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What do you call it when someone gives you a lift on their bike?

475 replies

EoinMcLovesCakeJumper · 14/12/2019 18:27

I was talking to a colleague the other day about what we were doing for Christmas, and he said he was heading off early because he had to go and collect his mum from the airport. He cycles everywhere, so I jokingly said "Are you going to give her a croggy?" He had no idea what I was talking about, and after I had hurriedly explained what it was, i.e. not a euphemism for something dodgy, he said "Oh, you mean a backie". I had never heard of that term - but a quick straw poll round the office revealed that everyone else called it a backie as well. We're all from various parts of Yorkshire, for reference, but I am the only one from North Yorkshire...

I am sure I haven't invented the term croggy, so I'm wondering if it's one of those regional oddities where only people from one specific town say it.

Where do you stand on the backie/croggy issue, and where did you grow up?

OP posts:
Runoutofgas · 15/12/2019 23:16

A backy!

MazDazzle · 15/12/2019 23:17

A hooshtie.

Overseasmom100 · 15/12/2019 23:22

Midlands we say croggy

duvetstealer · 15/12/2019 23:23

A croggy, nr wetherby west yorks

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 15/12/2019 23:24

It was a saddle where I grew up in south Leeds but I heard backy elsewhere in Leeds and other areas of west Yorkshire.

SilverOtter · 15/12/2019 23:26

Croggy! East Yorkshire

PointlessUsername · 15/12/2019 23:31

A sadle. London

Sparklybaublefest · 15/12/2019 23:32

Pillion I think

Likethebattle · 15/12/2019 23:37

Backie, west of Scotland.

CharitySchmarity · 17/12/2019 09:54

Backie for me (I first heard the term in Oxfordshire) but I wonder if they might be different things. Backie on the back, croggy on the cross-bar. When I was growing up, the most popular bike for boys was a Chopper, so it didn't really have a cross-bar as such.

What's it called when someone sits on the handlebars of someone else's bike?

rslsys · 17/12/2019 09:58

What's it called when someone sits on the handlebars of someone else's bike?

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?

EoinMcLovesCakeJumper · 17/12/2019 10:19

Etymologically speaking, they probably are different things, but a croggy used to refer to a lift on the back, the crossbar, and the handlebars where I lived. We didn't have different terms for the different seating arrangements!

OP posts:
Feelingfestivenow · 17/12/2019 10:25

Backer, North East, as in gis a backer!

Madlobster75 · 30/08/2025 16:00

Yes Sally, we called it a skeel too on Anglesey

missmouse101 · 30/08/2025 16:49

Backie. Surrey.

blackheartsgirl · 30/08/2025 17:17

Saddler

RandyBentwick · 30/08/2025 17:23

A carry. Ireland

Bogoffrain · 30/08/2025 17:26

Croggy

pontiouspilates · 30/08/2025 17:33

Backy!

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 30/08/2025 19:31

This thread is 6 years old! I was about to say “Seater, South Manchester”, but I see I already did…

Ladyofyork · 30/08/2025 19:43

Backer for both me (South Yorkshire raised) and DH (West Yorkshire raised). I've never heard it called anything else!

Autumnlife · 30/08/2025 21:25

A croggy

Uberbeeboo · 10/09/2025 22:40

Backer

Oblomov19 · 11/09/2025 09:51

backie

Sparklybaublefest · 12/09/2025 05:05

i also would say exactly what I said in 2019,
a pillion, i think

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