Baby heads pl. n. round rocks which tend to be found in technical sections of the trail. Similar to death cookies, but bigger.

Bacon n. any scabs on a rider's knees, elbows, or other body parts. Some wear them like badges of honor, those people usually will be found near the bottom of the food chain.

Bail v. to jump off in order to avoid an imminent danger, or dismemberment. Or just a quick way to avoid crashing

Bear trap 1) v. to slip off a pedal, causing it to slam one in the shin, when one gets cracked with a pedal. 2) n. the tooth like scars resulting from being bear trapped. Origination from the bear trap pedals used in BMX – which surely cause these unusual scars. I had on across my stomach once!…ONCE!

Beater n. the old well used bike, saved for bad weather, errands, and other biking activities that might tarnish your "Good Bike"

Betty n. any female rider.

Biff n. a crash. Synonyms: wipeout. v. Also: gravity check

Biopace adj. a now-discredited Shimano techno-fad where the chainrings were made intentionally not circular -- instead, they were elliptical, in order to (allegedly) smooth the power delivery, by giving the rider an effectively lower gear for part of the spin cycle. Now used to describe any uneven pedaling motion. Also used as a synonym for pogoing.

Boing-boing n. a bike with full (front and rear) suspension. Might possibly be considered offensive by certain owners of said bikes.

Bomb v. to ride with wild disregard to personal safety. Usually on a down hill section "I bombed that down hill"

Bombers n. the earliest mountain bikes, converted from cruiser road bikes to race down mountains.

Also a suspension fork trade name.

Bonk v. to run out of energy or grow exhausted on a ride. "I bonked so early it was embarrassing."

Bootie n. A sock like creature that is put over your riding shoes during in climate weather. These "Shoe Sox" help keep your toesies warm and cuddly.

Bra n. the rubber strip placed inside the rim to protect the tube from the nipples.

Brain bucket n. helmet.

Bunny n. 1. same as betty, but used to emphasize the female rider's body; could be considered insulting to some. 2. female novice rider.

Bunny hop v. to lift both wheels off the ground by crouching down and then exploding upward, pulling the bike with you. Useful for clearing obstructions, such as curbs, potholes, logs. Differs from its older BMX & trials meaning -- see jump.

Burrito n. a rim braking surface that's bent inward towards the tube, forming a section that looks rolled like a burrito.

- C -

Chain ring tattoo n. the dotted-line scar you get from gouging your shin on the chain ring. See rookie mark.

Chain suck n. condition when the bike chain gets jammed between the frame and the chain rings. When the chain ring is so worn it holds the chain longer – thus pushing it in between the frame and the chain ring.

Chi-chi n. extravagant after market parts added to a bicycle (Theoretically to make it more impressive looking). Also known as Foo Foo parts

Clean v. to negotiate a section of trail successfully without crashing, dabbing, or making mistakes

Cleanie Weenie n. one who desires to remain clean; Takes ultra care of their rig. a wimp who will not have fun, stays only on the clean trails.

Clipless adj. misleading name for a pedal-and-shoe system where the clips or cleats clip onto the soles of special shoes. Called "clipless" because they replaced toe clips.

Cloon n. slamming into the ground, resulting in a ringing head, or a delay in the action. Term used in biking, skiing, and snow boarding.

Clotheslined v. the act of catching an upper body part (e.g. the neck) on a low branch or vine resulting in separation of the rider from the bike.

Cob clearer n. the lead rider who has to clear out all the spider webs and bugs for following riders. Similar to spider patrol.

Cockrotter n. one who allows his bike to fall in disrepair, and whose bike invariably fails him at some point in every ride. These people don't know why their bike always breaks. Opposite of Cleanie Weenie

Corndog v. to become covered in silt, usually after a fall. Also a Dirt bath

Dab v. To put a foot down in order to catch your balance on a difficult section of trail. "I made it without crashing, but I had to dab once."

Death cookies n. Fist-sized rocks that knock your bike in every direction accept the direction you want.

Death march n. A ride that turns into an investigation of your endurance limit. An epic ride combining more than on off road trail. Linking trails to create a long LONG day of riding.

Dialed in adj. When a bike is set up correctly and everything works just right. The world is good.

Digger n. A face plant. Also: Soil sample; Spring planting; Auger

Drillium n. Any part with lots of holes drilled in it to make it lighter.

Endo n. The maneuver of flying unexpectedly over the handlebars, thus being forcibly ejected from the bike. Short for "end over end". See "superman". In BMX riding, "endo" used to be a synonym for front wheelie.

Enscarfment n. A food break at the edge of a cliff.

Epic n. A ride that must last for at least six hours and include at least three mechanicals that add at least an extra hour to the ride time. Epics are usually started with a statement like "the trail is buff, should only take three hours." Similar to death march.

