Hi, I ride old 26er (Dekerf and Ibis so very nice in their day) but often feel I'm missing out on a better riding experience by not having modern frame geometry. I really don't understand headtube angles, slack, chainstay lengths but it seems that the marketing/debate has moved from wheel size to frame geometry. I've tried a couple of 29ers and, for me and my riding, found them a slightly duller version of my bike for my routes (Ritchey, Swift). My riding is not hard core or long days (singletrack, 90-120 mins typically). I have moved to tubeless and 11speed which has been great so it's not a dig at progress!
Am very tempted by the Stanton Switchback or Sherpa as they talk about playful and acceleration a lot. But for those of you who've got up to date frames, and thinking really about hardtails, is there a significant difference Vs 10 years ago re the ride experience? (And I know it's a rather open ended question.)
Thanks
Modern geometry will make a lot of the techy riding easier which will give you more confidence. With more confidenc you can then go looking for more adventurous riding. One can lead to the other. If thats not where you want to go then dont bother changing bikes.
It can give you a bike that feels safer downhill, but can still go up hill.
Fitting a dropper will also make a massive difference.
But unless you go out to ride these sorts of trails you may not notice a difference on just riding along.
Depends what you want from your bike - XC fast, messing about etc.
This time last year I was riding a turn off the century 150mm Marin with at the time top end stuff -Boxxer 151s, Hopes etc etc. This year I'm riding a modern long, low, and slack 150/160mm single crown enduro bike running tubeless.
The modern bike is better in every single way. It's more stable, more confidence inspiring, grippier, more manoeuvrable, faster, quieter, and as a result, a whole heap more fun. I to the bike I have now via one that's considered to have more conservative geo (Capra) and the one in riding now (patrol) is even better again.
I'd say that the difference in going from my older full suss bike to the new one is like the jump in speed and grip that I got from going to a full suss from a hardtail all those years ago.
I recently ride a mate's modern hardtail (Whyte 901) and it was equally revolutionary. Modern bikes are a quantum leap for me.
I took my best mate out on the hardtails. His was a custom steel vs my cotis soul. We swapped down one of the tracks. He instantly wanted a soul. He said he felt far more confident. This was evident when he got his soul as he was so much faster, something that can only be attributed to the geometry. The tubing etc was far superior on his old frame and the kit was the same.
I haven't been on the forum for a while, but it was me that bought your Singular 😉
I really think that for us slightly older chaps that maybe learnt on a fully rigid MTB don't really need the slack angles & dropper posts (yes I've tried them, but not the really modern crop) as we know about weight distribution & how to deal with that very scary "I'm going over the bars" feeling, obviously not mentioning the fully wheels on the ground type of riding we actually do 😆
For me I can deal with fully rigid for local riding, but I still have 3 bikes built up ranging from a rigid 29" scandal (that Peggy replaced for half a dozen rides before braking 😥 ), a 100/130mm 26" light HT & a FS built tough because I thought I wanted to ride at Jedi's place again. I only take out the scandal really, nothing technical enough to warrant much more near London town.
HTH
Cheers.
Where are you and how big are you? There's plenty on here that might be able to meet you for a ride with swopsies - you've got something interesting to offer, rather than a BSO!
Most modern thing I've got is a Dialled Prince Albert. And the wife's Swift with 100mm Rebas up front. And a fatbike.
None of them put a smile on my face like the 18 y.o. SS rigid Generation though. Always a hoot to ride.
Thanks all ... 2unfit, the Pegasus broke, really sorry to hear that - hope youre OK?
Ned - have you posted your Dekerf pic before - think I might've seen it.
I guess I feel dead lucky to enjoy my rides, and living in Kent, as 2unfit says, it's not too extreme! It's more wondering if I'm missing out. P20 - your comment suggests it's a yes.
My mates bike was beautiful. Columbus foco tubing. Really nice to ride like a truly great steel should be. But the geometry made it feel nervous, which meant you couldn't carry your speed with the same confidence. I've always been faster than him downhill, but for the first time we have identical bikes and the gap massively closed. He's loving the Soul!
2umfit2ride: I'm not sure it's for the slightly condescending reasons you say, I think it's down to what the bike will be used for;) I've been riding well over 20 years and have done my time on hardtails. I used to race, at a reasonable level, as did a lot of the guys I ride with. Every single one of them is more comfortable and faster on more modern bikes. Slack angles and dropper posts don't eliminate the need for skill. Yes, they're more forgiving, but they don't mask a crap rider or an inability to position yourself properly on a bike.
The advantages of the modern crop will be far less apparent on a bike that's not flu g around as much. Aggressive terrain and riding is where they really come in to their own.
submarined,
I wasn't trying to be condescending, sorry if it came across that way, I was merely trying to point out that unless you do the sort of riding that will make the most of the modern bike geo then there will be no real benefit, hence the comment about "the fully wheels on the ground type of riding we actually do".
Cheers.