Forgotten Cycling slang

[Alan O]

I recorded my fastest ever speed on the 40
62.something MPH, down 'East Chevin' dropping, like a stone, into Otley

Ah, I remember it well - used to belt down there into Otley back in my student days, always being careful to remember the bend at the end. It was certainly the fastest I've ever ridden, but I had no speedo and no idea of the mph - I just remember overtaking cars.

 

[Salar]

We used to call our stripped down bikes with no brakes etc, similar to cycle speedway bikes as Track Knacks.

Knacks in Geordie means hurts, probably a reference to what happens when you can't stop.

 

[rogerzilla]

Racks were always "carriers", shifters were "gear levers" and coaster brakes, rare except on American kids' bikes, were "back-pedal brakes". US terminology has crept in over the years.

 

[BeardyAndyM]

Tubs for Tubeless tyres

Any others ?

Tubs are still used at elite level, mtb, road and cyclocross. Short for tubular, not tubless (although they are technically tubeless!).

 

[Bazzer]

"Oil up!" and "Oil down!" for approaching cars.

Oddly, I am sure I heard "Oil up" last Sunday from the back marker of a group of cyclists approaching me from the opposite side of the road.

 

[rogerzilla]

Tubulars most certainly have tubes! Uusually latex, the carcass of the tyre is sewn up around them. Americans call tubs "sew-ups".

 

[guitarpete247]

If you had 2 chainrings it was a "double clanger". I had a mate who refused to fit front derailleur and would bend down and lift it with gloved fingers.
In Uppadines (anyone from Donny knew it) window there was only Campagnolo gear. Only others I remember, as a kid, were Huret and Simplex.

 

[Aravis]

That's partly a technology thing I think. "Cassette" was introduced along with freehubs where the ratchet mechanism is part of the hub, replacing "freewheel blocks" where the ratchet mechanism is built in with the sprockets and screws on to the hub.

What you don't hear so much is "block" referring to the sprockets. But I suppose that's because these days the block isn't a block. It's a cassette.. But the word sprocket gets used too.

I think "block" referred to the whole assembly which screwed onto the hub. From what I remember, the shops never called them that - to them they were always freewheels.

The block consisted of a freewheel body and a set of cogs (or sprockets). I'm now questioning whether my first freehub (Shimano 600 Tricolour) actually used a cassette in the now-familiar sense. If I wanted to change my ratios I did it exactly as I would have done with a screw-on, and I don't think a cassette works quite like that. I may be getting confused.

With freehubs, the concept of a freewheel as a separate component no longer exists, so I think the old terms still mean what they always did. It's the components that have disappeared rather than the terms.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Tubulars most certainly have tubes! Uusually latex, the carcass of the tyre is sewn up around them. Americans call tubs "sew-ups".

I learned them as "tubs".

 

[Gravity Aided]

I think "block" referred to the whole assembly which screwed onto the hub. From what I remember, the shops never called them that - to them they were always freewheels.

The block consisted of a freewheel body and a set of cogs (or sprockets). I'm now questioning whether my first freehub (Shimano 600 Tricolour) actually used a cassette in the now-familiar sense. If I wanted to change my ratios I did it exactly as I would have done with a screw-on, and I don't think a cassette works quite like that. I may be getting confused.

With freehubs, the concept of a freewheel as a separate component no longer exists, so I think the old terms still mean what they always did. It's the components that have disappeared rather than the terms.

I think with the cassette, the cassette body is always fixed to the hub, and you remove the outer cog, then the further cogs and spacers come off. With the freehub, the whole assembly comes off the hub in one piece. At our co-op, we are contemplating a cog board, like in the olden days, so we can build up freewheel cogs, cassettes, and front sprockets to order.

 

[rrarider]

That's partly a technology thing I think. "Cassette" was introduced along with freehubs where the ratchet mechanism is part of the hub, replacing "freewheel blocks" where the ratchet mechanism is built in with the sprockets and screws on to the hub.

What you don't hear so much is "block" referring to the sprockets. But I suppose that's because these days the block isn't a block. It's a cassette.. But the word sprocket gets used too.

I always thought a block referred to the whole freewheel, of which I still have two. A strong time trial rider would sometimes ride with a 'corncob block', meaning a 5 or 6 speed freewheel with each sprocket differing from its neighbour by just a single tooth.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I remember having the Huret items that operated by the screw-on peg (on the spokes)
Like one of these; https://gonevintage.com/vintage-bic...lometer-ussr-1970s-boxed-papers-mint-nos.html

Also, an odd black plastic one, that operated via a small drive-belt from the ring on the hub
One of these, they even had a trip function
View attachment 435161

I remember the Avocets, very accurate indeed!

My first one was a 30, then a 40, & a 45
I may still have a couple of them somewhere??

I recorded my fastest ever speed on the 40
62.something MPH, down 'East Chevin' dropping, like a stone, into Otley

I think I have an Avocet still on my Mongoose Switchback, a tinybike I use for travels because it breaks down small, and has 24" wheels. I'm a little too large for all folding bicycles. I'll try and get it going this winter. I use it for trails in parks and the like where it is too far to walk.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I always thought a block referred to the whole freewheel, of which I still have two. A strong time trial rider would sometimes ride with a 'corncob block', meaning a 5 or 6 speed freewheel with each sprocket differing from its neighbour by just a single tooth.

I still have a corncob on my Trek 600, outfitted with (prosaically) Shimano tricolor 600.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I think I may have a couple of Campy corncobs and maybe a Rigida, down cellar.

 

[Aravis]

I think with the cassette, the cassette body is always fixed to the hub, and you remove the outer cog, then the further cogs and spacers come off. With the freehub, the whole assembly comes off the hub in one piece. At our co-op, we are contemplating a cog board, like in the olden days, so we can build up freewheel cogs, cassettes, and front sprockets to order.

I may have a few cogs to donate!

I think what I was trying to say is that the now familar hub/cassette setup might not have evolved in a single step.