- F -

Face plant n. Hitting the ground face first. Also: auger, digger, soil sample, spring planting.

Fred n. 1) a person who spends a lot of money on his bike and clothing, but still can't ride(Poser). Occasionally called a "Barney". 2) (from road riding) a person who has a mishmash of old gear, doesn't care at all about technology or fashion, didn't race or follow racing, etc. Often identified by chainring marks on white calf socks. Myth has it that "Fred" was actually a well-known grumpy old touring rider.

Front wheelie n. What endo used to mean in BMX: a trick where the rider applies the front brake and lifts the back wheel off the ground.

Gonzo adj. Treacherous, extreme. "That vertical drop was sheer gonzo."

Granny gear n. The lowest gear available on a bike, which only a grandmother would need to use; designed for steep uphill climbing, but extremely easy to pedal in on flat ground.

Grinder n. A long uphill climb.

Half-track n. A trail so narrow and/or overgrown that you'd hesitate even to call it singletrack.

Hammer v. To ride fast and hard.

Hammer Head n. a rider who doesn’t know the meaning of "enjoyable pace". They usually ride hard and fast all the time.

Hardtail n. Any bike with front suspension but no rear suspension. Contrast with rigid and Full suspension

Helmet less Blunder n. Any beginner's riding without helmet, These are the people behind the statistics.

Hiker log n. An obstacle (e.g. A log or boulder) placed in trail by biker-hostile trail users.

HOHA n. Hateful Old Hikers Association. "HOHA members hate mountain bicyclists Period.

Honk v. To vomit due to cycling excurtion.

IMBA n. International Mountain Biking Association. An organization for trail advocacy.

Jet v. To accelerate quickly; to go very fast.

JRA n. The most used term in biking, acronym for "Just Riding Along," a phrase universally used by people bringing bike to the store – in a box –looking for warranty replacement. "I was JUST RIDING ALONG" when my wheels both fell off, and broke my forks."

Jump n. Or v. Where we now say bunny hop, bmxer's used to say "jump".

- K -

Kack n. An injury to the shin received while doing trials, a kack can be the result of any injury receive during technical riding.

Kick-out n. A bunny hop in which the rider pushes the back tire to one side.

Lid n. Helmet. Also: skid lid

Line n. The desirable path or strategy to take on a tricky trail section.

Male blindness n. Cause: a beautiful female rider going over rough terrain. Result the mesmerizing qualities of all the jiggling parts, making a man to blind to ride the same terrain. Cure: None!

Mantrap n. Hole covered with autumn leaves, resembling solid earth and effective at eating the front wheel of the unsuspecting rider.

Metal head n. Someone who rides without a helmet. Also known as a "Organ donor", or "Genius"

Mo n. Momentum. Can be used to make going up the next hill easier, if short

MTB n. The activity of mountain Biking. Or a mountain bike itself. V. "mtbing". See ATB, OHV, ORV, VTT.

Mud diving n. What happens when a bike slows abruptly in mud, throwing the rider into wet goo.

Mud-ectomy v. 1) a shower after a ride on a muddy trail. 2) the act of becoming clean.

Nipple n. The nut at the end of a spoke, used to true your taco.

Nirvana n. The state of being in absolute control and totally in tune with your bike, the trail, and your physical strength. "I was just doing it all so smoothly and delicately and quickly, it was nirvana!" Synonym for The Zone.

NORBA n. National Off-Road Bicycling Association. They organize most of the larger races.

Nosepickium n. The crusties you pick from your nose after a ride in a dusty environment. Or simply known as "Dirt Bugers"

Oof The sound one makes as they are crashing, usually more drawn out and exaggerated

Panic skid v. To try with all one's will and strength to prevent an impending stack by attempting to implant one's heels as deeply as possible in the ground. Usually a dumb idea.

Pimp n. A Bike Store Guy who is always trying to sell stuff on the trail. "Blow off, pimp. If I want your opinion, i'll give it to you."

Pogo v. To bounce on a full-suspension bike like a pogo stick. Also, for a full-suspension bike to bounce annoyingly and uncontrollably.

Poser n. Derogatory term for people with a gucci bike that never see an actual trail. Usually found in or near a bike shop, or driving around the parking lot of the local trail. Synonym for Fred.

Potato chip n. A wheel that has been bent badly, but not taco'd.

Powerslide n. A two-wheel sideways slide, with the foot opposite the direction of travel kept on the ground.

Prang v. To hit the ground hard, usually bending or breaking something.

Pruning v. To use one's bike or helmet to remove leaves and branches from the surrounding flora. Usually unintentional.

Push-push n. 1. A novice's pedaling motion, consisting of alternately pushing each foot down, instead of spinning. 2. A Shimano techno-fad shifting system.

