What is the origin of BSO - and is it internationally recognized?
Who is the first person who came up with the appellation, "Bicycle Shaped Object" (BSO) referring to very inexpensive and very poorly built bicycles sold through mass-market department stores? Bonus...
View ArticleDictionary of regional vocabulary differences (US vs UK)
Given that we appear to be about evenly divided between UK and US folks (and given that "Britain and the United States are two countries divided by a common language"), there should be a dictionary of...
View ArticleWhat is "height stroke" on a tire?
I am reading a tire review at http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews/schwalbe-lugano-2015and it says the Lugano had a gigantic height stroke. Most tires have this, but the Lugano was...
View ArticleWhat does FSR stand for in mountain bikes?
What does FSR stand for in mountain bikes?Ref: http://www.bergwerk.ch/archives/3726/specialized-enduro-comp-2013/
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V brake tension adjusted by bending a wire
enter image description hereI have v brakes with a stiff wire which you bend to adjust the release tension, as opposed to turning a screw. I love this system, it's such an instinctive way to adjust the...
View ArticleShimano model number abbreviations
Shimano uses abbreviations in their model numbers. For example, the Shimano Deore Hollowtech II MTB Crankset 3x10-speed has model number FC-M6000-3. Is there a table somewhere that defines all the...
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Seat mounting rails bent out of shape
Recently I crashed my bike, and since then, the seat has been tilted towards the left side.I know very little about bikes and the associated terminology, but I think what happened is that the rails...
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What's the generic name for this threaded/decorative "stem cap" on a Delta...
I picked up one of these Delta threadless stem risers / steer tube extenders so I could try out different handle bars heights on my gravel bike without going through a bunch of stems (since shops near...
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What is the technical name for the push-on type of wheels that are found on...
The trailer wheels have their own axle that stays in place via a spring-loaded ball bearing.(They are quite different from the various axles usually found on bicycles themselves; those have some kind...
View ArticleIs there a cable-stop variant for the screw-in internal routing ports?
On my frame the internal routing "ports", the things that are screwed into the frame with a small hex-head screw, have ingress/egress holes large enough for cable housing to pass through it. Is there a...
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How are these rack and mudguard holders named?
How are these parts holding the rack and the mudguards named in English? There are some pictures on the web featuring "parts of the bicycle" but they are not depicted there with names. This image is...
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What are these parts of the frame called?
IntroI am drafting a question about a frame problem, but I'm struggling with terminology.It seems "appropriate for stack-exchange" to start by asking about the terminology first.Main questionsWhat is...
View ArticleWhy do we say we "ride" and not "drive" bicycles?
This question has to do with the history of the English terminology used to describe using the bike. Why do we call it "riding" instead of "driving" the bicycle? And why do we "drive" instead of "ride"...
View ArticleHow to tell if a chamois pad is molded / contoured
I'm trying to replace a worn-out pair of cycling shorts that has been discontinued, and am having a hard time recognizing a feature that seems pretty important: the shape of the chamois pad.The shorts...
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What is this metal cage covering the rear derailleur?
On my MTB: This cage like thing covering the rear derailleur was loose and was making a lot of noise when I was riding. I removed it temporarily and it seems fine to do so. Am I correct?What is the...
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Tube terminology for tandems
The names of the tubes are well established for standard single-rider diamond frames, but seemingly less so for tandems.For tandems, there's a bit more variety in frame design, but the one I've just...
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Where can I find a wheel of this design?
I have done some extensive googling trying to find a place to buy these wheel. Here is a picture of one of the front wheels:And here is the description from the design which can be found here/n55.FRONT...
View ArticleWho is actually responsible for the bicycle classification?
It is sometimes possible to hear saying about one or another type of the bicycle "this a marketing term and means nothing", recently SUV being an example. Who decides if the new proposed category is...
View ArticleWhat is an SUV bike?
Recently, I've started to see the term "SUV bike" in different contexts. They seem to be referring to expensive e-bikes (pedelecs or s-pedelecs, either freight bikes or regular), with price tags up to...
View ArticlePass/route/thread a chain? (Terminology)
What is the most common term referring to when you pass the chain through the RD when installinga chain?"Pass the chain through the RD""Route the chain through the RD""Thread the chain through the...
View ArticleWhat does 'tire clearance' mean?
What does 'tire clearance' mean? Can you please explain with an illustration? Does it mean the distance between the tire and the fender?
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Is rear derailleur hanger numbering standardised?
I broke my hanger, and had to find a replacement.One listing I found for a "#23" looked quite different, and the seller said:These numbers are created by the seller, different sellers may have...
View ArticleIs WG11 a device replacing MIPS or a theory no MIPS is needed?
If found some web talks of this, but these were so foggy and topic-jumping that I still cannot come to conclusion. What one of the two is true that Kask (helmet maker) actually wants to say:We have the...
View ArticleChain / Chain wheel: D type vs sealed type
I have spent a good 30 minutes on this site but couldn't find anything pointing a clear idea.I bought a 26 inch, Dual suspension bike. It has a chainwheel of "sealed type." I asked the salesman, and he...
View ArticleHow do you connect and disconnect a quick release chain link?
I can't find any nice video or pictures tutorial that explains how to connect and disconnect a quick release chain link. Am I not finding anything because it has another more common name?How do you...
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Terminology index - a list of bike part names and cycling concepts
This question and its answers list the names of bike parts and cycling concepts.Some RulesMake sure you only put one term per answer!Try to include an image if applicableInclude sources that contain...
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What is this Bottom Bracket tool called?
I came across this tool on Amazon India, to remove the bottom bracket.I don't know what this tool is called.I've seen similar tools at motor workshops, so im assuming its a common tool and not just...
View ArticleWhat does the term pannier really mean? Does how the bag is hung matter?
This question drew my attention to pannier here. I just thought that panniers are things that hung on bike. The Wikipedia definition with Google gives:A pannier is a basket, bag, box, or similar...
View ArticleConfused about wheel size 700X35 vs 622X19
I need a new front wheel for my bike. The imprint on the wheel says 622x19, which from my understanding is the diameter and the width of the rim. Looking for a new one, I found this one:Wheel Masters...
View ArticleIs there a word for the range of "difficulty to pedal"?
On an older bike I had 21 gears with two blocks of chainrings (one at the pedals and one in the back). Currently I have 8 gears with a shimano system where the chain does not hop on different cogwheels...
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