# motorcyclist, biker, bike, motorcycle, bicycle, and more...



## Egoexpress

Hello,

I'm looking for a word to describe the people who ride motorbikes, if a person rides a bike, he's a cyclist, what about the people who ride a motorbike? Is there   a word other than a motorcyclist?

Let me write a sample sentence, a driving instructor to his tutor:

- Be careful with motorcyclists, they get too close when they overtake.

Thank you!


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## cuchuflete

This is difficult, Ego.  In AE, a person who rides a bicycle is a cyclist, one who rides a motorcycle is a motorcyclist, but I don't know any specific term in widespread use for the rider of a motorbike.  Biker is also used for motorcyclists and sometime for bicyclists.


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## Dimcl

I'm not really sure that there is one, except "motorcyclist".  In Canada, we would use "biker" if the motorcyclist is _visible_.  In other words, if I and a friend saw a really spiffy motorcyle zooming down the street, I might say "Hey, look at that biker go!".  The reason that I'd only use "biker" if all around me _saw_ the biker, is because another definition for "biker" is a motorcyclist who rides with a biker gang (ie. Hell's Angels, etc.).  Therefore, if I'm sitting in my livingroom with a friend and said "You should have seen how fast that biker was going", it would be assumed that I meant a motorcycle gang member.


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## bibliolept

I'd say that "biker" is most often used to refer to motorcyclists, but it's not exclusively used for them, as cuchu noted.


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## cuchuflete

There may be some confusion here.  Motorcycle is not synonymous with motorbike, most of the time!  Some people, some of the time, may use the two terms interchangeably, but for others, they refer to distinct classes of machines.

Here are two contrary definitions:


_*motorbike*_
–noun   
1. a small, lightweight *motorcycle*.     
2. a *bicycle* that is propelled by an attached motor.
Random House Unabridged Dict.


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## GreenWhiteBlue

It should also be noted that there is an AE/BE difference here; "motorbike" is a far more common term in BE, in which the word is used to name an item that speakers of AE would usually call a "motorcycle."


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## Rover_KE

In my locality, a biker rides a motorbike, and a cyclist rides a bike.

Rover


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## Kevin Beach

I've always heard "motorbike" and "motorcycle" used interchangeably in BrE, with neither dominating.

We would naturally say "motorcyclist", not "biker". "Biker" is immediately recognised as an AmE word.


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## cuchuflete

Hi Rover,

Which meaning of motorbike are you using, a lightweight motorcycle, or a bicycle with both pedals and a motor?


.
.
_________________
This is merely my larval stage. You should see me when I pupate.


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## ewie

cuchuflete said:


> There may be some confusion here.


You're telling me.
For me a _motorbike_ (or, more poshly, _motorcycle_) is a thing with two wheels and an engine.  Or _bike_, for short.
Unless its engine is 50cc or less, in which case it's a _moped_.  (Also casually referred to as a _bike_, sometimes.)
If it doesn't have an engine and you have to pedal it, it's a _bike_ (more poshly: _bicycle_; also called a _pushbike_ to distinguish it from a _motorbike_ bike).
Someone who rides a _motorbike_ (or even a _moped_) is called a _biker_, more poshly a _motorcyclist_.
Someone who rides a _bicycle_ is a _cyclist.
_Clear?


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## Kevin Beach

ewie said:


> You're telling me.
> For me a _motorbike_ (or, more poshly, _motorcycle_) is a thing with two wheels and an engine.  Or _bike_, for short.
> Unless its engine is 50cc or less, in which case it's a _moped_.  (Also casually referred to as a _bike_, sometimes.)
> If it doesn't have an engine and you have to pedal it, it's a _bike_ (more poshly: _bicycle_; also called a _pushbike_ to distinguish it from a _motorbike_ bike).
> Someone who rides a _motorbike_ (or even a _moped_) is called a _biker_, more poshly a _motorcyclist_.
> Someone who rides a _bicycle_ is a _cyclist.
> _Clear?


So you call motorcyclists bikers in East Lancashire?


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## cuchuflete

This calls for a spreaksheet, but vB doesn't easily accommodate such.

