Definition of Terms??

GaryB1 · Aug 5, 2015

I have been recommending this site to friends like crazy lately and most of them have even less knowledge about bikes than I do. Hard to believe. I have been asked questions about some terms that are used and have been able to answer, but it made me wonder if there is a glossary of terms somewhere? Most like Klunker, Fixie and such can usually be figured out by context. What are the terms you like that confuse and frighten your friends, family and acquaintances?

BARTO · Aug 5, 2015

Agreed, I've been hanging around since center last year and I've seen several I'm unsure of. To besure, is a fix it a single glee speed with coaster brake?

BARTO · Aug 5, 2015

Wow, I need to check my spelling...what's a fixie?

Bendix · Aug 5, 2015

"Fixie" is slang for a fixed gear bicycle- a bicycle having a direct drive, single cog drivetrain. Turn the cranks forward, the rear wheel goes forward. Turn the cranks backwards, the wheel goes backwards. No coasting, no internal mechanism for braking.

I often hear the term "fixed gear" mistakenly used as a synonym for single speed by customers. Fixies are single speeds, but not all single speeds are fixies. ;-)

Bicycle808 · Aug 5, 2015

What shall we consider a Sturmey-Archer S3X hub, or an AW that's been converted to a non-freewheeling 2 speed?

BARTO · Aug 6, 2015

Bendix said:
"Fixie" is slang for a fixed gear bicycle- a bicycle having a direct drive, single cog drivetrain. Turn the cranks forward, the rear wheel goes forward. Turn the cranks backwards, the wheel goes backwards. No coasting, no internal mechanism for braking.

I often hear the term "fixed gear" mistakenly used as a synonym for single speed by customers. Fixies are single speeds, but not all single speeds are fixies. ;-)

Thanks Bendex, I'm one of the ones who thought a Fixie was a single speed that would coast..peddeling backwards would be braking...thanks for clearing that up for me.

BART