They measure saddle to bars and realize this thing is shorter. "If they're looking at a chart and think, 'Well, my old bike has a reach of 200 but this new bike has a reach of 240, that's going to be really long.' But then they get on it and they feel cramped. "The front of the saddle to bar changes with seat tube angle, but actual reach, what the industry is calling reach, from bottom bracket to headtube, does not," said Brian Blair, buyer at mountain bike retailer The Path Bike Shop in Orange County, California. Because of this, some riders, no matter how long the toptube, feel cramped. Instead, many manufacturers emphasize the reach, or the horizontal distance measured from a vertical line drawn through the center of the bottom bracket to the center of the headtube, a number that is not contingent upon geometry differences.īut basing sizing on this number can be problematic because customers tend to consider reach the distance between the nose of the saddle and the bars - which does change as geometry, namely the seat tube angle, changes.Īs seat tubes have gotten steeper, the distance between the saddle and bars in many cases is shorter, which can make longer-reach bikes actually feel shorter. And looking at geometry charts can sometimes create more questions than answers.įor one, toptubes are longer than ever on most modern mountain bikes, so that measurement has become all but irrelevant when it comes to sizing. While progressive geometry like slacker head angles, steeper seat tube angles, longer toptubes and shorter stems has made modern mountain bikes more comfortable and confidence-inspiring to ride, fitting riders to these frames isn't as straightforward as it used to be. "Most of the conversations I have with riders choosing their next bike usually involve fit."
So there is consternation about buying the wrong thing," said Trailhead owner Lars Thomsen. "There is an enormous amount of dollars being spent and hyper attention to details. They know what color, build kit and tire size they want, and how much they're going to spend.īut even though - or maybe because - they've pored over geometry charts, measured their existing bike and done some test rides, many of these savvy shoppers still need help finding the right size. (BRAIN) - Many customers who walk into mountain bike retailer Trailhead Cyclery ready to buy their next bike have researched and compared brands, models and spec.
0 kommentar(er)
