Glossary from Aerobic to Helmet Head

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Check out our glossary of terms:

Aerobic: Exercising at a level where normal breathing can supply all of the oxygen necessary for proper muscle operation. For an activity of any duration you must be at this level.
Air: Or big air. Jumping the bike and becoming air borne. This is the ultimate quest. The feeling of the bike floating below.
Amped: This can either be the bike manufacturer or the way you feel. In relation to a feeling the term comes from being charged up and ready to go. Lots of energy and desire to ride.
Anaerobic: Exercising at a level where normal breathing cannot supply all of the oxygen necessary for proper muscle operation. You can only maintain this high level of output for a short duration.
Animal: Small woodland creature or rider going all out.
Anodized: Method of colorizing metal using an electrical current to apply the color.
Auger: Big crash, drilling into the dirt upon impact.
Bail-Out: Remove yourself from harms way by stopping, jumping off your bike or taking another course. "I thought she was going to take the jump, but she bailed instead."
Bar-End: The short bars attached to the ends of the handle bars. These are used for long rides, uphill climbing, change of hand position or more leverage while riding.
Barney: A rider with much more money than skill. Usually has all the finest in lycra, the latest in components and still can’t climb the smallest hill. See also "Sole Barney"
Berm: A mound of dirt that makes a high banked turn. You can use this to make a quick turn around a corner. Cimb high on the corner and let the angle of the berm slingshot you around the turn.
Biff: A smaller scale crash.
Big Gear: These are the top gears that are typically reserved for downhill when you want to ride real fast.
Bio-Pace: A style of chain rings that were elliptical versus round. For a short time in the 80s these were thought to provide better power transfer to the pedals.
Bottom Bracket: The spindle the runs through the bike frame that the cranks and pedals are connected to.
Bunny Hop: Hopping one's bike over an obstacle. The technique includes running up on an object, like a log or washed out section, then compressing the bike down and then springing up just before the object to "hop" the bike over the object.
Is a kind of jump, with out a ramp, is used to avoid holes, rocks,etc.
Cadence: How many times per minute you spin the pedals around. This is the Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) of the cranks. For normal riding this is typically 60 - 80 RPM's.
Clean: To clear an object or section of the course that is difficult without dabbing.
Clipless Pedals: A style of pedal that allows a special shoe to attach to it during riding. Once attached the rider has much more control of the bike. Typically the rider twists his/her foot to detach from the bike. During the first two months the rider will usually fall before getting his/her foot out. Don't get discouraged, though, once you learn it's the only way to ride.
Clipped In: When you are using clipless pedals your shoes have special cleats built in that "clip" into the pedals.
Crank: The arm that connects between your bottom bracket and your pedal.
Cruise: A simple, non-challenging ride (but riding is always fun). "I didn’t feel like hammering today so I just did a cruiser"
Dab: To place one's foot down for stability through a difficult course. The goal is not to dab, but instead to clean the section.
Danger: That which is constantly sought out.
Derailleur: The mechanism that allows you to shift the chain into another gear.
Dialed In: When everything is working well together. You feel good, you are connected to the bike. "Man, I was just totally dialed in today."
Disk Brake: Small disk mounted to the center of the rim with calipers that clamp onto the disk to stop the bike.
Double Track: A part of the course that is a dirt road. This is typically a jeep or service road. The double track term comes from the two cleared tracks made from the tires of the vehicles.
Epic: A wonderful experience. And since the best experiences are on a bike this term is used to describe a fine ride. "The trip down the mountain was epic."
E-Ticket: When a ride is really excellent, scary or fun. "That run down the ridge was an E-ticket ride" Refers to Disneyland’s best rides (many years ago, when you had to have tickets).
Face Plant: Taking one's face and planting it into the dirt during a crash. Something to be avoided at all cost. "I tried to bunny hop the log, but just face planted instead."
Fred: Like a barney....only worse…
Gnarly: That which is fun, scary, difficult and abusive all in one. "That was one gnarly bit of single track."
Granny Gear: The lowest gear available. This is used for climbing the really steep stuff. "Man, that trail was so steep that I stuck it in the granny all the way up."
Gruppo: Or group or component group. This is the component package on your bike. The components typically consist of: derailleur, brakes, cranks, bottom bracket, shifters and brake handles.
Harsh: Difficult or painful. "Can you believe how harsh the trail got after the rains?"
Helmet Head: A uniquely unattractive hairdo caused by wearing a bike helmet on a long, hot, sweaty ride. Usually not noticed until you have been seated in a restaurant for an after-ride carbo-loading session. Not amenable to repair by a comb; requires complete dunking of head in water. Usage: "Oh, man, do I have helmet head."

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Glossary from Aerobic to Helmet Head
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Last updated: Sunday, February 15, 1998