26" wheel

The standard mountain bike wheel diameter.

29" wheel

Outside diameter with tire.

6061 aluminum

An aerospace-grade aluminium alloy that is a great material for bicycle frames, aluminium frame undergoes extensive testing for strength and fatigue resistance..

7005 aluminium

Another great material for bicycle frames utilizes 7005 aluminium as it can be welded without requiring an expensive heat-treating process.

700c wheel The wheel size found on a hybrid or road bike, the standard for most road bikes.

B

Baby head Slang for a trail-interrupting rock about the size of a baby’s head.

Bottom bracket Can refer to either the short threaded tube that runs perpendicular to the rest of the frame tubes where the cranks attach or the actual set of spindle and bearings that threads into the frame

Bottom bracket drop The vertical distance the bottom bracket is below an imaginary horizontal line drawn through the wheel axles. The greater the bottom bracket drop, the lower the rider’s centre of gravity.

Bottom bracket height The vertical distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the ground. Expresses clearance of the frame over obstacles.

C

Carbon fiber

A bicycle frame material made from woven carbon strands. 2: The woven carbon material impregnated with high tech epoxy resins and then layered and moulded into the appropriate shapes. Can feature a very high strength-to-weight ratio.

Cassette

The set of toothed rings or cogs that make up the gears attached to the rear wheel – usually 7, 8 or 9 cogs of different sizes make up the cassette.

Frame size

The distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube. Because some people still feel they need to know.

Chain rings

The set of toothed rings (usually three) that are bolted to the right crank arm. 2: An integral part of the drive train, as the chain rings move the chain.

Chain stays

Frame tubes that connect the bottom bracket to the rear dropouts, where the rear wheel is attached. Run the same path as the chain, thus the name.

Cockpit length

The horizontal measure from the centre of the handlebar to the centre of the seat post. This is where you spend your time. (The next two measurements show how it can be adjusted.)

Crank

The two-armed mechanism that connects the pedals to the front chain ring.

Crank length

The distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the centre of the pedal axle. A rider with long legs can benefit from longer cranks.

Cro-Moly

1: Short for chromium-molybdenum. 2: A very high technology steel blend, using small amounts of chromium and molybdenum to add strength.

Cross-Country

Derived from the most popular discipline of mountain bike racing, it describes a course or ride that includes all types of terrain, uphill and down. 2: Also describes a bike suited for such a course.

D

Derailleur, front

Device that moves the chain between the chain rings, making larger gear ratio changes of the drivetrain when compared to the rear derailleur.

Derailleur, rear

Device that moves the chain between the cogs of the cassette, changing the gear ratio of the drivetrain.

Disc brakes

Similar to a motorcycle, a braking system that has a dedicated disc for the braking surface. Can substantially improve the braking modulation and control over traditional brakes.

Down tube

Frame tube which connects the bottom bracket and the head tube.

Downhill

A mountain bike event that challenges the rider to get down a hill as quickly as possible. 2: Also traditionally describes especially durable, long-travel bikes.

Drivetrain

The system that transfers pedalling power to the rear wheel. Includes the cranks, chain rings, bottom bracket, chain, derailleurs, and cassette.

Dropouts

The hook-shaped pieces of the frame which contact the hub of the front and rear wheels. The dropouts attach the wheels to the bike.

E

Effective chainstay length

The distance of a line parallel to the ground from the centreline of the bottom bracket to the centreline of the rear hub.

Effective top tube

The horizontal measure from the centre of the headset to the centre of the seat post. The most important measurement when buying a bike, because it cannot be changed.

F

Fork

Attaches the steering system (handlebars and stem), to the front wheel.

Frame

The heart of the bicycle — all parts of the bicycle are attached to the frame.

Full suspension design

1: Refers to shock-absorbing suspension systems for both front and rear bike wheels. 2: Also called dual suspension.  

G

Gary Fisher

1: The inventor and innovator who created the mountain bike in 1974 and continues to make technical breakthroughs today.  

Genesis Geometry

First designed in 1996, Genesis Geometry was a new approach to building mountain bikes. Genesis Geometry changes a rider’s weight distribution to better handle the terrain of off-road riding. Can improve climbing, descending and steering.

Geometry

Refers to the angles at which a bike’s frame tubes are connected to one another. Drastically affects a rider’s weight distribution, comfort level and handling ease.

Gold Series tubing

A straight gauge 6061 T6 version of the Fisher performance frame. The tubing wall diameter is a consistent thickness throughout the entire length of the tube. 

Gusset

Frame-strengthening device found on Fisher aluminium bikes welded on the down tube just below the head tube. Maximizes strength while minimizing added weight.

H

Hardtail

A mountain bike without rear suspension. 2: The traditional mountain bike.

Head angle

The angle of head tube to the ground. Tailored to optimize steering precision on each frame size.

