View Full Version : What's the definition of a "peloton?"
Sure, I understand the concept of a peloton -- all the riders in a pack get the same time, to discourage everyone from trying to wade through hundreds of other riders and cause a bunch of accidents.
However, what is the technical definition of a peloton? If there are just two riders, one behind the other, the two riders are timed independently, right? So two riders does not constitute a peloton.
What about five or ten or twenty riders in a paceline? Do they constitute a peloton? Do they all receive the same time, or different times? Any of them is capable of passing the others, because there is certainly room to do so.
What about small breakaway groups that are only a bike-length or two ahead or behind the bulk of the peloton? Are they given the peloton time, or different times?
How close does a rider need to be to other riders to be considered part of the peloton?
I know, I know, it hardly matters, but I'm curious.
- Warren
a big buncha riders. the biggest pack.
Okay, so there is, by definition, only one peloton in any race, defined as the biggest pack? Everyone not obviously in this pack gets an individual time?
- Warren
Keith99
07-14-05, 02:21 PM
Okay, so there is, by definition, only one peloton in any race, defined as the biggest pack? Everyone not obviously in this pack gets an individual time?
- Warren
Yes and NO!
There is only one Peloton, but any group gets the same time. Two or two hundred it makes no difference. For time differences there has to be a real break. About 2 tenths of a second or a couple of bike lenghts.
Oh and it is a judgement call. If the gap opens because of people sitting up at the line it is likely to be ignored, if it remains because a break is almost caught the rider(s) still barely away are more apt to get the minimal time difference.
Oh and which group is the Peloton is also a bit of a judgement. Not just numbers but importance (and likely a bit of nationalism). Often it is the first big group (e.g. 20 or more) that gets called the Peloton even though the group of riders the group far far back worried only about the elimination time may be far larger.
Corsaire
07-14-05, 02:36 PM
Peloton (figure speech) from the spanish/latin word "pelota", or "bola", only Peloton means big ball or "pelota grande", understood as the big bunch, where all the big bunch is together or congregated.
Hope that helps. (hey! my spanish lessons are finally paying off,hehe!)
Corsaire
I'm guessing that DocRay and Corsaire just posted responses without even reading the post. Sheesh.
- Warren
Erick L
07-14-05, 08:44 PM
It's common in French to call any large and tight group "peloton". If there's two groups, the largest one is called peloton principal (main peloton) or is not given any adjective. A smaller group would be called peloton de tête (head peloton) if it's ahead of the other group or peloton de queue (tail peloton) if it behind.
It's common in French to call any large and tight group "peloton". If there's two groups, the largest one is called peloton principal (main peloton) or is not given any adjective. A smaller group would be called peloton de tête (head peloton) if it's ahead of the other group or peloton de queue (tail peloton) if it behind.
Sounds like a winner
Now, what is the plural for peloton?
The origin of the word is from the French military. Peloton = Squad in the French Army.
-Phredd
burtonbiker
07-17-05, 06:00 AM
The origin of the word is from the French military. Peloton = Squad in the French Army.
-Phredd
So losers with guns ?? The meaning is changing now for me. Stop ruining a good word!
Sounds like a winner
Now, what is the plural for peloton?
Pelotons, silly :)
vBulletin® v3.7.3, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.