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Core terms and principles used to understand bicycle geometry, suspension behavior, setup, performance, and service.
Technical entry
Instant Center
The instant center is the point about which a suspension member is momentarily rotating at a specific position in […]
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Front-Center
Front-center describes the distance from the center of a bicycle’s bottom bracket to the front-wheel axle. It is a […]
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Suspension Sag Adjustment
Suspension sag is the amount a bicycle’s fork or rear shock compresses under the rider’s weight in a normal […]
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Q-Factor
Q-factor is the lateral distance between the outside faces of a bicycle’s crank arms at the pedal mounting points. […]
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BCD (Bolt Circle Diameter)
BCD, or Bolt Circle Diameter, describes the diameter of the circle passing through the centers of a chainring’s mounting […]
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3x Drivetrains
A 3× drivetrain uses three front chainrings with a multi-sprocket cassette or freewheel. It can provide very low climbing […]
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2x Drivetrains
A 2× drivetrain uses two front chainrings with a multi-sprocket rear cassette. The front derailleur makes large changes between […]
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Stack
Stack is the vertical distance from the center of a bicycle’s bottom bracket to the top-center of the head […]
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Reach
Reach is the horizontal distance from the center of a bicycle’s bottom bracket to the center of the top […]
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1x Drivetrains
A 1× drivetrain uses one front chainring and a multi-sprocket rear cassette. Eliminating the front derailleur simplifies shifting and […]
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Leverage Ratio
Leverage ratio describes the relationship between rear-wheel movement and shock compression on a full-suspension bicycle. It is normally expressed […]
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Anti-Squat
Anti-squat describes how a bicycle’s rear suspension responds to acceleration. It compares the suspension-extending influence of drivetrain and tire […]
Read entryTopics intentionally overlap. A drivetrain component can also be a technology; an e-bike system can include components, software, and manufacturing concepts. Cross-listing keeps related reference material discoverable from more than one path.
Technical entries are one part of bicycle knowledge for the life of the bike. Discover bicycles in the Archive, use the Encyclopedia to understand them, then carry useful context into Bike Reports or My Garage.