In writing the last few posts I've realised that there are some terms and phrases thrown in that might be unfamiliar to anybody who is either:
1) Not a cyclist
2) Not a mountain-biker
3) Not even slightly obsessive, neurotic or insane.
The following is a glossary of Cycling Terms for those un-acquainted with the bizarre culture of 'cyclists' or 'cycling'.
Flow:
The Nirvana of trail-ridability. Characterised by smooth, curving lines that link with ease, requiring little or no braking to ride. Usually accompanied by a strong desire to yell: 'whoop whoop whoop' whilst 'shredding' (see below).
Examples include (but are not limited to):
Stromlo's 'Luge'; Mogo's 'AST' or 'Snake Track'; anything in Rotorua.
Also, the name of an Australian magazine dedicated to current mountain-biking trends.
Hero-grip:
A desirable trail condition, usually associated with a recent, small amount of rain.
Trails that knobbly tires may grip to with super-hero-like strength, increasing* the likelihood of success when cornering with speed.
*Not guaranteeing.
LBS:
Local Bike Shop. Support them.
Track-stand:
The fine art of balancing on a bike without moving forwards. This technique is usually deployed:
a) out of laziness to avoid clipping in/out whilst stopped temporarily
b) to practice a skill sometimes required when others stall ahead of you on single-track or when negotiating rock gardens
c) to show off
Strava:
What has been termed: "Facebook for Cyclists". A website where you can upload rides recorded from your cycling gps computer (usually a garmin) or iphone/android app (although this is contentious) to show the rest of your 'followers' where you have been riding.
The site is (in)famous for having 'KOM/QOM' segments that rank any rider who has uploaded their data from fastest to slowest over that segment. 'Strava-doping' is becoming a concern for the general strava community, with strava-epo sites allowing cheaters to alter their data, stealing hard-earned KOM/QOMs from clean riders.
Miscellaneous terms for one who is riding unusually well:
Pinning, shredding, ripping, smashing, nailing.
Miscellaneous terms to describe how you fell off your bike:
'Catching air', binning it, stacking, 'tree-hugging', eating dust.
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