RF+ ® "RapidFire Plus ®"  is the successor to RapidFire, using a thumb button to select a larger chainring and an index-finger "trigger" to select a smaller sprocket, having solved the ergonomic problems of the original RapidFire. It remains Shimano's flagship shifting system for upright handlebars. SIS ®  "Shimano Indexing System": Shimano's brand of indexed shifting. SLR ® "Shimano Linear Response": A constellation of brake improvements primarily aimed at reducing friction, and includes the use of a lined cable housing and lightly sprung calipers/cantilevers that also contain a return spring (a Dia Compe invention.) SLR was introduced with the 105 group in the late '80s. SPD ® "Shimano Pedaling Dynamics": the 1st  commercial success of a  'clipless' shoe/pedal system. STI ® "System Total Integration":A combined brake/shift lever assembly generally referring to drop-handlebar shifters. 105 ® - an entrylevel serious road/toruring gruppo.

A brake with a calliper that has the cable running down along the side and both cable arms on the same side of the calliper ( one being pulled by the inner cable, the other being pushed by the cable housing). Single-pivot side-pull brakes have both arms pivoted on a central point, usually the same bolt that holds the calliper unit to the frame of fork. Dual-pivot side-pull brakes have a separate pivot for each arm. Dual-pivot brakes usually have more mechanical advantage than single-pivot units, but they don't track out-of-true or irregular rims as smoothly as single-pivot units. V-Brake are technically side-pull designs also, but this term is not normally used for them, since they are a type of cantilever, not calliper brake.

Many newer drop handlebars have an indented groove or grooves in the curved section above the brake levers. Single-groove handlebars have such a groove along the front edge only, to accommodate the brake cable running from a modern "æro" brake lever.  Double-groove handlebars have, in addition, a groove on the rear edge of the bar, to accommodate the shift cables from Campagnolo (or Sachs) Ergo shifters. If a double-groove handlebar is used without Ergo shifters, it is a good idea to tape a short length of housing into the groove, or to use a special rubber filler piece made for the purpose.

Shimano Linear Response' features a series of friction-reducing modifications introduced in the late 1980's in the Shimano '105' group. The 105 SLR brakes (perhaps the best sidepull callipers ever made) incorporated ball bearing calliper pivots, low-friction cables, nylon spring bumpers and reduced spring tension. By adding a weak return spring to the brake lever, they were able to drastically reduce the tension of the calliper return spring. Since the cable was being pushed at one end and pulled at the other, a positive return function could be attained with a much lower overall spring tension. This greatly improved the "feel" and sensitivity of the brake. (This aspect of the SLR design was, perhaps, copied from Dia Compe, which calls it "B.R.S.".) This system was replaced by "Super SLR" which is Shimano's name for double-pivot brakes.

A MTBiking term. There are a number of aftermarket tyre sealant applications that work well. They do not always require a tubeless tyre, but compatible rims and some care and patience in fitment is essential. In roadie application it would seem that there could be too much pressure loss before the tyre is effectively sealed (the problem is that there is just not a lot of air in a roadiel) but if the puncture can be quickly sealed before pressure has dropped too much, results are good (despite the weight gained).  Top cyclists suggest that training wheels be sludged and even coupled with a tyre liner, but in serious racing the weight gained reduces speed. Sludge does not have an indefinite lifespan, is best replaced every 6 months - throw tube away – and has a very messy effect when punctured with ‘old stuff’, or when cut. In a nutshell, sludge limits your ability to swap tyres, but is effective in plugging punctures. (NOTE: Tubes with Presta valves require ‘puncturing’ the tube in order to insert the slime, whereas Shrader valves merely require the valve to be removed.)

Quality bicycle componentry & apparel. SRAM Corporation began with the goal of creating the absolute best shifting system and changed the cycling world with the introduction of Grip Shift. To support the innovation they invested in Sachs Bicycle Company and built a state of the art manufacturing facility in Schweinfurt Germany.SRAM expanded their presence in the industry and joined forces with RockShox, Avid and Truvativ, and are today responsible in the best suspension systems, brakes, bottom brackets and cranksets fine-tuning your ride even more. Total drive-train nirvana.

Steel has a fatigue limit, but as long as the limit is not exceeded the frame will not break (unlike aluminium), and  can be realigned from time to time. Steel tubing has been used in various forms for more than a century. It sole drawback is it's relative weight, but it is actually unrivalled in dependability, strength, longevity, repairability.Three types of steel are basically used - low carbon steel ("hi tensile" used on entrylevel bikes), low alloy steel,  and very high strength steel (Reynolds 753 etc). Steel frames are unmatched for touring bikes, because of its repairability.  Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, usually containing between 0.2 and 1.5 percent carbon, often with other constituents such as manganese, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, copper, tungsten, vanadium or other metals, depending on the characteristics desired. Although steel is used for most high-quality bicycle frames, its use instead of aluminum for many parts is often the result of penny pinching. Nobody should have to ride a modern bicycle with steel rims, brakes or handlebars.