seg-muhnts
Noun, plural
A portion of a route or ride that can be tracked and compared with other riders
Example usage: 'I just set a new personal best on my last segment!'
Most used in: Cycling apps and websites that track and compare riders.
Most used by: Competitive cyclists, recreational cyclists, and commuters.
Popularity: 8/10
Comedy Value: 4/10
Also see: Climbs, Time Trials, Sprint Sections, Intervals,
What Are Cycling Segments?
Cycling segments are sections of a ride that are tracked separately from the ride. This can be anything from a small hill, a long flat stretch, or a descent. Segments are usually tracked using GPS devices, and they allow cyclists to compare their performance against other cyclists.
Segments are a great way to measure performance and to identify areas for improvement. For example, a cyclist may be able to record their average speed over a segment, or the amount of time spent climbing a hill. They can compare their performance against other cyclists, or even against their own past performance over the same segment.
The popularity of cycling segments is increasing, with many cyclists using services such as Strava to track and compare their performance. According to Strava, there are over 5 million segment efforts uploaded every day, with over 15 million segments available worldwide.
Cycling segments are a great way to measure progress and to identify areas for improvement. They also provide a great way to challenge yourself and to stay motivated to keep improving.
The Origin of the Word 'Segments' in Cycling
The term 'segments' in the context of cycling has been used since the 1990s. It was first used to describe the timed sections of a mountain bike race. It was then adopted by road cyclists as a way to measure their performance against each other on a particular section of a course, such as a hill or stretch of road.
The term 'segment' was popularised in the early 2000s by the website Strava, which allows cyclists to track their performance on different segments. The idea of segment-based performance tracking has since been adopted by other websites and apps, such as Garmin Connect and MapMyRide, and is now a common feature of the cycling world.
The term 'segments' has become so widely used that it is now synonymous with the idea of performance tracking in cycling. It is a useful tool for cyclists to measure their progress and compare their performance against their peers.
