Stack and Reach

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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gxaustin
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Stack and Reach

Post by gxaustin »

Cycling magazine reviews loads of bikes and gives details of the geometry.
Why though don't they include Stack and Reach?
I find that most useful when assessing a frames geometry.
LittleGreyCat
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Re: Stack and Reach

Post by LittleGreyCat »

It would be good to know the maximum stem height available from the factory.
I think some retail suppliers cut the stem down.

Full marks to Spa for offering a full height stem!
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andrew_s
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Re: Stack and Reach

Post by andrew_s »

LittleGreyCat means the steerer tube.
The stem is the bit that clamps to the handlebar.
rareposter
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Re: Stack and Reach

Post by rareposter »

gxaustin wrote: 10 Oct 2024, 12:36am Why though don't they include Stack and Reach?
I find that most useful when assessing a frames geometry.
I'd hazard a guess that many people buying entry-level bikes have no idea about any of that and are simply after inseam and therefore frame size.

It's only once you get up to really quite a knowledgeable/enthusiast position where people have even the slightest clue about it as well as the experience to know that they need/want a higher stack or a longer reach.

It's certainly possible to provide too much info in a review - and if you're reviewing a £500 hybrid, the intended buyer is likely to have near zero knowledge of, or interest in, bike geometry, they just want a review that says "this is a nice comfy bike with a good upright position".
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Paul Smith SRCC
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Re: Stack and Reach

Post by Paul Smith SRCC »

Stack and Reach is especially valid comparing the bike fit on drop bar bikes, yet it's often overlooked.

Many will refer to the manufactures size recommendation (normally referencing rider height and inseam) and not take into consideration that the actual size can differ between models even though they may be both listed at a glance the same. The below example both being listed as 'Large', yet as you can see the Van Nicholas Zephyr. has a shorter reach and higher bar height compared to the Van Nicholas Astraeus

Van Nicholas Astraeus in Large, Stack 555, reach 393
Paul_Van_Nicholas_ASTRAEUS_Large.jpg
(click to make bigger)

Van Nicholas Zephyr in Large, Stack 598, reach 370
Paul_Van_Nicholas_Zephyr_Disc_L.jpg
(click to make bigger)

Click on the 'GIF' image below and you can visually see it morph from on to the other
Paul_Morph_BikeCad_Test.gif
(click to make bigger and show one morph to the other)
Last edited by Paul Smith SRCC on 10 Oct 2024, 3:43pm, edited 22 times in total.
Paul Smith. 38 Years in the Cycle Trade, I managed the CTC Shop from 2001-4. My personal cycling blog, Bike Fitter at C & N Cycles
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rareposter
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Re: Stack and Reach

Post by rareposter »

Paul Smith SRCC wrote: 10 Oct 2024, 2:43pm Stack and Reach is especially a valid comparison in drop bar bikes yet it's often overlooked
Paul_Morph_BikeCad_Test.gif
100%

Highly useful in MTB as well where the geometry can vary hugely between a bike geared towards DH and a bike aimed more at "all day trail" use.

I did like your little GIF you posted the other day Paul showing the difference - one bike merging/changing into another - I think you'd generated it on the Pro version of your bike fit software.
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531colin
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Re: Stack and Reach

Post by 531colin »

gxaustin wrote: 10 Oct 2024, 12:36am Cycling magazine reviews loads of bikes and gives details of the geometry.
Why though don't they include Stack and Reach?
I find that most useful when assessing a frames geometry.
My pet peeve at the moment .......
They quote a "seat tube angle" ....but it turns out its the angle of the seat tube above the fashionable bend towards the bottom of the tube....So you buy a bike with a stated 73 degree seat tube angle, but a straight line down the centre of the seat tube passes 10mm in front of the BB axle; so the saddle is 10mm in front of where I expected it to be......equivalent to a 74 degree seat tube angle , for somebody my height.
Bike fitting D.I.Y. .....http://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/upl ... -2017a.pdf
Tracks in the Dales etc...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52358536@N06/collections/
Remember, anything you do (or don't do) to your bike can have safety implications
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Paul Smith SRCC
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Re: Stack and Reach

Post by Paul Smith SRCC »

rareposter wrote: 10 Oct 2024, 2:47pm I did like your little GIF you posted the other day Paul showing the difference - one bike merging/changing into another - I think you'd generated it on the Pro version of your bike fit software.
I was editing my post above to try and do the same here rareposter. The morph gif was made comparing two BikeCAD drawings, yes mine was made with the Pro Version but you can make it with their free standalone free version as well, the latter understandably has less data available but the visual would be the same. The GIF I showed on the forum was published and shared here via 'Flickr'

Image

I can't access Flickr the moment as I have signed in on another pc and it's making me wait an hour! The two pictures and GIF I used on my thread above was shared via Google photos, so you have to click on the GIF to see the morphing visual, I dare say there is a way of showing it like that 'Flickr gif' on this post but not sure how....
Paul Smith. 38 Years in the Cycle Trade, I managed the CTC Shop from 2001-4. My personal cycling blog, Bike Fitter at C & N Cycles
Member of the Pedal Club
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