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Ive been reading quite a few articles recently talking about the change in mtb geometry, and how its still in a state of progression. Lots of the manufacturers seem to be dipping their toes into the longer top tube/shorter stem combination but still seem conservative.
In passing one of the articles mentioned how running a long stem ruins handling, and how thats fine on road bikes where handling doesn't matter (apparently)!
So this got me thinking, are we going to see some radical new geometry changes on road bikes along the same lines of mtb. Slackening out of headtube angles, short stems and longer top tubes. If this works for mtb why wouldnt it work for road (obviously not exactly the same angles as a mtb but adjusted to allow for short stems)
Is there any reason this hasnt happened or is it just that roadies are stuck in their ways?!
Road riding has not changed so the bikes don't need to change. The roads are the same and the riders are doing the same (i.e. riding along the road)
MTB has changed from XC bikes that are fastest on flat and uphill to more relaxed/shorter stem/wider barred etc,. bikes that are better for control (downhill, rough terrain etc,.)
For those of us that continue to ride XC type riding the same as we did 20 years ago the bikes haven't changed.
I am still riding a 72 degree head angle lightweight XC style bike and have no intention of changing it.
No
MTBs with short stems/long top tubes/wide bars/slack head angles don't handle particularly well till you stand up and ride down a fast, technical descent.
You don't stand up to descend on a road bike. A long TT and a short stem would mean not much weight on the front wheel; hence poor high speed cornering.
road riding hasn't changed but pretty sure bikes are moving away from the bikes must mimic what the pro's ride as the main consumers are club and criterium riders....good example from review in last few days over on road.cc
[i]The Paralane, as with most endurance road bikes, offers a higher stack and shorter reach compared to a race bike. To achieve the higher stack, Focus hasn’t simply stretched the head tube but instead has lowered the bottom bracket and increased the length of the fork. With the increased fork rake and slacker head angle, these are changes that should ensure the Paralane is more stable and surefooted, whether on a high-speed descent or a rough road surface.[/i]
add in tyre width, ability to handle rougher terrain in comfort along with disk brakes road bikes are evolving
I think road bikes are changing. Most companies offer bikes aimed at sportive riders - so though they look like what the pro-s ride the geometry is more relaxed and appropriate for the vast majority of riders - more upright, more comfortable, less twitchy, more stable under braking. I think this trend will continue. The wheel size issue has shown the bike industry that radical changes have to be brought in gently and gain acceptance rather than just hitting people with something bold, new and different. They tried to introduce 29ers, the shock was too much, they dialled it back to 27.5, people were more accepting and now 29ers seem to be making a bit of a comeback and the general mood is far more accepting they seem to be making more headway. In road biking I would anticipate that the sportive geometries will get more relaxed and slacker over the coming years.
Give it time they are only just getting disc brakes. Steerer size, wheel size, rim width, boost hubs must surely be on the way
Wheels sizes have already been tried with smaller front wheels for TT for example. Rim width is already there as rims are now wider along with wider tyres. Steerer size has increased, bar size has increased.
It is not as thought a road bike has not developed, they just haven't needed to dramatically change the geometry around.
Although saying that the geometry has changed if you compare a 70's, 80's and current bike.
Is there any reason this hasnt happened or is it just that roadies are stuck in their ways?!
Road bikes have already had about 3 times as long to get their geometry sorted, and the people who were influential in early mountain bike evolution had their roots in road racing. We're finally getting away from that influence now as full suss geometry and suss designs are getting better understood.
I think road bikes are changing. Most companies offer bikes aimed at sportive riders - so though they look like what the pro-s ride the geometry is more relaxed and appropriate for the vast majority of riders - more upright, more comfortable, less twitchy, more stable under braking.
^^this^^
My own road bike is pitched squarely at sportivey type riding/riders ostensibly it looks like a "racing" road bike but is subtly different with a more relaxed head angle and taller headtube... Being an MTBers at heart I like using a Large frame for the length and stable wheelbase and then a shorter than normal stem to put the bars in the right place for me...
Its also about aerodynamics and riding in the peloton. Long stems mean shorter wheelbase for road bikes to fit so they can ride closer together and maximise the areo benefit
Have a sit on a motocross bike. Mountainbikes are gradually evolving towards them.
My road bike has sportive relaxed Geo. while my other racier bike has racier Geo. think you need to be fit to ride it rather than ride it to improve fitness.
My XC whippet is race set up from 10 years ago.
It's too harsh and bugger all travel. I'd rather ride a springy steel HT that weighs more.
Who needs a marketed Pro's bike?