My version of AE (and there are surely others)

Vehicle................"Posh"/Common name/s................... Rider name/s
Tricycle................tricycle/trike.....................................kid/toddler
Bicycle.................Bicycle/bike.....................................cyclist/bike rider
Moped.................moped............................................?????????
Big (>50cc) motorcycle...motorcycle/bike.......................motorcyclist, biker
little motorcycle.... motorcycle/motorbike.......................????????????????

Now imagine the superimposition of regional BE versions on all of this, and
escape to the nearest skateboard.


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## Kevin Beach

In BrE we call moped riders moped riders.

In passing, I've always understood that the vehicle has to have pedals to be a moped. Just because he engine is 50cc or less doesn't automatically make it a moped.


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## cuchuflete

Right.  Scooters are another kettle of fish.


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## ewie

Kevin Beach said:


> So you call motorcyclists bikers in East Lancashire?


A Certain Gentleman of My Acquaintance has a 1000cc bike ~ he's a _biker_  (Unless we're having tea with the vicar, when he's a _motorcyclist_.)


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## Hitchhiker

Before the term "moped" was well known or used in America they were called "motorized bicycles" or "motor assisted bicycles" or "motorbikes" for short. This is why in America there is a different between motorbike and motorcycle in America. The tern "motorbike" still refers to a moped in America. A cyclist can refer to the motorcyclist or a bicyclist as well as biker. I've noticed in British a motorbike can be any size of motorcycle. In Australia motorcyclists, bikers are called "bikies"._ In America department stores used to sell engines to add to bicycles. I remember them and I still see then in Europe sometimes, although they are now a bit different from the bicycle engines sold in America years ago.
_


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## Ann O'Rack

To those who ride bikes - proper ones, with engines that is - there is a bit of a distinction between a biker and a motorcyclist. 

A motorcyclist is someone who just rides the thing in order to get from A to B. There is no emotional attachment with the machine or the form of transport. A biker, on the other hand, actively enjoys riding his or her bike and has an emotional attachment to riding it, fixing it, washing it (well not in my case - mine is covered in dead flies!) and chatting with other bikers. It doesn't necessarily mean they're part of a gang, but they will probably have other biker mates that they go on ride-outs with.


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## sdgraham

See the following from Wikipedia for *Biker*:


a rider of a motorcycle i.e. one who participates in motorcycling
a member of a motorcycle club
a member of an outlaw motorcycle club
a rider of a bicycle



Egoexpress said:


> - Be careful with motorcyclists, they get too close when they overtake.



Coincidentally, a major interstate highway (motorway) south of Portland, Ore. was closed for hours yesterday afternoon when 26 motorcyclists/bikers riding two-abreast slammed into each other when the the lead pair struck the rear  of a vehicle in front of them that had slowed due to congestion.


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## Ann O'Rack

I know I shouldn't laugh, sdg, but that's very funny! (Always hoping that no-one was hurt in any more vital organ than their pride, of course.)


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## Wayland

When I tootled about in the early 60s on my BSA Bantam 125cc motorbike I would, if asked (which actually I never was),  have said _motorbiker (_probably, I cannot recall it ever being an _issue). Motorcycle*_ and _Biker_ would have been understood as being American (via Hollywood films) expressions.

* Was it Elvis or someone else who said _motorsickle_? My memory is not what it was.


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## ewie

Nah, _this_ is a motorsickle.


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## Hitchhiker

Wayland said:


> When I tootled about in the early 60s on my BSA Bantam 125cc motorbike I would, if asked (which actually I never was),  have said _motorbiker (_probably, I cannot recall it ever being an _issue). Motorcycle*_ and _Biker_ would have been understood as being American (via Hollywood films) expressions.
> 
> * Was it Elvis or someone else who said _motorsickle_? My memory is not what it was.



That was Arlo Guthrie, "The Motorcycle Song" (T_he Significance Of The Pickle)_*
*

*
*


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## Pedro y La Torre

Both are used in Ireland but _motorcycle_ is much more common in my experience. Sites like this tend to support this and this tend to support that.


