Access--Term used to describe riding areas available to mountain bikers, as in public land access.
Aaerobic exercise--Muscular activity that is fueled by oxygen.
Anaerobic exercise--Muscular activity at an intense rate, not fueled by oxygen. Such exercise can be maintained for only
a short time; oxygen is eventually required to enable recovery.
ATB--All-terrain bicycle.
Bars--The metal protrusions you use to steer your bike (also known as handlebars).
Bead--The part of your tire that fits onto the rim, either wire (heavy and cheap) or Kevlar (light and expensive).
Biff--Wipe, crash; eat it; become one with the trail.
Bonk--What happens when you haven't had breakfast before your ride (running out of energy from low blood sugar), or
what happens to your head when you endo without a helmet.
Bottom bracket--The bearing assembly to which your crank arms attach.
Brake pad--The rubber block that attaches to the brake cantilever arms and makes your bike stop or slow down.
Braze-on--Threaded attachment welded to the bike frame to accept the mounting of brake sets, water bottle cages, rear
racks, etc.
Bunny hop--Lifting both wheels of the bike off the ground to clear an obstacle while riding.
Cadence--The rate at which the crank arms are spun while riding, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
Cantilever brake--The most common type of brake found on mountain bikes today. Named for two cantilever arms that
pivot on the forks (front) or seat stays (rear).
Chain breaker--Tool for pushing pin in or out to attach or remove chain. Also called a chain tool.
Chain rings--The gears on the front of the bike; part of the crank arm assembly.
Chain stays--The pieces of the bike frame, parallel to the chain, extending from the bottom bracket to the rear hub,
comprising the base of the rear triangle of the frame.
Chain suck--A situation in which the chain gets caught between the chain rings and the chain stay, usually from worn-out
chain rings or an excessively dirty chain.
Clean--The ability to negotiate a technical section of trail without dabbing.
Clipless pedal system--A shoe-pedal system in which the shoe is held in place on the pedal with a releasable cheat rather
than a traditional toe clip and strap.
Cog--A single gear, usually referring to the rear gear cluster.
Components--The moving parts of a bike that are attached to the frame, such as the brakes, derailleurs, cranks, etc..
Crank arms--The metal arms to which the pedals attach.
Cyclo-cross bike--Bike similar to a road bike, with turned-down handlebar, cantilever brakes, and narrow tires. Used for
cyclo-cross training and racing on part-dirt, part-pavement courses.
Dab--To put a foot down to prevent a fall--humiliating but sometimes necessary.
Death grip--An overly tight grip on the handlebars caused by fear of terrain.
Derailleur--Mechanical apparatus that moves the chain from cog to cog (in the rear) or between chain rings (front), thus
changing gears.
Dialed in--The blissful state of perfect harmony with the trail, handling terrain appropriately and competently.
Down tube--The part of the frame that connects the head tube and the bottom bracket.
Down shift --To shift to a lower, or easier, gear.
Dropouts--The U-shaped slots that accept the wheel axle.
Endo--The act of going over the handlebars, derived from "end over end".
Etiquette--Showing good judgment in tail use and respecting other users.
Face plant--A common result of an endo.
Fall line--The most direct route down a hill.
Fat tire--The kind of tire used on a mountain bike. Also a term used to describe mountain bike-related things, as in fat tire
festival.
Fat road--Single lane, one-vehicle-width roads in the hills that serve as fire breaks and allow emergency vehicle access.
Freewheel/Freehub--The part of the rear gear cluster that allows the bike to coast without the pedals turning.
Freewheeling--Coasting with the pedals motionless.
Gear cluster--An assembly of gears; usually described by their configuration: "my rear cluster is a 13-30."
Get air--To go airborne.
Gnarly--An archaic teenage term for "cool" or "difficult."
Granny gear--Small chainring, used mainly for climbing. The easiest gear combination on your bike.
Gonzo--Crazy; somewhat weird.
Head set--The bearing assembly that attaches the fork to the head tube.
Head tube--The short frame member that attaches the top tube to the down tube and holds the headset in place.
Hub--Assembly that holds the axle, located at the center of the wheel attached to the rim by the spokes.
Index shifting--Sometimes referred to as click shifting. Changing one gear up or down for each click stop in the particular
derailleur system used.
Kamikaze--A daredevil mountain biker.
Head set--The bearing assembly that attaches the fork to the head tube.
Panniers--Luggage carriers for touring.
Pick a line--To plan the path of the bike by anticipating approaching terrain.
Pinch flat--Flat tire caused when the tube is pinched between the rim and a hard object, usually owing to an underinflated
tire.
Pump--Instrument to get air in your tube, or how to get excited about riding.
Quick release--Bolt with lever attached for easy adjustment and removal of wheels and seat height.
Racing bike--One of those funny-looking, skinny-tired road things.
Ride the pegs--To stand on the pedals through rough terrain, I call it "building a platform."
Road bike--See RACING BIKE.
Saddle--The bike seat.
Seat post--The post that attaches your seat to the frame at the seat tube..
Seat stay--The two frame members through which the rear wheel passes that meet the chain stays at the rear dropouts.
Seat tube--The part of the frame that accepts the seat post and attaches the top tube to the bottom bracket.
Shifter--The lever that activates the derailleurs.
Single track--Narrow trail formed by two-wheeled (or two-legged) vehicles.
Slick--Mountain bike tire with no tread for lower rolling resistance, used on pavement or on Slick Rock Trail.
Slickrock--Smooth rock hills that offer challenging riding (a Utah specialty).
Snakebite--Same as PINCH FLAT, so-called because of the two fanglike punctures left by the rim.
Spin--The act of turning the pedals. see CADENCE
Spin-out--Loss of traction in the rear tire, resulting in the wheel spinning with no forward movement of the bike, usually
while climbing on loose gravel.
Stem--The piece of metal that attaches the handle-bars to the headset.
Step-in pedal--Enables stable attachment between cleated shoe and pedal. A sideward twist will usually release the
connection. Also known as clipless pedal.
Suspension--Design feature that provides shock absorption. Front suspension can be through suspension forks or stem.
Rear suspension can use a pivoting rear triangle or suspended seat lever. Fully suspended is a term used to describe a
bike with front and rear suspension.
Switchback--A 90-degree or greater turn on a road or trail.
Technical section--A difficult section of trail that requires specific mountain bike technique to negotiate.
Toe clip--Pedal attachment that helps hold the foot on the pedal. Usually combined with a toe strap.
Top tube--The part of the frame that attaches the head tube to the seat tube.
Topo map--A localized topographical map showing elevations and other geographic features.
Trackstand--To hover motionless on your bike with both feet on the pedals.
Trial--A competitive skill-based event in which riders are rated for their ability to clean an ultradifficult section of trail.
True--The ability of a wheel to spin with no lateral wobble.
U-brake--Style of brake. Used as a rear brake on some bikes.
Upshift--To shift into a higher, or harder, gear.
Valve stem--The point where the pump is attached to fill the tube with air; valve stems come in two types: Shraeder
(standard American style, like the valve found on your car tire) or Presta (funny-looking Italian style; tall and skinny).
Wheelie--Riding a bike with the front wheel off the ground--silly looking, but a useful skill.
Finger Lakes Mountain Bike Club, 54 A Hoffman Street, Elmira, New York 14905  U.S.A.  607-733-6798
Terms you may use or at least hear on the trails or at the bike shop