Your MTB Dictionary

I’ve used a lot of terms on this website that many people who aren’t into the sport don’t understand. This is your guide to the mountain biker’s vocabulary:

Roller: A hump made out of dirt that is not made to catch air on.

Tabletop: A jump with a flat surface between the take off and landing making it possible to roll over without catching any air.

Gap Jump: A jump with just a take off and landing without a flat surface making it not beginner friendly.

Drop: Either a rock or wood drop off that doesn’t have a lip, and the landing is always lower than the take off.

Lip: Upward pointing take off for most jumps.

Berm: A banked turn that is usually found on flow trails.

Flow trails: Trails mostly found at bike parks that feature big berms with rollers and jumps.

Bike Park: This could either be a downhill park where you take the lift up or hop in a shuttle vehicle, or a dirt jump park that is flat with many jumps and wooden features to practice on.

Wooden features: Any obstacle made out of wood.

Shuttle: This phrase refers to driving to the top of the mountain each run to avoid climbing. You can either have one designated shuttle driver that picks you up at the bottom each time, or use two different cars which makes for a slower method, but means that everyone can enjoy the descent.

Pump track: A flat area with rollers and berms designed for pumping which is a technique used for maintaining speed without pedelling.

Double: This could either be a form of a gap jump, or a way to jump over two rollers so you take off on one and land on the other.

Whip: A trick that involves moving your bike sideways mid air.

Roost: Whenever you move the back end of your bike through a corner.

Kicker: A small jump that just has a take off and no defined landing.

Step up: A jump with a higher landing than take off.

Step down: A jump with a lower landing than take off.

Hip Jump: A jump with a sideways landing that requires turning your bike mid air.

Cross country: An MTB style that is mainly focused on climbing and has mellow descents.

Enduro: A type of MTB racing where you’re only timed on the descents, but involves bigger mountains than cross county.

Freeride: Type of MTB that either involves jumps, or riding where there isn’t a trail and making you’re own lines.

Downhill: MTB that just involves going downhill

Rock garden: A section of rocks closely packed together that makes for a difficult challenge.

Loam: Very soft, untouched dirt that is every rider’s dream.

Rock face/ rock slab: A massive rock that’s tons of fun to ride down.

Side hits: Optional jumps.

Singletrack: A trail that’s only wide enough to fit one rider.

Doubletrack: Wide enough to fit two riders.

Wallride: A sideways piece of wood to ride on.

Rainbow: a wooden bridge shaped like a rainbow.

On off: A type of gap jump that involves jumping on and off of an elevated surface.

Manual: Riding on the back wheel without pedaling.

Endo: Lifting the back wheel of you’re bike.

Skinny: A very narrow surface that’s pretty technical to ride on.

Huck to flat: A drop with a flat landing that’s brutal on your body!

OTB: Over the bars!

Bunny hop: A way to lift you’re bike in the air without using a jump.