Head tube

Forward-most tube of the frame, which runs perpendicular to the ground. Connects the front stem to the fork in combination with the headset.

Headset

The pair of bearings and bearing races (races are things that bearings sit in) at each end of the head tube that allow the fork to steer the bicycle smoothly.

Headtube length

The distance between the upper and lower headset. Affects how high your handlebar is relative to your saddle.

High-tensile steel

A grade of steel tubing that has exceptional fatigue life. A good material for bicycle frames but not as lightweight as Cro-Moly.

 M

Maximum cockpit

The longest the cockpit can be made by changing the stem to one which is 30mm longer than original: The maximum recommended to retain optimum handling.

Minimum cockpit

The shortest the cockpit can be made by changing the stem to the shortest one available.

Mountain bike

1: A bike that you can ride off the beaten path. 2: The kind of bike invented by Gary Fisher.

N

NORBA

1: National Off-road Bicycling Association. 2: The sanctioning body behind mountain bike racing in the .

P

Paola Pezzo

The two-time Olympic gold medal winner in Mountain Biking (1996 & 2000). 2: The first woman to win a gold medal in Mountain Biking. 3: Both times she won, she was riding a Fisher.

Pedal bob

The undesirable rear bobbing motion that occurs in a traditional full suspension bike as a result of pedalling. 2: A factor that has kept many professional XC racers away from full suspension.

Pedals, clipless

Similar to ski bindings, clipless pedals contain a mechanism which attaches to a cleat in the bottom of dedicated cycling shoes. Creates an efficient pedalling motion that allows the rider to pull up as well as push down on the pedals.

Pedals, platform

Simple two-sided flat pedals that work well with standard footwear.

Pivot

Any hinge on a full suspension bike. Usually, the fewer pivots the better, as they reduce lateral stiffness and often require maintenance.

Platinum Series tubing

Fisher’s finest aluminium frame material mix. Utilizing a mix of Zirconium 9000 aluminium alloy and 6061 T6 aluminium, each Fisher Platinum series frame has double-butted main tubes and undergoes an expensive two-step heat-treating process.

 

R

Road bike

A bike with narrow tires best suited for paved roads. Usually noted by drop style bars.

S

Seat Stays Frame tubes that connect from the frame near the seat post to the rear dropouts, where the rear wheel is attached.

Seat tube angle The angle of seat tube to the ground. Tailored to optimize power transmission on each frame size.

Silver Series tubing

Fisher’s midlevel aluminium frame material. Designed to maintain the same great riding characteristics of the Fisher Gold and Platinum Series frames, but at a lower cost. This is achieved through using 7005 aluminium, which requires less expensive heat treating while still surpassing our strength and durability standards.

Single track

Usually a narrow trail best suited for mountain bikes, as opposed to a double track, which is usually a trail intended for truck use. Single track trails are known as the most challenging and fun trails in mountain biking.

Stand over

The vertical distance from the ground to the point on the top tube where you straddle the bike.

Stem length The original stem: measured from the centre of the steerer tube to the centre of the handlebar.

Swing arm

On full suspension bikes, the mechanism where the rear wheel is attached which moves as the rear suspension is activated. Usually made up of the chain stays and seat stays of the bicycle.

T

T6 aluminium A gauge of hardness for aluminium frame material. The T6 standard makes a very strong, structurally sound frame.

Technical terrain

Synonymous with challenging – the more technical terrain, the more difficult. Traditionally involves single track trails with multiple obstacles and variance in terrain.

Travel

The distance a suspension system allows the wheel to move. The greater the travel, the greater the ability to absorb bigger bumps.

Tube butting

A process that varies the wall thickness of the bicycle tubes. Usually engineered to have more material (thicker tubes) near the welds where strength is needed – thinner walls are more appropriate towards the centre of the tubes where stresses are less. The butting process saves weight and can provide a more resilient ride.

Tubeless

Similar to a car tire, where the no tube is needed to keep the tire inflated. Relatively new to the mountain bike world, tubeless tires can reduce the number of flats experienced due to hitting a hard object that may pinch and puncture an inner tube.

U

UCI

Union Cycliste Internationale. The world’s governing body for all competitive cycling — road, mountain, cyclocross, track and bmx.  

W

Wheel system

An integrated wheel structure where the spokes, rims and hubs are specifically designed to work together.

Wheelbase

The distance between the axles. Tailored to optimize weight distribution on each frame size.

World Cup

Sanctioned by the UCI, the World Cup is a series of mountain bike races, usually 7-9 per season, throughout the world. Through an accumulation of points through the series, an overall World Cup Champion is crowned each season.  

X

XC

Cross Country. Derived from the most popular discipline of mountain bike racing, it describes a course or ride that includes all types of terrain, uphill and down. Also describes a bike suited for such a course.

Z

Zirconium

An aluminium alloy that uses a percentage of zirconium mixed in with the aluminium alloy to create a stronger bicycle tube. Also known as ZR9000.