# Preme not prime



## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Preme, as an abbreviation of:

pre·mi·um /ˈprimiəm/ [pree-mee-uhm]
–noun 
1. a prize, bonus, or award given as an inducement, as to purchase products, enter competitions initiated by business interests, etc. 
2. a bonus, gift, or sum additional to price, wages, interest, or the like. 
3. [...]


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## Susan Walker (Mar 21, 2008)

Perhaps. But definitely: peloton, not peleton.


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

no, it's French: prime, meaning gift or bonus...


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

stevesbike said:


> no, it's French: prime, meaning gift or bonus...


OK that makes sense. But it's pronounced "preem", no?


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

Creme or cream as in what you do in your pants after winning one.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Mootsie said:


> Creme or cream as in what you do in your pants after winning one.


_Woohoo, ten dollar gift certificate at the Book Barn!_


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Susan Walker said:


> Perhaps. But definitely: peloton, not peleton.


Field, not peloton, atmho.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

pretender said:


> OK that makes sense. But it's pronounced "preem", no?


"Preemee" in Frenglish. I think the word has an accent, prime', meaning the e is pronounced, so I think in French it would be "preemay".

JR


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

To be pronounced with a thich faux-Francais accent, a la "poseur"

And here's the team kit:


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

stevesbike said:


> no, it's French: prime, meaning gift or bonus...


I thought it meant "first".


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## ADAMAL68 (Sep 1, 2007)

*Actually...*

I was watching a documentary last night about 6 day races in the U.S. They said that premiums was shortenend to just preem(phonetics). Maybe there is some french background, but as far as track racing goes, I bet that this is where it came from.


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## Susan Walker (Mar 21, 2008)

pretender said:


> Field, not peloton, atmho.


Then bunch or main bunch. Field is all riders in the race, innit?


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

ADAMAL68 said:


> I was watching a documentary last night about 6 day races in the U.S. They said that premiums was shortenend to just preem(phonetics). Maybe there is some french background, but as far as track racing goes, I bet that this is where it came from.


That's always what I've heard.

What other things can we force into a french origin??


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

iliveonnitro said:


> That's always what I've heard.
> 
> What other things can we force into a french origin??


Meh. The docu-mess came from some talking head spouting off. French road racing primes (not to mention europe's 6-days) have been around far longer than US 6-days, so it makes more etymological sense that the term came over adapted with the sport. 

The shortened 'premium' theory makes far more sense as some talking-head type trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about, but didn't. You know, the Cliff Claven of the cycling world. 

It simply makes more sense as having a French rather than American English extraction.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

Ok, I have no idea of the genesis of this term, but it seemed like a good day to try and figure it out. But it was not to be, at least I couldn't find any satisfactory answer. 

The on-line translation utilities translate "prime" from French to English as 'precede". "Prime' ", my lame answer above, is "preceded".

From the Point Premium Root Beer Cycling Classic glossary of terms (what greater authority could there be?):
"Prime: An award given for the rider to reach a certain point mid-race in a sprint. Pronounced "preem." French." 
http://www.internationalcycling.com/glossary.shtml

From Wikipedia:
"prime
Primes (pronounced preems, from French) are intermediate sprints within a race, usually offering a prize and/or points. Primes are a way to encourage more competitive riding, and also an opportunity for companies to gain publicity by sponsoring a prime."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycling_terminology#P

From the Dictionary of Roadie Slang comes my favorite:
"PREEM! -- What you yell at the Cat. 4 who rhymes "prime" with "time". "
http://members.tripod.com/geert_pc/slang.htm#P


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

fwiw, my post above re prime meaning gift or bonus in French is the literal translation. In France you'd refer to a christmas bonus as a prime. It makes sense that it would be the origin of the term in cycling. You race in a velodrome not a cyclingdrome, so the origin in track racing makes sense with a french root. 

By the way pronounced preme, not rhyming with souffle as suggest above.


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## Cruzer2424 (Feb 8, 2005)

even up to now, I still feel like a poseur saying it "preem" so I ALWAYS says "intermediate sprint"


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Susan Walker said:


> Then bunch or main bunch. Field is all riders in the race, innit?


Everyone _starts_ in the field. They call it a field sprint even if a breakaway wins the race.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

danl1 said:


> French road racing primes (not to mention europe's 6-days) have been around far longer than US 6-days, so it makes more etymological sense that the term came over adapted with the sport.


Are you sure about this?

According to wikipedia, the first 6-days were in England, starting in 1878, and the first 6-day at Madison Square Garden was held in 1891.


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## flahute (Nov 29, 2005)

PRIME, not PREME ... at least according to USA Cycling, the British Cycling Federation, and the UCI. 

No accents; pronounced preem.


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## Sweaty Shivers (9 mo ago)

Using an accent is going to be fine, however Prime in this instance is just not a multi-syllbalic word.


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