen Hoyts cinema multiplex with stadium style seating, an evening lounge and numerous bars, outdoor boating and ice skating, cycling, indoor rock climbing and late night entertainment. (references) | ||
Economic History | Ireland | Opportunities exist in a combination of outdoor pursuits including cycling, walking, angling and marine and water sports. (references) |
Ireland | Continuing growth of special-interest tourism includes activities such as cycling, trekking and water-based leisure pursuits. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Cycling" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 38.86% of the time. "Cycling" is used about 368 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 38.86% | 143 | 26,451 |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 37.77% | 139 | 26,913 |
| Lexical Verb (-ing form) | 20.65% | 76 | 38,217 |
| Noun (proper) | 2.72% | 10 | 111,207 |
| Total | 100.00% | 368 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "cycling": camera cycling rate ♦ cycling costume ♦ dune cycling ♦ Substrate Cycling. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "cycling": cycling-groups. | |
Ending with "cycling": re-cycling. | |
Containing "cycling": walking-cycling-bus-using. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
cycling clothing | 3,388 | world cycling production | 45 |
cycling | 2,356 | nike cycling shoes | 44 |
fitness cycling | 880 | performance cycling | 42 |
cycling vacation | 686 | usps cycling | 38 |
cycling jersey | 347 | florida cycling | 36 |
cycling shoes | 281 | 2 cycling manager | 34 |
cycling tour | 223 | ontario cycling association | 32 |
adventure cycling | 164 | cycling nike | 32 |
cycling shorts | 134 | sidi cycling shoes | 31 |
cycling apparel | 133 | cycling postal us | 31 |
cycling news | 128 | cycling bc | 30 |
cycling gear | 116 | cycling club | 29 |
3 cycling manager | 98 | indoor cycling | 29 |
usa cycling | 95 | road cycling | 27 |
cycling manager | 92 | cycling equipment | 27 |
cycling accessory | 92 | cycling wachovia | 26 |
cycling holiday | 69 | united state cycling federation | 25 |
cycling training | 52 | usps cycling team | 25 |
cycling magazine | 50 | cycling world championship | 24 |
cycling clothes | 47 | cycling photo | 23 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "cycling"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Arabic | الحلق (fauces). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | колоездене (bicycling). (various references) | |
Chinese | 循环 (Circulation, Circulatory, Cycled, Cyclic). (various references) | |
Czech | cyklistika, jízda na kole (bicycling). (various references) | |
Danish | cyklisk tilstand. (various references) | |
Dutch | cyclische toestand, uitschakelperiode van de regelaar (regulator cut-out period). (various references) | |
Farsi | دوچرخه سواری . (various references) | |
Finnish | pyöräily, polkupyöräily, jaksottaisuus, jaksottain vaihtuva toiminta. (various references) | |
French | cyclisme, cyclage, période de régulation, état de répétition. (various references) | |
German | periodisches Durchlaufen. (various references) | |
Greek | ρυθμιστικός κύκλος (regulator cut-out period), περιοδική επανάληψη, ποδηλασία, ταλάντωση (oscillation, pendulousness). (various references) | |
Hungarian | kerékpározás (ride), biciklizés (bicycling). (various references) | |
Indonesian | bersepeda (bicycle), berputar (gyrate, pivot, rotary, twirl). (various references) | |
Italian | ciclo ripetitivo, ciclismo, periodo di regolazione (regulator cut-out period). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | サーボ機構 (cermet, cum, cycasin, cycle, cyclic, cycling course, cyclist, psi, psychics, salmon, salmon pink, science, science fiction, scientific, scientist, scientology, Searle, semen, servomechanism, sialon, sirloin, sirloin steak, sperm, thermal printer, thermistor, thermoconcrete, thermoelement, thermometer, thermostat, thiabendazole). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | サイクリング . (various references) | |
