MTB terms

The words riders use, explained in a paragraph.

• Mullet

  A bike with a 29′′ front wheel and a 27.5′′ rear: the big wheel rolls over the trail, the small one keeps the back end agile and out of your way on steep ground.

• Shuttle

  Getting to the top of a descent by car, van or pickup instead of pedalling, so you can ride down again and again. A shuttle day is to trails what a lift pass is to a bike park.

• Boost

  The hub-width standard of most modern mountain bikes: 110 × 15 mm at the front and 148 × 12 mm at the rear. Wider hubs make stiffer wheels and leave more room for tyres.

• Frame geometry

  The angles and lengths that decide how a bike rides: stable or nimble, easy to climb or eager to descend. Every model publishes them in a geometry chart.

• Suspension travel

  How far a wheel can move on its suspension, in millimetres — the first number in any mountain bike's description. More travel absorbs bigger hits; less travel pedals and weighs less.

• Sag

  How far the suspension compresses under the rider's own weight, standing in the riding position — given as a percentage of travel. The first number to set on any suspension.