Netlujkovucycling every day: a guide for adults and children

An independent guide to everyday cycling. Not connected with politics, politicians, parties or the authorities, not a shop or a repair workshop, and not connected with the former website on this domain.

Reference

Reference

This glossary collects words you come across in the Russian traffic rules, in bike manuals and in conversations at the workshop. Rules differ by country, so check your local traffic rules too. The definitions are short and written in plain language, so you can read them quickly before a ride or before a visit to the mechanic.

Once you know what a part is called and what it does, it is easier both to look after it yourself and to explain to a mechanic exactly what is bothering you.

— Editors' view

Rules

Cycle path
A separate path or part of a road intended for cyclists and marked with a sign. For a cyclist over 14, this is the main place to ride.
Shared cycle-pedestrian path
A path that both cyclists and pedestrians may use. It may be divided into a side for each; the rules allow young children to ride only on the pedestrian side.
Cycle lane
A lane of the roadway set aside for bikes and marked with signs and road markings. Cyclists over 14 may ride in it.
Pedestrian zone
An area intended for pedestrians. The rules allow children to ride within it, while an adult cyclist there needs to be especially careful around people.
Hand signals
Gestures a cyclist uses to show a turn or a stop in advance. The signal is given before the manoeuvre starts, so others have time to notice it.

Bike

Frame
The core of the bike, to which all other parts are attached. The frame usually carries a stamped serial number that is worth writing down.
Drivetrain
The parts that transfer effort from the pedals to the rear wheel: cranks, chainrings and sprockets, chain, derailleurs. A clean, lubricated drivetrain runs more quietly and lasts longer.
Brakes
The parts that stop the wheels. They may be rim brakes or disc brakes; either way, the brake lever should not sink all the way to the handlebar.
Tyre
The outer part of the wheel with the tread. Its sidewall shows the size and the permitted pressure.
Reflector
A device that sends headlight beams back towards their source and makes the bike visible in the dark. It does not replace a light, but it complements one well.

Care

Chain lube
A special product for bike chains. Apply it sparingly to a clean chain and wipe off the excess with a rag.
Inflating tyres
Restoring tyre pressure with a pump to a value within the range printed on the tyre sidewall. It is worth checking the pressure regularly, especially after the bike has stood for a long time.
Brake adjustment
Setting the position of the pads and the cable tension so that the brake works firmly. If you have not done this before, it is better to leave it to a mechanic.
Seasonal service
Servicing of the bike at a workshop before or after the season: checking the bearings, brakes, gears and spoke tension.

Where these words appear

  • Guides

    How to get your bike ready for the season: what to prepare, steps with sample cases, mistakes and a checklist. Plus the article catalogue.

  • Questions

    Short answers on where you may ride, how to cross the road, how to care for the chain and where children can ride.

  • Sections

    The four sections of the guide: rules for cyclists, safety and visibility, bike care, and children on bikes.

  • Collections

    Reading routes: your first season riding in town, cycling with a child, autumn rides at dusk.

  • Questions

    Short answers on where you may ride, how to cross the road, how to care for the chain and where children can ride.

  • Guides

    How to get your bike ready for the season: what to prepare, steps with sample cases, mistakes and a checklist. Plus the article catalogue.

  • Sections

    The four sections of the guide: rules for cyclists, safety and visibility, bike care, and children on bikes.

  • Collections

    Reading routes: your first season riding in town, cycling with a child, autumn rides at dusk.

Sources

  • Road Traffic Regulations of the Russian Federation, sections 19 and 24

Information on the rules follows the text of the Russian traffic rules as of the date the material was prepared; it is worth checking the current version before you ride, and riders elsewhere should check their local traffic rules. Care tips are general: if your bike's manual says otherwise, follow the manual, and leave complex repairs, especially brakes, to a mechanic.