The Trail Explorer Guide to Mountain Bike Terms

Mountain biking has its own language — and when you’re new, it can feel like riders are speaking in code. This guide breaks down the most common words, phrases, and bits of jargon you’ll come across both on the trails and in the MTB community.

29er

A mountain bike with 29-inch wheels.

650b / 27.5

A wheel size. Actual diameter is slightly under 27".

Attack Position

A ready stance with elbows out, hips back, and heels down for maximum control.

Bail

Jumping off your bike deliberately to avoid crashing.

Bar Ends

Handlebar extensions (mostly used in old-school XC).

Berm

A banked corner built to support you through a turn.

Bite Point

The moment your brake lever engages and the pads grip the rotor.

Bleed

Refreshing or replacing brake fluid.

Bonk

Running out of energy due to poor hydration or nutrition.

Boost

A wider hub spacing standard for stiffer wheels and improved clearance.

Case

Coming up short on a jump and landing awkwardly halfway across the gap.

Cassette

The cluster of gears on the rear wheel.

Chainring

The front gear attached to the crank.

Chainstay

The part of the frame running from the bottom bracket to the rear axle.

Clipless

Pedals you clip into with cleats (named because they replaced toe clips).

Crank It / Mash

Pedalling with maximum power.

Dab

Putting a foot down briefly for balance.

Dialled

When your bike is running perfectly.

Double

A jump with a take-off and landing separated by a gap.

Downhill (DH)

Riding steep, technical terrain with rocks, roots, drops, and jumps.

Drivetrain

All the gearing components: cassette, chain, chainring, derailleur, cranks.

Drop

A trail feature where the ground falls away, requiring drop technique.

Dropper Post

A seat post that moves up and down on command via a handlebar lever.

Enduro

A race format with multiple timed downhill stages and untimed transitions.

Fire Road

A wide gravel or dirt access road often used for climbing.

Flats

Pedals without attachment mechanisms.

Freehub

The mechanism that lets you coast.

Full Susp / Full Suspension

A bike with suspension on both the front and rear.

Gap Jump

A jump with an open gap between take-off and landing.

Gnarly

Technical, sketchy, or intimidating terrain.

Hardtail

A bike with a suspension fork but no rear suspension.

Head Angle

The front-end angle of the bike; slacker = more stable on steep terrain.

Hero Dirt

Perfectly grippy trail conditions.

Huck

Sending a jump or drop with commitment or style.

KOM / QOM

Fastest time on a Strava segment.

Kick / Lip

The steep part of a take-off that boosts you into the air.

LBS

Local Bike Shop.

Loam

Soft, loose, organic-rich soil — amazing to ride.

Manual / Front Wheel Lift

Lifting the front wheel without pedalling.

O.T.B. (Over The Bars)

Crashing by going over your handlebar.

Pedal Strike

When your pedal hits a rock or root.

Pinner

A very fast, skilled rider.

Pump / Pumping

Using your body to generate speed by pushing into the terrain.

Rock Garden

A trail section filled with rocks.

Roller

A mound or dip used for pumping.

Roost

The spray of dirt kicked up when cornering.

Rooty / Roots

Trail sections covered in exposed roots.

SAG

The amount your suspension compresses under body weight when static.

Scrub

A technique for staying low over a jump.

Send / Full Send

Giving a feature 100% commitment.

Singletrack

A narrow trail roughly the width of one bike.

Sketchy

Unstable or unpredictable terrain or movement.

Squash

Absorbing a jump to avoid too much height or overshooting.

Stanchions

The upper sliding tubes of a suspension fork.

Steezy

Effortlessly stylish riding.

Step Down

A jump where the landing is lower than the take-off.

Step Up

A jump where the landing is higher than the take-off.

Switcher / Switchback

A tight hairpin corner, uphill or downhill.

Table / Tabletop

A jump with a filled-in centre.

Track Stand

Balancing on the bike while stationary.

Train

A group of riders following each other down a trail.

Travel

How much a suspension fork or shock can move (mm).

Tubeless

A tyre setup without inner tubes, using sealant to self-seal punctures.

Whip

Throwing the bike sideways in the air in a smooth, controlled motion.