What does a longer wheelbase do for a bicycle?
Wheelbase refers to the horizontal distance between the centre of the front and rear axles. A bike’s wheelbase affects steering speed, responsiveness and stability. A longer wheelbase allows natural flex and compliance, resulting in a more comfortable and stable frame.
Is a longer wheelbase better MTB?
The wheelbase is just one factor that needs to be considered in a bike’s geometry and should not be the deciding factor. To keep it simple, a short wheelbase makes a bike more maneuverable, but less stable at speed, and a longer wheelbase bike makes a bike slower in turns, but much more stable at speed.
How does wheelbase affect handling?
Because of the effect the wheelbase has on the weight distribution of the vehicle, wheelbase dimensions are very important to the balance and steering. In high performance vehicles a longer wheelbase is more stable at higher speeds. A short wheelbase vehicle is usually able to corner faster but may be less aerodynamic.
What is considered a long wheelbase MTB?
When we analyse reach across all platforms, we can now confidently group our bikes into four sizes: bikes sized around the average length at 1197.38 mm are now the, ‘New Normal’; bikes with a wheelbase significantly below 1182 mm would be short, whereas a bike with a wheelbase of 1213 mm to 1223 mm are long and 1223 mm …
Does wheelbase affect speed?
Steering opinions. ‘A longer wheelbase will be more stable at speed, and more stable with a load, but slower to turn. A vehicle with a longer wheelbase will require a greater turning force to have the same steering effect as a shorter one.
What is the wheelbase measurement?
A wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels of a vehicle. While it is smaller than the actual length of the car, it is a good measurement of interior space.
What is a chain stay?
The chainstay is a pair of metal tubes on the bike frame that connects the bottom bracket to the rear axle holders. The chainstay connects the bottom bracket to the center of the back wheel.
Does a longer wheelbase ride better?
Long wheelbase, smooth ride, better stability/capability on steep descents or ascents are 2 big plusses. When you talk about the same overall length with increased overhangs, at the short wheelbase extreme you have created a low speed vehicle bordering on unsafe at speed.
Is bigger wheel base better?
Cars with long wheelbases tend to have better ride quality than those with short wheelbases. This is simply because there’s more time between the front and rear wheels hitting any bumps, so the car is less likely to become unsettled. Short wheelbase cars are better for nipping around town and more fun on twisty roads.
What is slacker mountain bike?
For a full suspension bike, front and rear travel are both referenced. A “slack” geometry means that these angles are lower, which in effect moves the rider further back in relation to the center of the bike and the front wheel is further out in front. At the extreme end of this design concept is the downhill bike.
What does a long wheel base mean?
What does wheelbase mean on a van? The term ‘wheelbase’ refers to the distance between the centre point of the front and rear wheels (or axles). A long-wheelbase van is one that has a longer distance between these two points than the ordinary – or short-wheelbase – version.
What is the advantage of a longer wheelbase?
A longer wheelbase allows natural flex and compliance, resulting in a more comfortable and stable frame. Urban bikes, touring bikes, and entry-level mountain bikes are designed for comfort and stability, and generally feature longer wheelbases.
Why do tourtouring bikes have a long wheelbase?
Touring bikes have a long wheelbase due to a combination of a slack head angle, long fork rake and long chainstay length. Bottom bracket drop determines how high your cranks sit from the ground when you pedal.
Why do some bikes have longer reach than others?
That’s because the head angle is not vertical – so, the longer the head tube, the further back the top of it becomes, and so the shorter the reach measurement. But if you used headset spacers on the original bike, such that the bar height was the same, both bikes would feel identical to ride.
Why do touring bikes have more rake than road bikes?
Touring bikes have more rake than road and cyclocross bikes in order to increase their wheelbase length, provide more toe clearance from the front wheel and to increase the fork’s vertical compliance. But hang on… touring bikes have more rake compared to road/cx bikes yet they steer slower?