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## cuchuflete

Moderator note:  We have come to a fork in the road.  All those who wish to respond to the thread topic (I'm looking for *a word to describe the people who ride motorbikes*, ... Is there a word other than a motorcyclist?) are welcome to post in this thread.  Those who want to talk about their bikes, motorcycles, rickshaws, and other conveyances please turn left, cross the railroad tracks carefully, and open new threads.>


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## Roymalika

The man is riding a bicycle:



The man is riding a motorcycle/motorbike/bike:


Is 'bicycle' in the first picture also called 'bike'? 

Thanks


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## Enquiring Mind

Yes. One way to find this out is to search for "bike" on Google images. It worked for me.


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## Roymalika

Enquiring Mind said:


> Yes. One way to find this out is to search for "bike" on Google images. It worked for me.


The one in the second picture is also a *bike*, so when I say "A man is riding a bike", wouldn't it confuse my readers about which one I am talking about?


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## heypresto

Roymalika said:


> Is 'bicycle' in the first picture also called 'bike'?


'I'd say 'bike' is used more than 'bicycle.' 



Roymalika said:


> when I say "A man is riding a bike"


In what context? 

If there is no other context, I'd say 'motorbike/motorcycle' if that's what you mean, and 'bicycle' if that's what you mean.

But if you are talking about motorbikes, and bikers, and your readers know this, 'bike' is fine. And it's also fine if your readers know you are talking about bicycles and cyclists. In other words, once you've established what you are talking about, you can use 'bike'.

As always, if you think there is potential for ambiguity, make it clear.


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## DonnyB

Roymalika said:


> The one in the second picture is also a *bike*, so when I say "A man is riding a bike", wouldn't it confuse my readers about which one I am talking about?


"A man is riding a bike" could, in the absence of any further context, describe either.

If you think there's likely to be any confusion or ambiguity, you could refer to the one in the first picture as a "push-bike".


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## kentix

DonnyB said:


> If you think there's likely to be any confusion or ambiguity, you could refer to the one in the first picture as a "push-bike".


Well you can't in America because that would get you funny looks.  We ride them, we don't push them. 

In AE, the key is to know who you are talking to. If you are talking to your friends who ride bicycles then you can call what they ride a bike. If you're talking to your friends who ride motorcycles then you can call what they ride a bike.

If there is no context, then call one a bicycle and the other a motorcycle.

If you are a serious Harley-Davidson (motorcycle) rider, you can call it a hog.


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## Roymalika

heypresto said:


> 'I'd say 'bike' is used more than 'bicycle


Can every bicycle be called a bike, or just the type of bicycle shown in picture 1?

And, referring to picture 2, are motorbike, motorcycle and bike are the same? Or is there any difference?


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## heypresto

Roymalika said:


> Can every bicycle be called a bike


Well, a penny-farthing, and possibly one or two other very early bicycles might not be usually called a bike, but in general yes.

A penny-farthing:








Roymalika said:


> are motorbike, motorcycle and bike are the same?


Yes.


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## Roymalika

Hi,

Can native speakers call the bicycle in post#25 simply a _cycle_?

The man is riding a cycle.


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## heypresto

It's usually 'bike' or 'bicycle'. We do talk about 'cycling' (as a sport, recreation, or simply a mode of transport) and 'cycle racing'. And a 'cyclist' is a person who cycles. But unless they talk about cycles in sport, I think it's pretty uncommon.


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## natkretep

I don't hear it a lot, but it certainly appears in British traffic signs.


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## Roxxxannne

Roymalika said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can native speakers call the bicycle in post#25 simply a _cycle_?
> 
> The man is riding a cycle.


Not in American English. It's a bicycle or a bike.


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## zaffy

Say I'm walking down this sidewalk/pavement with my child and want him to watch out for the people riding their bikes. How do I refer to them? I guess there would be a BE/AE difference, right?

_Tom, watch out for the cyclists, please.
Tom, watch out for the bikers, please.
Tom, watch out for the bike riders, please._


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## ewie

_Watch out for the bikes, Tom._
It's the bikes that hit you first


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## heypresto

And note the people in your photo are _cyclists_. Not _bikers_. 

