
Marketers in the mountain bike industry love to make up terms to describe how one bike or product is different from another. The only problem is, these words often have squishy meanings at best. For instance, how is a “downcountry” bike different from a “trail” bike? And why the hell are some brands now calling mountain bikes without a motor attached “acoustic”?
Now’s your chance to sound off!
Tell us your second (and third) least-favorite terms — and why — in the comments below. 👇
41 Comments
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Literally false.
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Red is not a colorway. Blue is not a colorway. Red and blue stripes IS a colorway. Black with green sparkles is a colorway. A solid color is a COLOR.
Some bicycle journalist somewhere used the term (wrongly) once, and other journalists jumped on the 'bro bandwagon'. "The new Yeti comes in the iconic Turquois colorway..." No, it doesn't. I've seen the term used here on Singletracks and elsewhere. But it's wrong. Just ask your 8th grade English teacher.
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We shouldn't have to change the name of a non motorized bike to distinguish them from a motorized bike.
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Is it a mechanism for riding down the side of a mountain or a kitten?
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Acoustic (3rd)
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Every time I hear someone say one of these, I immediately place them in my Jeff Spicoli penalty box. "Danger is my business,dude!"
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I've learned to smile and grimace simultaneously. I admit they are helpful and friendly, but I don't think they realize how much they sound like an '80s movie caricature.
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