Wheelbase and head angle impact on handling

immune69@gmail.com

I recently spend some time on Lapierre zesty - cockpit feels short but bike is very stable with plenty of traction and super predictable especially in flat corners versus my current bike. I was thinking that this is due to short chain stays,slacker head angle and maybe shorter wheelbase but I was very surprised that wheelbase is 8cm longer and chain stays almost the same. I'm tempted to slacken head angle to 66deg on my current bike but I was wondering what peoples experience is after that ? and if this more stable feeling and more traction is due to longer wheelbase on zesty rather than just the head angle?

nicklouse

Longer wheel base can make a bike feel more stable.

A slacker head angle can do many things. From making a bike feel more stable on the downs to feeling crisp on the ups and make the steering floppy.

It will not be just one thing hat makes a different bike design feel better. Slackening your head angle might make your bike feel like crap. As you will be raising the BB and slackening the seat post and moving your weight back.

But as you don't give us a clue as to what you are thinking about doing this to who can say.

immune69@gmail.com

I was thinking about offset bushing or headset change to move from current 68 to 66 deg head angle -yes steering is more floppy on zesty but i could live with that having more stable handling. I didnt thought about weight movement to the back and this is something I rather avoid as zesty also feels more forward making loading front wheel easier than my current bike.

cooldad

You still haven't said what it is.

immune69@gmail.com

geometry of my current bike is here http://www.radon-bikes.de/xist4c/web/Sl ... #geometrie