These are bikers:


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## Wordy McWordface

Roymalika said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can native speakers call the bicycle in post#25 simply a _cycle_?
> 
> The man is riding a cycle.


No. It's a very outdated term which is not used in everyday modern English.

One of the few contexts where you'll come across this usage are the road signs in #35. If you visit Cambridge, you'll see old-fashioned signs all over the city telling people not to leave their 'cycles' in this place or that. Every time I see them, I think how quaint it looks and how misleading it must be for learners of English.

Also see Ewie's post #50 for more examples of 'semi-official' uses of 'cycle' in compound nouns.

People might have said "He's riding a cycle" a hundred years ago, but you won't hear anyone use 'cycle' in that way these days. Stick to 'bike' or, if you need to make it clear that it's not a motorbike, you can say 'bicycle'.


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## elroy

To refer to the people, I would use “bikers” in US English.

[Doubly cross-posted.  What @heypresto says applies to British English only.  In US English they are definitely “bikers,” not “cyclists.”]


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## Wordy McWordface

zaffy said:


> Say I'm walking down this sidewalk/pavement with my child and want him to watch out for the people riding their bikes. How do I refer to them? I guess there would be a BE/AE difference, right?
> 
> _Tom, watch out for the cyclists, please.
> Tom, watch out for the bikers, please.
> Tom, watch out for the bike riders, please._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 68317


In BrE, those people are cyclists; 'bikers' is what we call the hairy leather-clad fellows in #39. 

'Bike riders' is not a common term. It isn't wrong, but nor is it something I'd think of saying or expect to hear.

Of course, as Ewie points out, it makes more sense to tell the child to be careful of the bikes (and the cars, buses and so on) rather than the people in charge of them.


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## dojibear

"Cyclist" means a person who rides a bi*cycle* or a motor*cycle *or a similar 2-wheeled (or sometimes 3-wheeled) vehicle.

There are various terms for the various 2-(or 3-)wheeled vehicles: bicycle, tricycle, bike, trike, motorcycle, motorbike, moped, scooter, dirt bike, chopper, hog, motorized bicycle, minibike, tandem bicycle, etc. You can use any of those terms and add "rider", to mean a person that rides that vehicle.


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## zaffy

heypresto said:


> And note the people in your photo are _cyclists_. Not _bikers_.





elroy said:


> To refer to the people, I would use “bikers” in US English.



So this is how you would put this example, right? We're talking about people riding bicycles, not motorcycles. 

BrE: Do cyclists need to wear helmets when on public roads?
AmE: Do bikers need to wear helmets when on public roads?


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## elroy

dojibear said:


> "Cyclist" means a person who rides a bi*cycle* or a motor*cycle *or a similar 2-wheeled (or sometimes 3-wheeled) vehicle


In US English this word is not generally used to refer to everyday bikers biking along a bike path.



zaffy said:


> AmE: Do bikers need to wear helmets when on public roads?


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## dojibear

zaffy said:


> So this is how you would put this example, right? We're talking about people riding bicycles, not motorcycles.
> 
> BrE: Do cyclists need to wear helmets when on public roads?
> AmE: Do bikers need to wear helmets when on public roads?


Apparently there is variation in AmE. I suspect it is regional. 

I normally only hear "biker" used with its slang dictionary definition: a member of a motorcycle gang. 
To me "cyclist" is normal AmE, though the WR dictionary mentions "bicycle rider" for both words.

cyclist - WordReference.com Dictionary of English
biker - WordReference.com Dictionary of English


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## Wordy McWordface

dojibear said:


> Apparently there is variation in AmE. I suspect it is regional.
> 
> I normally only hear "biker" used with its slang dictionary definition: a member of a motorcycle gang.
> To me "cyclist" is normal AmE, though the WR dictionary mentions "bicycle rider" for both words.
> 
> cyclist - WordReference.com Dictionary of English
> biker - WordReference.com Dictionary of English


Interesting. So it seems that Dojibear's use of these terms is the same as in BrE.
 "Cyclist" = normal word for someone riding a bicycle
 "Biker" = member of a motorcycle gang


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## zaffy

Wordy McWordface said:


> "Cyclist" = normal word for someone riding a bicycle


But I believe both of these work equally well in BrE, right?