Korean | 순환 (Circulation, Cyclical). (various references) | |
Manx | daawheeylaght. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | yclingcay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | ciclismo (bicycling, wheeling), período de regulação (regulator cut-out period), estado de repetição. (various references) | |
Romanian | ciclism, de ciclism, de bicicletã. (various references) | |
Russian | езда на велосипеде (bicycling, wheeling). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | vožnja biciklom, motorom. (various references) | |
Spanish | ciclismo. (various references) | |
Swedish | cykling (bicycling). (various references) | |
Turkish | bisiklete binme, bisikletçilik. (various references) | |
Ukrainian | велоспорт. (various references) | |
Vietnamese | sự đi xe đạp. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "cycling": cyclings. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "cycling": bicycling, motorcycling, recycling. (additional references) | |
| |
"Cycling" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: cybling, cycil, cyclin, cyclins, cyclng, cyling. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "cycling" (pronounced sī"kuling or sī"kling) |
| 7 | s ī" k u l i ng | recycling. |
| 5 | -k u l i ng | bicycling, cackling, circling, encircling, tinkling, twinkling, wrinkling. |
| 4 | -u l i ng | ambling, assembling, babbling, backpedaling, baffling, barreling, battling, belittling, boggling, bottling, bristling, bubbling, bugling, bumbling, bundling, bungling, bustling, canceling, cancelling, channeling, chortling, coddling, commingling, counseling, cradling, crippling, crumbling, dabbling, dangling, dazzling, Dialing, disabling, disgruntling, dismantling, doubling, dribbling, drizzling, dwindling, embezzling, empaneling, enabling, entitling, equaling, fizzling, fondling, fumbling, funneling, gambling, giggling, gobbling, groveling, grueling, grumbling, gurgling, guzzling, haggling, hassling, hobbling, huddling, humbling, hurdling, hustling, idling, imperiling, initialing, intermingling, jiggling, jostling, juggling, labeling, leveling, mangling, marshaling, meddling, middling, mingling, mislabeling, modeling, mottling, muddling, mumbling, muscling, nibbling, paddling, paneling, parceling, pedaling, peddling, piddling, pummeling, puzzling, quadrupling, quarreling, quibbling, raveling, redoubling, refueling, remodeling, resembling, reshuffling, reveling, rippling, rivaling, ruffling, rumbling, saddling, scrambling, scribbling, scuttling, settling, shriveling, shuttling, signaling, signalling, singling, sizzling, spiraling, spiralling, squabbling, stapling, stenciling, strangling, struggling, stumbling, swiveling, tabling, throttling, tingling, toppling, totaling, totalling, toweling, traveling, travelling, trembling, tripling, troubling, tumbling, tunneling, unraveling, unsettling, waggling, warbling, wiggling, wobbling, wrangling, yodeling. |
| 3 | -l i ng | annealing, appalling, appealing, ailing, angling, assailing, bailing, baling, balling, bankrolling, beguiling, Belling, billing, blackmailing, boiling, Bolling, bowling, brawling, broiling, buckling, burgling, burling, cajoling, calling, Carling, ceiling, chilling, chronicling, chuckling, compelling, compiling, concealing, consoling, controlling, cooling, corralling, countervailing, coupling, cowling, crackling, crawling, cuddling, culling, curling, curtailing, darling, dawdling, dealing, decoupling, derailing, detailing, dispelling, dissembling, distilling, doling, drilling, drooling, duckling, dueling, dulling, dumpling, dwelling, earthling, emailing, enrolling, entailing, entangling, excelling, expelling, extolling, failing, falling, feeling, felling, fiddling, filing, filling, flailing, fledgling, foaling, foiling, fooling, forestalling, foretelling, fouling, foundling, freewheeling, fueling, fuelling, fulfilling, galling, grappling, Grayling, grilling, groundling, growling, hailing, handling, hauling, healing, heckling, helling, hilling, holing, howling, hurling, hurtling, inhaling, inkling, installing, instilling, jailing, Keeling, killing, kindling, kneeling, lolling, Lulling, mailing, Marling, Melling, milling, mishandling, misspelling, mothballing, mulling, nailing, needling, nestling, nonruling, oiling, outselling, overbilling, overhauling, overkilling, overruling, overselling, panhandling, paralleling, parboiling, paroling, patrolling, pearling, peeling, pickling, piling, Pilling, Pindling, poling, polling, pooling, prevailing, profiling, propelling, prowling, pulling, quelling, quilling, Quisling, railing, rambling, rankling, rappelling, rattling, rebelling, recalling, reconciling, reeling, regaling, rekindling, repealing, repelling, rescheduling, reselling, retailing, retelling, retooling, revealing, ridiculing, Riesling, rifling, rilling, roiling, rolling, rototilling, ruling, rustling, sailing, sampling, Sandling, sapling, scaling, scheduling, Schilling, schooling, scowling, sealing, seedling, Seeling, selling, shelling, shilling, shoveling, shuffling, sibling, skilling, smelling, smiling, smuggling, snarling, Snelling, snowballing, sparkling, Sparling, spelling, spilling, spoiling, sprawling, sprinkling, squealing, stalling, starling, startling, stealing, sterling, stifling, stockpiling, stonewalling, storytelling, straddling, strickling, stripling, strolling, styling, suckling, surveilling, swashbuckling, swelling, swilling, swindling, swirling, tackling, tailing, tangling, telling, thrilling, Tilling, toddling, toggling, toiling, tolling, tooling, trailing, trampling, trickling, trifling, trilling, trolling, twiddling, twirling, unappealing, unavailing, unbundling, underling, underselling, unfailing, unfeeling, unfurling, unsmiling, untangling, unveiling, unwilling, veiling, waffling, wailing, walling, weakling, welling, whaling, wheeling, whirling, whistling, whittling, wholesaling, wiling, willing, wrestling, yearling, yelling. |
| 4 | -k l i ng | buckling, chronicling, chuckling, crackling, duckling, heckling, inkling, pickling, rankling, sparkling, sprinkling, strickling, suckling, swashbuckling, tackling, trickling, weakling. |
| 3 | -l i ng | annealing, appalling, appealing, ailing, ambling, angling, assailing, assembling, babbling, backpedaling, baffling, bailing, baling, balling, bankrolling, barreling, battling, beguiling, belittling, Belling, bicycling, billing, blackmailing, boggling, boiling, Bolling, bottling, bowling, brawling, bristling, broiling, bubbling, bugling, bumbling, bundling, bungling, burgling, burling, bustling, cackling, cajoling, calling, canceling, cancelling, Carling, ceiling, channeling, chilling, chortling, circling, coddling, commingling, compelling, compiling, concealing, consoling, controlling, cooling, corralling, counseling, countervailing, coupling, cowling, cradling, crawling, crippling, crumbling, cuddling, culling, curling, curtailing, dabbling, dangling, darling, dawdling, dazzling, dealing, decoupling, derailing, detailing, Dialing, disabling, disgruntling, dismantling, dispelling, dissembling, distilling, doling, doubling, dribbling, drilling, drizzling, drooling, dueling, dulling, dumpling, dwelling, dwindling, earthling, emailing, embezzling, empaneling, enabling, encircling, enrolling, entailing, entangling, entitling, equaling, excelling, expelling, extolling, failing, falling, feeling, felling, fiddling, filing, filling, fizzling, flailing, fledgling, foaling, foiling, fondling, fooling, forestalling, foretelling, fouling, foundling, freewheeling, fueling, fuelling, fulfilling, fumbling, funneling, galling, gambling, giggling, gobbling, grappling, Grayling, grilling, groundling, groveling, growling, grueling, grumbling, gurgling, guzzling, haggling, hailing, handling, hassling, hauling, healing, helling, hilling, hobbling, holing, howling, huddling, humbling, hurdling, hurling, hurtling, hustling, idling, imperiling, inhaling, initialing, installing, instilling, intermingling, jailing, jiggling, jostling, juggling, Keeling, killing, kindling, kneeling, labeling, leveling, lolling, Lulling, mailing, mangling, Marling, marshaling, meddling, Melling, middling, milling, mingling, mishandling, mislabeling, misspelling, modeling, mothballing, mottling, muddling, mulling, mumbling, muscling, nailing, needling, nestling, nibbling, nonruling, oiling, outselling, overbilling, overhauling, overkilling, overruling, overselling, paddling, paneling, panhandling, paralleling, parboiling, parceling, paroling, patrolling, pearling, pedaling, peddling, peeling, piddling, piling, Pilling, Pindling, poling, polling, pooling, prevailing, profiling, propelling, prowling, pulling, pummeling, puzzling, quadrupling, quarreling, quelling, quibbling, quilling, Quisling, railing, rambling, rappelling, rattling, raveling, rebelling, recalling, reconciling, recycling, redoubling, reeling, refueling, regaling, rekindling, remodeling, repealing, repelling, rescheduling, reselling, resembling, reshuffling, retailing, retelling, retooling, revealing, reveling, ridiculing, Riesling, rifling, rilling, rippling, rivaling, roiling, rolling, rototilling, ruffling, ruling, rumbling, rustling, saddling, sailing, sampling, Sandling, sapling, scaling, scheduling, Schilling, schooling, scowling, scrambling, scribbling, scuttling, sealing, seedling, Seeling, selling, settling, shelling, shilling, shoveling, shriveling, shuffling, shuttling, sibling, signaling, signalling, singling, sizzling, skilling, smelling, smiling, smuggling, snarling, Snelling, snowballing, Sparling, spelling, spilling, spiraling, spiralling, spoiling, sprawling, squabbling, squealing, stalling, stapling, starling, startling, stealing, stenciling, sterling, stifling, stockpiling, stonewalling, storytelling, straddling, strangling, stripling, strolling, struggling, stumbling, styling, surveilling, swelling, swilling, swindling, swirling, swiveling, tabling, tailing, tangling, telling, thrilling, throttling, Tilling, tingling, tinkling, toddling, toggling, toiling, tolling, tooling, toppling, totaling, totalling, toweling, trailing, trampling, traveling, travelling, trembling, trifling, trilling, tripling, trolling, troubling, tumbling, tunneling, twiddling, twinkling, twirling, unappealing, unavailing, unbundling, underling, underselling, unfailing, unfeeling, unfurling, unraveling, unsettling, unsmiling, untangling, unveiling, unwilling, veiling, waffling, waggling, wailing, walling, warbling, welling, whaling, wheeling, whirling, whistling, whittling, wholesaling, wiggling, wiling, willing, wobbling, wrangling, wrestling, wrinkling, yearling, yelling, yodeling. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "c-c-g-i-l-n-y" | |
-1 letter: clingy, glycin. | |
-2 letters: cling, cynic, lingy, lying. | |
-3 letters: inly, ling, liny. | |
-4 letters: cig, gin, icy, lin, nil, yin. | |
-5 letters: in, li. | |
| Words containing the letters "c-c-g-i-l-n-y" | |
+1 letter: cyclings, glyconic. | |
+2 letters: bicycling, cyclizing, glyconics, recycling. | |
+3 letters: accusingly, calcifying. | |
+4 letters: acceptingly, accordingly, chucklingly, clinchingly, gynecologic, scorchingly. | |
+5 letters: concealingly, convincingly, cyclogenesis, cyclostyling, decalcifying, granulocytic, motorcycling. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Images: Digital Art | 9. Quotations: Non-fiction 10. Usage Frequency 11. Expressions 12. Expressions: Internet | 13. Translations: Modern 14. Derivations 15. Rhymes 16. Anagrams | 17. Bibliography |
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