Seasoned mountain bikers may sometimes appear to communicate using their own set of words and expressions – some borrowed from other action sports, such as surfing and skateboarding, others unique to the world of fat tyres.
If you’re an experienced rider, you should be well versed in the lexicon of MTB. If you’re not, it’s time to become fluent.
Here, we've provided the definitions of some essential words and phrases from the mountain biker’s dictionary.
The mountain biker's dictionary
Case
Meaning: That awful jarring feeling when landing from a jump but not making it all the way onto the downslope, typically tagging the top or back of the downslope with the rear wheel of the bike.
Example: “Ouch, I just cased that landing so hard.”
Gnar
Meaning: Tough terrain that’s risky to ride, particularly rough descents filled with large holes and covered with rocks.
Example: “I’m out here carving the gnar.”
Gnarly
Meaning: Terrain or an incident that is particularly, wince-inducingly hardcore, extreme and scary.
Example: “Your crash was gnarly.”
Huck
Meaning: A move that involves pulling up hard on the handlebar and launching off a jump or drop with an unknown chance of success, usually preceding a sketchy landing.
Example: “I just sent that huck so far.”
Loamer
Meaning: Natural trail that’s fresh and still surfaced with organic matter. This so-called ‘hero dirt’ is soft yet grippy, making it a blast to ride. Loamers stop being loamers when the surface has been scraped away, leaving hardpack, roots and rocks exposed. Loamers are highly prized for riding due to their scarcity and inherently temporary nature.
Example: “I’ve found a new loamer.”
Mullet
Meaning: The iconic mullet haircut is 'business in the front, party in the back', referring to the short, orderly fringe and free-flowing, devil-may-care locks bouncing merrily around the neck. Mullet bikes similarly have a larger front wheel for smooth-rolling speed and a smaller rear wheel for style-boosting agility.
Example: “I just mulleted my bike.”
- Read more: What’s faster, a 29er or mullet bike setup?
Nadgery
Meaning: Trail features that are awkward, technical, rough and slow.
Example: “That descent is so nadgery.”
Roost
Meaning: Originating from motocross, roost is the material thrown into the air by a rider.
Example: “You just hit me with a load of roost.”
Send
Meaning: Usually associated with getting big airtime. If you hear a rider exclaiming that they’re going to “send” something, it means they’re about to hit it with full effort, in a reckless manner, hoping for success, rather than expecting it.
Example: "I just sent it off that jump."
Schralp
Meaning: Sometimes called a cutty, a schralp is an onomatopoeic term that describes hitting a turn in such a way as to tear up the ground. Speed and aggression are key here, denoting skill and confidence in your cornering ability. Caution: Can enrage trail builders.
Example: "I just schralped that turn so hard."
Shred
Meaning: An older term, but still a popular one, thought to originate from surf and snowboard culture in the 1980s. In MTB terms, it refers to ‘tearing up’ (not literally) the entire trail or mountain. A 'shredder' is a skilled rider.
Example: "I'm ready to shred today."
Sketchy
Meaning: A feature or trail that’s doable, but only just, requiring you to ride on the very edge of control. Usually accompanied by a sense of surprise that you got away without a crash.
Example: “That was so sketchy, I can’t believe I rode it out.”
Steeze
Meaning: A conjunction of the words ‘style’ and ‘ease’. Used to describe a move or rider demonstrating both effortless smoothness and control.
Example: “That whip was so steezy.”
Stomp
Meaning: To complete something with confidence. Often used when landing squarely and securely on the pedals after a trick or feature.
Example: “I just stomped that black run.”
Whip*
Meaning: To send the bike sideways in the air. The further you can get your back wheel and body around, the better. Whip-off contests are held to find the rider who is most accomplished at this difficult move.
*Not to be confused with tailwhips, where the bike rotates around the headset while the rider holds the handlebar.
Example: “Did you see the whip that grom just did?”
Common phrases
“Dropping in”
Exclamation denoting starting riding on a line so steep you can’t stop, even if you want to. Used to warn those below to get out of the way. Sometimes abbreviated to ‘dropping’.
“Go big or go home”
A phrase steeped in bravado. Often said tongue-in-cheek, it suggests that riders should be fully committed to pushing themselves to the limit or quit for the day.
“Gas to flat”
Describing the act of sending the bike off a jump with no downslope, or missing the landing completely. Also known as a ‘huck to flat’.
“Ride it out”
Hanging onto the bike after a sketchy moment, usually barely getting away without crashing.
“You got this”
Statement from a riding buddy encouraging an ambivalent rider to try something on the edge of their comfort zone. Often precludes a sketchy moment or crash.
