Forward geometry

jonnyashworth

With the advent of Forward geometry on Mondraker bikes last year and the rave reviews it seems to be getting absolutely everywhere is this something we should expect to see other bike manufacturers adopting on their bikes? or do mondraker have some sort of patent on it?

nicklouse

So what is it?

What is SO great about it?

What have they decided to package and so ain't this just the best thing since the wheel?

njee20

Long top tubes with incredibly short stems it seems. Someone cranked the 'marketing bollocks' dial up to 11 for that!

jonnyashworth

I realise that this could be a marketing ploy and haven't ridden a foxy with it yet but would still like to know if we can expect to see it on more bikes?

nicklouse

jonnyashworth wrote:

I realise that this could be a marketing ploy and haven't ridden a foxy with it yet but would still like to know if we can expect to see it on more bikes?

So what is it then? Or is it just their way of saying this is how we will be making our bikes?

Link? Info?

jonnyashworth

sorry Nick I thought you were taking the micky

if you haven't heard anything about forward geometry you can find out a bit about it in the below review

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/categ ... -13-46861/

lawman

Good idea I think in principle but the 10mm stems might be a touch too far IMO, purely because of the way they attach to the steerer and put the bars too high. I think we'll certainly see similar principles tried by others but perhaps not as extreme.

warpcow

Mondraker have already started offering 30mm stems instead, which then just makes them a bit like new Kona. Then there's that Intense at Sea Otter which is specifically described as having "Mondraker's Forward Geometry". That could just be journos putting 2 and 2 together and making 5 (sure, it could be very similar geo, but that doesn't necessarily make it Mondy geo).

I was talking to a guy with a Kona Process 134 at a race the other week and he said it was incredible on anything pointing downwards, but could feel a bit lifeless on anything slow or flat.

rockmonkeysc

The Mondraker stems on these bikes really put me off them. I like a very short stem but I like it right down on the headset and with a flat bar to keep the front nice and low. That's not going to be possible with this style of stem.

Thewaylander

Ridden a couple, it works.

Though i generally go the smaller size with the 30mm stem set up. but i like the standover height as coming from a street background when young a smaller bike just feels right to me.

warpcow

http://singletrackworld.com/2014/04/sea-otter-intense-tracer-27-5-and-a-what/

So that Intense w/Forward Geo was made for MBUK Doddy. I think it actually looks alittle better than a Mondraker; looks like it has a shorter headtube that doesn't make the 10mm stem look quite so silly. Of course, it could just be that the rest of the bike is so huge that the front end looks low by comparison.

lawman

warpcow wrote:

http://singletrackworld.com/2014/04/sea-otter-intense-tracer-27-5-and-a-what/

So that Intense w/Forward Geo was made for MBUK Doddy. I think it actually looks alittle better than a Mondraker; looks like it has a shorter headtube that doesn't make the 10mm stem look quite so silly. Of course, it could just be that the rest of the bike is so huge that the front end looks low by comparison.

The rest of the bike is huge! Nice idea and good to see that another manufacturer is open to trying it out. People will be saying that Gary Fisher has been doing the longer top tube/shorter stem thing for a decade or so but, but certainly not to this extent. The concept isn't new but the execution of it certainly is, or at least is at a mass-market level. I'd love to try one out just to see how it feels, but like Rockmonkey I think the 10mm stem would cause an issue with bar height so a 30mm stem would better imo. I think we'll see more trail bikes coming setup like this though, with companies like Hope, Raceface and Easton doing super short, light 30-40mm stems it's certainly looking like we'll be seeing more bikes with that sort of setup. I'm certainly contemplating stepping up a size in my next bike to try it out

poah

is the idea not to give a longer wheelbase but keeping the cockpit the same

The Rookie

Or faster steering while giving cockpit length back on the same 'size'......

or both!

lawman

I think the main idea is to add stability without resorting to super-slack headangles or long chainstays. The new GT sanction has a super long front-centre and a 66ish degree headangle, so while it's steeper than the new SC Nomad in headangle, the wheelbase for a given size is far longer.

Kai in the Borders

warpcow wrote:

I was talking to a guy with a Kona Process 134 at a race the other week and he said it was incredible on anything pointing downwards, but could feel a bit lifeless on anything slow or flat.

While I'd agree the 134 is tremendous downhill, I'd have to say it is also pretty impressive elsewhere too. The traction on climbing may just be a 650b thing, but it has surprised me.

It is certainly nowhere near 'lifeless' in any department.

Definitely worth a try if you can get one.

Thewaylander

With any AM(longer travel slack bike) comparing into a flighty XC machine on a climb it will feel a tad lifeless! The Dune for example is definately a sit back and spin up kind of bike. It all depends on where you take your fun on the bike.

jackk1992

The 10mm stem is too short and the amount of spacers between the headset and handlebars is ridiculous. The whole front end of the bike looks almost alien like. But throw your leg over that saddle and take it out for the day, youll be coming back with a grin spread right across your sweaty muddy face! Its awesome. You get off it afterwards, take a look at it over your shoulder and it all makes sense!

If Mondraker haven't already, they need to patent this "forward geometry" idea quickly, because there on to a winner.

rockmonkeysc

It can't be patented because there's nothing to patent and Mondraker weren't the first to do it, they just come up with a name and marketing for it.
Does it take away the option to fit a longer or shorter stem to adjust the fit?

lawman

Nothing stopping you putting a 30mm stem on it, Mondraker have done that on certain models this year.

Thewaylander

Just ordered mine with a 30mm stem, so i have the medium which felt more comfortable to me.

Great bike :P

Kowalski675

The Foxy in the TBOTY test had the 30mm stem too. The designer says he prefers to ride with the 30mm stem, cos the 10mm makes him misbehave too much.