Hey,
I was checking out the geometry on a mate's Pivot Mach6 and ended up in a rabbit hole of what our thoughts on geometry were a while ago.
There's some cracking comments on PinkBike from back in the day.
So far my favourite is this one from Richard Cunningham
Anyone ever discovered anything similar? 🙂 🙂
Ricks
Does make a valid point that explains how traditional xc riders can float their way down things with the seat up, never quite seeming like they are stood up, but they are infact hovering an inch or two over the saddle.
Conversely, on a more modern style bike, the saddle is at frequent testicle hitting level.
To be fair, it's entirely possible he prefers it that way.
Although to expand on my comment above, better suspension, tyres, head angles and so on mean that even a xc hardtail can tolerate or even demand a more attacking attack position than in years past.
And thus we have a year by year half degree creep of geometry.
Reading old reviews is similar.
This a review of a Superlight, my wife still has one and when ever I ride it I'm vaguely terrified.
The long-stroke shock – 50mm for 100mm travel at the wheel – helps a lot in the rough, making the Superlight remarkably composed. Having a long (120mm-travel) fork up front helps too, lending the bike a relaxed stance without blunting the handling too much. The Santa Cruz can start to feel a little on the lazy side if you’re that way inclined, but the sensibly proportioned bar and stem encourage you to work the front end and keep things lively.
It feels relaxed and a little lazy with a 120mm fork? Its got a 70 degree head angle!
Modern geo ruined old bikes for me.
I had a collection of retro bikes but since buying a modern longish lowish slackish 29er trail bike they just felt dangerous to ride. You would get used to it after a while but it would be unnerving off road especially.
So I flogged them all.
Modern geo ruined old bikes for me.
I started pricing up the parts to rebuild my 90s Klein, and then realised that I'd spend a couple of hundred on a bike which would be awful to ride compared to my current ones. Idea abandoned.
I bought a '96 GT Bravado a good few years ago with a view to using it occasionally for a laugh... It's still at the back of the garage 😆 It's nice to look at but **** riding it.
Modern geo ruined old bikes for me.
I resemble that remark.
2 weeks after getting a Last Fastforward v2, I sold my 2012 FS that I'd been perfectly happy with up till then for 5 years.
I did it again last year with a Pole Taival too. Had to sell my Banshee Prime.
Dropper posts have made steep seat angles work.
I think a 80 degree seat angle and a high post would either pitch the rider forward or smack them in the nuts/stomach.
