The Glossary

There was a special about George Carlin on PBS last night. That guy was a really good entertainer. A majority of the stand-up PBS played was about his hatred for euphemisms. When I came to work this morning, I was snickering to myself. The bike industry is full of convoluted acronyms. Sometimes it happens because someone is really trying to make things simpler to recognize. Sometimes even with all the right intentions, the acronyms take the fun out of researching and buying you bike.

So, We are going to start a dictionary of bike terminology. If there is anything you want to add feel free. If there is anything you want me to look up and post, let me know.

The Glossary

ISP -- Integrated Seat Post. When the seat post is the same as the seat tube, the result is a stiffer joint.

BSC -- Bonded Skeleton Concept. An improvement on the way that aluminum and carbon used to be joined. BSC is essentially a larger and tapered "lug" that improves ridigity and is designed to be a safer joint.

TCC -- Tuned Compliance Concept. This is an explanation for how carbon fiber sheets are stacked and pressed together in varying directions and thicknesses to specifically be lighter in places that can afford to be light and stiffer in places that need to be stiff.

105 -- Shimano makes bike components and 105 (one oh five) is the best entry level group of components. Shimano makes cheaper stuff and more expensive stuff and 105 is the best middle ground for price and quality.

MTB -- Mountain Bike

SPD -- Shimano Pedaling Dynamics. A very common pedal/cleat system. Because they are very common they are inexpensive. This is an excellent entry level pedal cleat system, an excellent MTB cleat system and found on Spin bikes.

NOS -- New Old Stock. This means that something is "New" as in it has never been installed or other wise used but "Old Stock" in that it may be an outdated part.

OCLV -- Optimum Compaction Low Void. In reference to how carbon fibers sheets are pressed together. Sheets are laid multi-directionally, sheets are pressed to squeeze as many air bubbles out as possible (it is virtually impossible to get them all but you can get them smaller), and carbon is placed in specific ways to take stress.

OEM -- Original Equiptment Maunfacturer. OEM parts are the parts that come on the complete bike at the time of purchase. A parts manufacturer that sells thousands of handlebars to a bike manufacturer for installation on the bikes has made their handlebar an OEM handlebar.

CPSC -- Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC stamps a logo on every helmet deemed safe. Helmets from department stores might not have this logo. Check.

CE -- Committee European. The European Committee for Standardization typically has higher standards for helmet safety than the US. When a CE logo is stamped on your helmet you'll know your head is as safe as it can be.

UST -- Universal System Tubeless. A standard for tubeless mtb wheel design (or tire and rim combinations) that is compatible with itself regardless of the brand of tire or rim you choose.

iSC -- Integrated Skeleton Concept. Tubing at juncture points are reinforced.

WSD -- Women's Specific Design. Term coined to denote the design of products that work best with a woman's physicality.

HM carbon -- High Modulus Carbon Fiber. This means that the carbon is better at taking impact. It's cooked at a higher temperature and as a result has a slightly higher elasticity.

HT carbon -- High Tensile carbon fiber that is cooked at a lower temperature, a little stiffer and better at transferring power.