- R -

Rag dolly >v. To wreck in such a way that one's person is tossed like a flimsy scrap of cloth.

Retro-grouch n. A rider who prefers an old bike with old components and isn't fond of new, high-tech equipment.

Rhoid buffing v. Going down a hill so steep that your butt touches the rear wheel.

Rigid n. A bike with no suspension.

Roadie n. A rider who prefers riding on paved surfaces.

Road rash n. Contact dermatitis; an allergic reaction of skin to moving asphalt.

Rock-ectomy v. Removing rocks, dirt, gravel from one's person after a yard sale (crash).

Rocket fuel n. The mandatory pre-ride coffee.

Roost v. To go fast or accelerate quickly. Or, to stop suddenly.

Schmooz v. The act of reaching a trail head and not riding. What is done when one really can't stand the thought of starting a ride. Talking. Bullshitting.

Singletrack n. Trail just wide enough for one person or bike -- the mtber's holy grail.

Skid row n. That section of trail that nobody ever expects or remembers that always appears too suddenly when riding too fast. Usually switchbacks. Named after all the skid tracks left there from previous riders.

Sky v. To jump extremely high. To get big air.

Snake bite n. A double puncture of an inner tube, caused by hitting an obstacle too hard or by under-inflation of tires.

Snowmine n. An object hidden by snow on the trail. "Be careful of the snowmines -- you know, rocks, logs, hibernating bears..."

Spider patrol n. Lead rider, or first rider to run into a mongo banana spider. Similar to cob clearer.

Spin v. Smooth pedal motion. Opposite of push-push.

Steed n. Your bike, the reason for your existence.

STI adj. "Shimano Total Integration" -- a marketing ploy that forces you to buy new brakes when you replace your shifters.

Superman n. A rider who flies over the handlebars and doesn't hit the ground for a long time. This may result in injury, but when it doesn't, it's really funny for everyone else.

Swag n. The stuff that manufacturers and vendors donate to be given away at bike related events. When you race, go to bike shows, help put on events, write bike articles, you are often rewarded with swag. Sometimes called "schwag".

Table-top n. A jump in which the rider throws the bike sideways in mid-air. Less commonly, a type jump made over a hill that reaches a plateau and goes back down.

Taco v. To bend a wheel over on itself, in the shape of a taco. "I taco'd my wheel, and it cost me a hundred bucks." Worse than a potato chip.

Tea party n. When a whole group of riders stops and chats, and nobody seems to want to ride on.

Technical n. A section of trail that is difficult to ride because of rocks, tree roots, steep drops.

Techno-weenie n. A rider who knows more about the newest MTB parts and techno-fads than about the trails.

Thrash 1) v. To cause severe ecological damage to a trail, usually during the wet season.

Three-hour tour n. A nice easy ride that turns into a death march. Yes this was derived from the theme to "Gilligan's Island."

Toe clips n. A clip-and-strap system that connects a rider's feet and toes to her pedals. Toe clips usually don't require special shoes.

Track stand n. (from road-cycling) a maneuver where the rider stops the bike and attempts to remain standing.

Trail swag n. Equipment or accessories dropped by other bikers and found on the trail. Also known as Booty (such as pirates booty)

Tweak n. A jump during which the rider twists the handlebars back and forth in mid-air

1. To slightly injure a part of the body or the bike in a crash.

2. To make a minor adjustment.

Unobtanium adj. Describing a bike or accessory made from expensive, high-tech material. A play on "unobtainable" and "titanium."

Vegetable tunnel n. A singletrack that is heavily overgrown with foliage, so a rider must duck and bend to get through it.

Void n. 1) to empty the contents of one's bladder. 2) a deep chasm that you have to clear or you will die.

Vultures n. Spectators who line up at dangerous obstacles in hopes of seeing crashes and blood. Easy to spot, they usually have camera, or video recorder handy.

Washboard n. Small, regular undulations of the soil surface that make for a very rough ride.

Wash out v. To have the front tire lose traction, especially while going around a corner.

Weight-weenie n. A MTB owner (not even necessarily a rider) who is more concerned with how many milligrams a certain component saves off the bike's total weight than with how to be a better rider.

Wheelie n. Lifting the front wheel off the ground, usually with some combination of pulling on the handlebars, pedaling harder, and balance.

Whoop-de-doos n. A series of up-and-down bumps, suitable for jumping. <

Wild pigs n. Poorly adjusted brake pads that squeal in use.

Winky a reflector. "Nice winky set, Fred!"

Yard sale n. (from skiing) a horrendous crash that leaves all your various "wares" -- water bottles, pump, tool bag, etc. -- scattered as if on display for sale.

The Zone n. The state where you don't think, you just do. A truly mystical experience that can't be fully explained, but when you get there you'll know it and strive to reach it again.