How to Say Bike in French?
- Un vélo : a bicycle
- Une bicyclette : a bicycle
- Un vélo à assistance électrique : electric bicycle
- Un VTT (vélo tout terrain) : mountain bike
- Un VTC (vélo tout chemin) : all terrain bike
- Un vélo de route : road bike
- Vélo de course : racing bike
What is the difference between un vélo and une bicyclette?
Un vélo and une bicyclette both are French words to say a bike. Une bicyclette is a bit more old-fashioned, and refers to a ‘regular’ bike, one to go for a bike ride or to go to the market… “Un vélo” is a bit more contemporary and it’s the word we’d use to say a mountain bike “un vélo tout terrain” etc… You wouldn’t say “une bicyclette tout terrain”…
A new approach to learning both traditional and modern French logically structured for English speakers.
French Biking Terms
- Le Tour de France : most famous French biking race
- Le cyclisme : biking, cycling
- Un casque de vélo : bicycle helmet
- Le cadre : the frame
- Une pédale : pedal
- Une selle : saddle
- Un couvre-selle : saddle cover/protection
- Un guidon : handlebar
- Une poignée de guidon : handlebar-grip
- Les freins avant (m) : front brakes
- Un amortisseur : shock-absorber
- Une fourche : fork
- Une roue : wheel
- Les rayons (m) : spokes
- Un pneu : tire
- Une valve : valve
- Un axe : spindle
- Un plateau : chainwheel
- Un dérailleur avant : chainwheel shifter
- Un dérailleur arrière : rear derailleur
- Une chaîne (de vélo) : chain
- L’éclairage : lighting
- Les réflecteurs (m) : reflectors
- Le carénage : fairing
- Une pompe à vélo : bicycle pump
- Un cale-pied : toe clip
- Une béquille : kickstand
- Un porte-bidon : bottle cage
- Un porte-bagages : luggage carrier
- Une sacoche de selle : saddlebag
- Une sonnette : bell
- Un garde-boue : mudguard
- Un range-vélos : bicycle rack
- Une voie cyclable : bicycle lane
- Faire du vélo : to ride a bike
- Rouler : to ride
- Courir : to ride (usually competitively)
- Ralentir : to slow down
- Accélérer : to accelerate
- Étre en danseuse: to stand on the pedals
- Changer d’allure: to change pace
- Déraper: to slip
- Un peloton : peloton
- La caravane : the parade with sponsors that often takes place before a big race such as “Le Tour de France” (see my video below)
- Une voiture balai: broom wagon
- Avoir la tête dans le guidon : to work hard, to be under the gun
The Tour de France – real life French Video
Late June 2021, le Tour de France was in my town of Paimpol, Brittany. Our family got to watch it go by: what a great experience! Can you understand me? Let me know: please leave a comment, I always read all the comments and they really encourage me to create more free lessons and videos!
I personally edited the French subtitles and the the English subtitles were automated – the CC option is located to the bottom right of the video: press CC to turn the subtitles on and off, and wheel to select French or English subtitles.
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