Active Recovery
Light exercise (50-60% FTP) that promotes recovery by increasing blood flow without adding training stress.Aerobic
Exercise intensity where your body primarily uses oxygen to produce energy. Generally sustainable for long periods.Anaerobic
High-intensity exercise where your body can’t supply enough oxygen, relying on stored energy. Only sustainable for short periods.
Base Phase
Training period focused on building aerobic fitness through longer, easier rides. Typically 8-12 weeks.BPM
Beats Per Minute - measurement of heart rate.Build Phase
Training period where intensity increases to build race-specific fitness. Follows base phase.
Cadence
Pedaling speed measured in RPM (revolutions per minute). Typical range: 80-100 RPM.Chainring
Front gear(s) attached to your cranks. Larger chainring = harder gear.Crank
The arm that connects your pedal to the bike’s bottom bracket.
Domestique
Team rider who works for others. In training: learning to work hard for the team.Drops
Lower part of drop handlebars. Aerodynamic position for descents or headwinds.Duration
Length of a workout or interval, measured in time or distance.
Endurance Zone
Zone 2 training, typically 65-75% of FTP. The foundation of aerobic fitness.ERG Mode
Smart trainer mode that automatically adjusts resistance to maintain target power regardless of speed/gear.
Fatigue
In Stride: your short term fatigue. Indicates readiness to perform.FTP (Functional Threshold Power)
The maximum average power you can sustain for approximately one hour. Key metric for setting training zones.FTP Test
Structured workout to determine your FTP. Common protocols: 20-minute test, ramp test.
Gear Ratio
Relationship between chainring and cassette sizes. Determines how hard/easy pedaling is.GPS
Global Positioning System - used by devices to track location, speed, and distance.
Heart Rate Zones
Training intensities based on percentage of maximum or threshold heart rate.HR Max
Maximum heart rate - the highest your heart can beat. Decreases with age.HRV (Heart Rate Variability)
Variation between heartbeats. Higher HRV often indicates better recovery.
Intensity
How hard you’re working, measured by power, heart rate, or perceived effort relative to FTP.Intervals
Structured periods of hard effort followed by recovery. Core of many workouts.
KJ (Kilojoules)
Unit of work/energy. Roughly equal to calories burned during cycling.KOM/QOM
King/Queen of the Mountain - fastest time on a climb segment.
Lactate Threshold
Intensity where lactate accumulates faster than your body can clear it. Close to FTP.Load
Stride’s term for Chronic Training Load - your fitness level based on 42-day average Training Score.
Matchbook
Burning a “match” means using anaerobic energy for hard efforts. Limited supply per ride.Max Power
Highest power you can produce, typically for 1-5 seconds. Sprint power.
Overreaching
Planned short-term overload to stimulate adaptation. Requires adequate recovery.Overtraining
Chronic fatigue from too much training without adequate recovery. Avoid this!
Peak Phase
Final training phase before key events. Reduced volume, maintained intensity.Peloton
Main group of riders in a race. Also: popular indoor cycling platform.Periodization
Systematic planning of training through different phases (base, build, peak).Power Meter
Device measuring actual power output in watts. Gold standard for training.Power-to-Weight Ratio
Watts per kilogram of body weight. Key metric for climbing performance.
Recovery
Time between hard efforts or workouts when adaptation occurs. Critical for improvement.Resistance Mode
Smart trainer mode where resistance increases with speed (simulates real riding).RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion)
Subjective measure of effort intensity, typically 1-10 scale.RPM
Revolutions Per Minute - see Cadence.
Sweet Spot
Training at 88-93% of FTP. Balances training stress with sustainability.Steady State
Consistent effort at sustainable intensity. No surges or variations.
Taper
Reducing training volume before important events to shed fatigue while maintaining fitness.Tempo
Moderate-hard intensity, typically 76-87% of FTP. “Comfortably hard.”Threshold
See FTP. The dividing line between sustainable and unsustainable efforts.Training Score (TS)
Stride’s measure of single workout stress. Based on intensity and duration.
Watts
Unit of power measurement. Direct measure of work being done.Watts/kg
See Power-to-Weight Ratio.W’ (W-prime)
Amount of work you can do above FTP before exhaustion. Your “anaerobic battery.”Workout
Structured training session with specific intervals and targets.