New geometry and consequences for bike fit

Petero

Likes Dirt
I ordered a 9point8 fall line dropper from Canada. Not surprised it arrived 2 days earlier than a guitar pedal from ACT which I ordered at the same time. Anyway, this dropper has a 25mm setback head and from initial carpark ride it feels better. My long legs are in a better position for the pedals and it has given me extra much needed length ETT.
I will ride and see but I reckon it just looks weird and Im totally underwhelmed. Set back post, 70mms of spacers under the 60mm stem, 40mm riser bar- all just to fit!!!!! It is now so far away from the intended setup- there must be consequences to handling. I really aint sold on the new geo changes and every manufacturer is adopting them. On paper it looked fine but reality is very different. I have never thought of looking at stack heights and HA/SA and the effect on ETT. Im perhaps in the 5% that sit outside the "norm".
In my uneducated opinion, having not riden a 'new geo' bike, I unfortunately feel like the 5% outside the norm you refer to is just being too big for the frame..
It would be great if you could find an XXL frame, or at least a bike with a longer ETT and higher stack in the "new geo" and report if you still aren't a fan of the the geo... For science..
 

Big AC

Likes Dirt
New SC Hightower? I've noticed they've got appreciably bigger stack heights to some other bikes.


Oh and don't write off the Santa Cruz line up just yet JD ;)
Solid guess, it was the runner up. I wanted a little more CS length and room for bigger rubber.

A few thoughts on modern geo. Stack height is very important, especially if you are tall. Reach, ETT, and ESTA are all measured at stack height. A bike with the same measurements at a higher stack height will be bigger in real life. I.e. 500mm of reach at a 660 stack height is realistical bigger than 500mm at a 630 stack height because of the spacer issue, the same goes for ETT and ESTA (ESTA slackens off as you get higher because the actual STA is less than the ESTA.

When I was deciding on a bike anything with a stack under 650 was out straightaway.

Whilst you can get stack height without loosing reach with riser bars stood up straight there is a trade off, you are realistically lenghtening the stem as the stood up riser bars are moving your hands further forward from the stearing axis (the headtube which goes back at the HA as you go up). In the end you can't beat the geo sheet, there is always a trade off.
 

Big JD

Wheel size expert
New SC Hightower? I've noticed they've got appreciably bigger stack heights to some other bikes.


Oh and don't write off the Santa Cruz line up just yet JD ;)
SCHTower has 30mm longer stack and 15mm longer reach but steeper STA and slacker HTA than Ripley which would negate the 1/2 inch longer ETT. New Tallboy 4 will be the same as Ripley. Yeti and Santa Cruz are very similar.
I get it for the hard charging chunk riders but what about the 90% of us that will never do a timed run with a number plate attached.
Pics of you on said bicycle?
hold on I have to find my pants
 

Big JD

Wheel size expert
Solid guess, it was the runner up. I wanted a little more CS length and room for bigger rubber.

A few thoughts on modern geo. Stack height is very important, especially if you are tall. Reach, ETT, and ESTA are all measured at stack height. A bike with the same measurements at a higher stack height will be bigger in real life. I.e. 500mm of reach at a 660 stack height is realistical bigger than 500mm at a 630 stack height because of the spacer issue, the same goes for ETT and ESTA (ESTA slackens off as you get higher because the actual STA is less than the ESTA.

When I was deciding on a bike anything with a stack under 650 was out straightaway.

Whilst you can get stack height without loosing reach with riser bars stood up straight there is a trade off, you are realistically lenghtening the stem as the stood up riser bars are moving your hands further forward from the stearing axis (the headtube which goes back at the HA as you go up). In the end you can't beat the geo sheet, there is always a trade off.
Have you found something that could work for me too AC?
 

Big AC

Likes Dirt
The benefit of the extra stack height is that you don't have to run as many spacers, this mean less lost reach and ETT. The 30mm of stack height is proably worth 40mm of spacers which probably equals another 15mm of ETT. The XXL HT is materially bigger in real life than the XL ripley. By the time that you spacer the ripley up to the stack height of the XXL HT is it probably ~30mm shorter in ETT.

I wouldn't worry too much about the travel number so long as it fits right and pedals ok. For anyone tall and heavy we need as much stability as we can get due to our very high centre of gravity.
 

Big JD

Wheel size expert
The benefit of the extra stack height is that you don't have to run as many spacers, this mean less lost reach and ETT. The 30mm of stack height is proably worth 40mm of spacers which probably equals another 15mm of ETT. The XXL HT is materially bigger in real life than the XL ripley. By the time that you spacer the ripley up to the stack height of the XXL HT is it probably ~30mm shorter in ETT.

I wouldn't worry too much about the travel number so long as it fits right and pedals ok. For anyone tall and heavy we need as much stability as we can get due to our very high centre of gravity.
Thanks buddy- you aint giving away your number one pick cause the SCHT was No 2!!!!!!!
 

Big JD

Wheel size expert
The best possible outcome for me. I have traded in the Ripley for an XXL Santa Cruz Tallboy ( when they are released).
I can’t thank Summit Cycles Melbourne enough for sorting me out. Contact them for an XL Ripley at reduced cost with full warranty.
Try doing that with an online company!!!!
 

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
The best possible outcome for me. I have traded in the Ripley for an XXL Santa Cruz Tallboy ( when they are released).
I can’t thank Summit Cycles Melbourne enough for sorting me out. Contact them for an XL Ripley at reduced cost with full warranty.
Try doing that with an online company!!!!
Holy shit BJD - awesome news!
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I was going to suggest you need to move that Ripley on. With all the spacers and rise on the bars you're compromising on handling for sure.

Great service from Summit and I'm glad it's getting resolved for you.

Good luck with the next frame. Is there a chance to demo?
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
The best possible outcome for me. I have traded in the Ripley for an XXL Santa Cruz Tallboy ( when they are released).
I can’t thank Summit Cycles Melbourne enough for sorting me out. Contact them for an XL Ripley at reduced cost with full warranty.
Try doing that with an online company!!!!
This is good news I didn't need to read! Must... ...ignore... ...temptation! :eek:
 

Big AC

Likes Dirt
The best possible outcome for me. I have traded in the Ripley for an XXL Santa Cruz Tallboy ( when they are released).
I can’t thank Summit Cycles Melbourne enough for sorting me out. Contact them for an XL Ripley at reduced cost with full warranty.
Try doing that with an online company!!!!
I think that you'll be much happier on that. A 515mm reach and 678mm ETT at a 656mm stack height sounds much better. I hope that Summit gave you a sneak peak at the colours. It should drop real soon.
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
There's some nice aspects to that but the words I take away from the review are "average climber". A 120mm bike with average climbing manners is not an appealing prospect for me at least.

That would cause me pause for concern. Possibly set up or that you might be better if on something else...
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
There's some nice aspects to that but the words I take away from the review are "average climber". A 120mm bike with average climbing manners is not an appealing prospect for me at least.

That would cause me pause for concern. Possibly set up or that you might be better if on something else...
Is that average for 120mm bikes or average for all bikes?
Those vague remarks in reviews suck.
 
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