{"id":580816,"date":"2026-05-13T01:10:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T01:10:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/580816\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T01:10:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T01:10:31","slug":"do-you-know-your-schralp-from-your-shred-the-bizarre-world-of-mtb-jargon-demystified","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/580816\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you know your ‘schralp’ from your ‘shred’? The bizarre world of MTB jargon demystified"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seasoned mountain bikers may sometimes appear to communicate using their own set of words and expressions \u2013 some borrowed from other action sports, such as surfing and skateboarding, others unique to the world of fat tyres. <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re an experienced rider, you should be well versed in the lexicon of MTB. If you\u2019re not, it\u2019s time to become fluent.<\/p>\n

Here, we’ve provided the definitions of some essential words and phrases from the mountain biker\u2019s dictionary.<\/p>\n

The mountain biker’s dictionary
\nCase
\n\"MountainI don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever have BK\u2019s style, but I\u2019m airborne! Andy Lloyd \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cOuch, I just cased that landing so hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gnar
\n\"LoicThe revised suspension kinematics should help smooth rocky sections of track out and let riders go faster. Probably not as fast as Loic Bruni, though. Specialized<\/p>\n

Meaning: Tough terrain that\u2019s risky to ride, particularly rough descents filled with large holes and covered with rocks.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cI\u2019m out here carving the gnar.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gnarly
\n\"Netherlands'However, van der Poel crashed early on to fall out of contention before retiring from the race. Greg Baker \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

Meaning: Terrain or an incident that is particularly, wince-inducingly hardcore, extreme and scary.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cYour crash was gnarly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Huck
\n\"TwoSome of the bigger jumps are pretty sizable, and there are some cool new-school feature, Mick Kirkman \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cI just sent that huck so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

Loamer
\n\"NorcoNorco Sight VLT TQ C2 on loam Norco<\/p>\n

Meaning: Natural trail that\u2019s fresh and still surfaced with organic matter. This so-called \u2018hero dirt\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cI\u2019ve found a new loamer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mullet
\n\"\"Starling’s Big Bird uses a mega-mullet wheel size setup with a 32in wheel up front and a 29in at the rear Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cI just mulleted my bike.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nadgery
\n\"MaleWhile the ONE77 doesn’t shy away from tackling the rougher, more technical tracks, it’s not where it shines brightest. Andy Lloyd \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Meaning: Trail features that are awkward, technical, rough and slow.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cThat descent is so nadgery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roost
\n\"RaceRace Face’s new Era wheels set out to delivers the best aggressive trail\/enduro wheels by having the making the lease compromises through compliance, impact resistance and weight. Race Face<\/p>\n

Meaning: Originating from motocross, roost is the material thrown into the air by a rider.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cYou just hit me with a load of roost.\u201d<\/p>\n

Send
\n\"BernardBK throws a lazy T-bog (toboggan) for the camera, leaving Tom agape. Andy Lloyd \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Meaning: Usually associated with getting big airtime. If you hear a rider exclaiming that they\u2019re going to \u201csend\u201d something, it means they\u2019re about to hit it with full effort, in a reckless manner, hoping for success, rather than expecting it.<\/p>\n

Example: “I just sent it off that jump.”<\/p>\n

Schralp
\n\"CoticSkid-approved. Richard Baybutt<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Example: “I just schralped that turn so hard.”<\/p>\n

Shred
\n\"VitusThey clearly reckon the E-Sommet is prime for shredding! Laurence Crossman-Emms \/ Vitus Bikes<\/p>\n

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 \u2018tearing up\u2019 (not literally) the entire trail or mountain. A ‘shredder’ is a skilled rider.<\/p>\n

Example: “I’m ready to shred today.”<\/p>\n

Sketchy
\n\"MaleWith its modern shape, I was happy tackling steep and technical terrain on the Big.Trail. Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Meaning: A feature or trail that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cThat was so sketchy, I can\u2019t believe I rode it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steeze
\n\"WhyteGet the Secta S pointed downhill, and it really lets you get motoring. <\/p>\n

Meaning: A conjunction of the words \u2018style\u2019 and \u2018ease\u2019. Used to describe a move or rider demonstrating both effortless smoothness and control.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cThat whip was so steezy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stomp
\n\"CroppedEven on the roughest trails Rob could find, the drivetrain remained quiet and worked consistently well. Callum Wood \/ SRAM<\/p>\n

Meaning: To complete something with confidence. Often used when landing squarely and securely on the pedals after a trick or feature.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cI just stomped that black run.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whip*
\n\"SaracenSaracen Myst Team whipping Saracen<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

*Not to be confused with tailwhips, where the bike rotates around the headset while the rider holds the handlebar.<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cDid you see the whip that grom just did?\u201d<\/p>\n

Common phrases
\n\u201cDropping in\u201d
\n\"MaleIn technical terrain, the Merida isn’t a handful to manoeuvre, or place where you want it for accurate line choice. Roo Fowler \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Exclamation denoting starting riding on a line so steep you can\u2019t stop, even if you want to. Used to warn those below to get out of the way. Sometimes abbreviated to \u2018dropping\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo big or go home\u201d
\n\"LaurieThe massive jumps are challenging even the most experienced racers. Sven Martin \/ Santa Cruz<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cGas to flat\u201d
\n\"UNNONo matter how hard you land, the IKKI’s propgression has enough support to keep you from harsh bottom outs. UNNO Bicycles<\/p>\n

Describing the act of sending the bike off a jump with no downslope, or missing the landing completely. Also known as a \u2018huck to flat\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cRide it out\u201d
\n\"MaleAn extra air spring volume spacer and a touch of compression damping, and the Pike performs in the steeps. Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Hanging onto the bike after a sketchy moment, usually barely getting away without crashing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got this\u201d
\n\"RobGet a group session booked and bring your mates along. Andy Lloyd \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Seasoned mountain bikers may sometimes appear to communicate using their own set of words and expressions \u2013 some…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":580817,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-580816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-cycling","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/580816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=580816"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/580816\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/580817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=580816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=580816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=580816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}