Page:
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
PREVIOUS

Bikes jargon buster

Your quick reference guide to bikes.

Front suspension Suspension forks cushioning the front wheel only.
Dual suspension Suspension over both wheels, meaning they have more contact with the ground for a smoother, more responsive ride.
Alloy frame Made from lightweight aluminium, more common in road and racing bikes, which need to be more aerodynamic.
Steel frame Stronger but heavier than alloy frames, found on more robust bikes (e.g. mountain bikes and BMXs).
Gears Different sized cogs that your chain latches onto – the more gears (and cogs) your bike has, the easier it is to pedal up hills.
Twist mechanism Lets you change gears by twisting a dial on the handlebars.
Lever mechanism Lets you change gears by flicking a lever mounted on your bike’s handlebars or fixed to the frame.
Calliper brakes Found on all types of bike.
V-brakes Pivots for the brake arms are mounted to the frame on the bike, making a V shape.
Disc brakes More common on mountain bikes as they last longer and perform better in all kinds of weather.
Inside leg The distance from the floor to the top of the inside of your leg.
Stunt pegs Pegs that stick out a short distance from both sides of one or both wheels on BMX bikes, for riders to jump onto when they’re doing tricks.
360 degree gyro A mechanism that lets the handlebars on a BMX turn a full 360 degrees – great for certain stunts.
Dial style A mechanism for tightening and loosening your cycle helmet.
EN1078 The European safety standard for cycle helmets, specifying the requirements and test methods for bicycle helmets. 
Krypton lights Bike lights with bulbs containing krypton gas, which produce 50% more light than normal vacuum bulbs
Halogen lights Bike lights with bulbs containing halogen gas, producing up to 150% more light than normal vacuum bulbs.
LED lights Lights containing light emitting diodes. These don’t have filaments and never need replacing. They use a lot less power than normal bulbs and are much smaller

 

Bookmark this:
What are these?
(Argos.co.uk is not responsible for the content of external websites. These links will open a new window.)