There was a thread on here a short while ago referencing a newish brand that does the above – i.e. A Steel frame a bit like the whyte cx bikes which are designed for running a shorter stem. Can anyone help remind me please? Thanks

Shand will build it any way you want.
Or try Pact Bikes if Ti is your thing.

Just had a bit of a nightmare with a custom builder, so wary of that route. This was a relatively new off the shelf brand that did disc road bikes with a more modern mtb style geometry, but I can’t remember who and it’s not coming up on google or my browser history…

Is it Fairlight Cycles

Nope, but something similar. Not Mason, Bowman or Light Blue either.

modern mtb style geometry doesn’t really work without the requisite mega wide bars which you get on a modern mtb though.

What’s the benefit of a short stem?

New genesis are longer?

I love the longer stem on my CX bike. Quicker, more reactive steering.

Riing my CX bike reminds me why long, low, slack isn’t best for everything. Sometimes my AM bike deciding whether it’s going to turn a few minutes after a turn of the handlebars can be a bit frustrating.

I don’t think a longer stem will be the reason your CX bike has more reactive steering!

More likely to be a difference in HA of about 5 degrees.

+1 long stem will slow the steering down not speed it up. You are maybe confusing it with weight distribution?

Well I already have a custom built CX bike which has an 80mm stem, vs 105mm that I used to run with a Kinesis Crosslight. I find the handling on steeper, technical off road much better with the shorter stem, especially with slightly flared bars. Not the sort of terrain you’d normally meet on a cx race, more what happens when ragging around MTB trails. However there are other issues with the custom frame (am currently very very unhappy with the builder), so I’m looking for alternatives rather than going custom somewhere else. Maybe I’m just dreaming, just sure I read about someone doing this kind of geometry recently. They only had a couple of bikes in the range and they were named after what sounded to me like twee villages in the south of England…

I’m interested in similar – hope you didn’t dream it!
The Whyte is high on the list atm.

I have a feeling one of the bike names was a town or village begining with H. Doing my nut in trying to remember where I saw the link earlier this week….

What’s the problem with your custom out of interest?

Hartley?

Harrogate
Halifax
Hartlepool
Haringey
Harwich

– and yes, IM bored at work !

Hartley is a bike manufacturer though…

Exactly. Halifax is not a twee southern village! But Hartley is a custom builder rather than a bike brand.

Not sure how long is one but i’ve got my road rat in road/gravel bike config witht drop bars and short sy m due to longish top tube. It rides great.

have a feeling one of the bike names was a town or village begining with H. Doing my nut in trying to remember where I saw the link earlier this week….

Hallett?