The reason why that new bike feels awful.

[Ski&ride]

So the new geometry doesnt hurt you there? Can you think of what specifics about how a new bike is built would make it not as good at climbing dirt road or "minor" off roading?

When climbing dirt roads the really steep seat angles should keep you in a way more comfortable position than the old slacker seat tube angles.

In the video, you have to hunch over the handlebar to keep the front wheel from lifting. That sounds tiring on an hour long climb.

I haven’t done much real mountain biking for some time now. For that kind of ride, I’d use a gravel bike, which has a geometry closer to “old school” mountain bike geometry than the “modern” geometry.

 

[Rod9301]

Look how many people are skiing a modern ski like they were still on straight skis.

Great video, I cannot wait to try this next time out. Eye opening.

That's different, you can ski modern skis the way you skied old skis.

But if you ride a slack bike with the weight back, it won't turn

 

[Erik Timmerman]

During this COVID thing we've been doing some cleaning and getting rid of old stuff. Yesterday we were looking through old photos and I threw away a bunch of photos I took in 1994 at the Mt Snow NORBA (or maybe it was a World Cup). One of the great things about racing back then was that you did everything on the same bike. XC, DH, DS and Hill Climb. I remember that one year John Tomac won all 4 races. Anyway, one pack of photos was Dual Slalom and it's funny to see that there wasn't one rider that had even dropped his seat. Not Tomac or Herbold or anyone. Kinda can't believe no one had dropped their seats for it.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

In the video, you have to hunch over the handlebar to keep the front wheel from lifting. That sounds tiring on an hour long climb.

It's not.

 

[Bendu]

In the video, you have to hunch over the handlebar to keep the front wheel from lifting. That sounds tiring on an hour long climb.

I haven’t done much real mountain biking for some time now. For that kind of ride, I’d use a gravel bike, which has a geometry closer to “old school” mountain bike geometry than the “modern” geometry.

New bike really do not require you to be more hunched over. The steeper seat tube angle put your weight more forward and tend to to plant the front end more. Older bikes with their slacked seat tubes tend to feel way more hunched over than a new bike.

 

[Ski&ride]

New bike really do not require you to be more hunched over. The steeper seat tube angle put your weight more forward and tend to to plant the front end more. Older bikes with their slacked seat tubes tend to feel way more hunched over than a new bike.

Got it.

My mountain biking suffered since I started skiing again. (I road ride in summer and off road in winter, which now got taken over by skiing). Keep thinking of getting back into riding off road again, never could found time.

I’ll keep quiet now.

 

[Bendu]

I mean one thing to be clear he is going forward to get up quite a large step up incline. No climbs for more than a couple seconds on something that steep.

 

[Tom K.]

Matt Phillips wrote a great piece in this month's issue of Bicycling on the trend toward LLS (longer, lower, slacker).

Basically, it's awesome, but don't get too carried away.

Of course, I liked it because it mirrors my experience!

 

[Bendu]

I mean the new bikes require an entirely different way of thinking and the ability to lower your COM right in the center of the bike. The people I ride with who have yet to switch to dropper post, or simply have them but do not use them, are the riders who seems to find the hardest transition to LLS. On my own Ripmo AF feels like death doing anything but climbing with the seat up and it far from the Longest, lowest slackest out there,

 

[wooglin]

I must have one of these new bikes. Effing pedal strikes piss me off.

 

[Tom K.]

I must have one of these new bikes. Effing pedal strikes piss me off.

Color me confused. The new LLS bikes with lower bottom bracket heights can be pedal strike nightmares.

 

[wooglin]

Color me confused. The new LLS bikes with lower bottom bracket heights can be pedal strike nightmares.

This must be the kind of bike I have....

 

[Bendu]

I agree I wish we could have longer, slacker with lower top tube but keep the BB higher up than the sub 13 inches BB we are seeing now a day.


Its partly why I like DW link bikes is because the bikes tend to stay up in its travel.