_Do cyclists need to wear helmets on public roads?
Do bike riders need to wear helmets on public roads? _


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## Wordy McWordface

zaffy said:


> But I believe both of these work equally well in BrE, right?
> 
> _Do cyclists need to wear helmets on public roads?
> Do bike riders need to wear helmets on public roads? _


We'd probably avoid the term "bike riders" because it's unclear. We don't know whether you're talking about bicycles or motorbikes.


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## ewie

Wordy McWordface said:


> No. It's a very outdated term which is not used in everyday modern English.
> 
> The only context where you'll come across this usage are the road signs in #35.


It's kind of a semi-official word, I'd say. We have _cycle paths_ and _cycle lanes_ ... though we might not always call them that


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## heypresto

Wordy McWordface said:


> We'd probably avoid the term "bike riders" because it's unclear.


 Although we do go on 'bike rides', as the family in ewie's first picture appears to be doing.


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## kentix

All those terms are used in the U.S. There might be differences in use due to level of involvement as well as region and just personal preference.

In groups of people serious about cycling as a hobby or sport, _cyclist_ is common.

I have definitely heard bicyclist used many times. I have also heard bike riders used many times and would never assume it meant motorcycle riders. (We don't often use "motorbike".)

Bikers is ambiguous and depends on context but in a specific context of bicycles it wouldn't be unusual as a reference to bicycle riders. But with no context it would probably bring the idea of motorcycle riders to most people's minds, especially the ones that ride as groups.

"My bike" could refer to a bicycle or a motorcycle, depending on the person and context.

But I agree with this answer to Zaffy's question:

_Watch out for the bikes, Tom._


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## kentix

From active.com:

*15 Things a Beginning Cyclist Should Do*

 From WPTV news:

*Terrifying video shows bicyclist cling to North Palm Beach drawbridge as it rises*

From KWWL news:

*Authorities identify bike rider hit and killed in Saturday car crash*

From a survey about bicycle use in Minneapolis:

*What can bikers do to be safer?*


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## elroy

In the context given, ordinary people riding their bikes on a public street for transportation purposes, I would never say or expect “cyclists” in US English.  I would say and expect “bikers” or “people on bikes” or “people riding their bikes.”


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## vcdc

Added to previous thread. 
Cagey, moderator 

Hello everyone,

I know that in American English the word 'biker' can refer to both someone riding a bicycle and a motorcycle. Is it different in British English, and do you only call them 'cyclists'?

And also, do you use the word 'bike' for both bicycles and motobikes?


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## Wordy McWordface

No. In everyday British English, someone riding a bicycle is a cyclist, not a biker.  

While the word 'bike' is used for both bicycles and motorbikes, the word 'biker' is only used for motorbike riders.


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## Uncle Jack

A biker rides a motorbike. More particularly, a biker is someone who rides a motorbike *and *is interested in motorbikes, and it is not widely used just for a person riding a bike who has no other interest in motorbikes.

A person who rides a pushbike (a bicycle) is a cyclist, and the word is used for anyone riding a pushbike.


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## Jabse

The term "biker" is often used in Eastern United States, though when one wants to be absolutely clear then "moto biker" is used.


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## Roxxxannne

I have never heard 'moto biker' in English in the eastern United States (or anywhere else in the US).


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## dojibear

What's a "moto"?


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## mr cat

From earlier in the thread -

"Can native speakers call the bicycle in post#25 simply a _cycle_?
The man is riding a cycle."
Replies -
"No. It's a very outdated term which is not used in everyday modern English".

"I don't hear it a lot, but it certainly appears in British traffic signs".


Just to clarify this point, the reason road signs etc. use the word 'cycle' is that it covers pedal machines with one or more wheels. 

_"pedal cycle" means a unicycle, bicycle, tricycle, or cycle having four or more wheels, not being in any case mechanically propelled unless it is an electrically assisted pedal cycle of such class as is to be treated as not being a motor vehicle._


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