BIKETEST EXTREME GEOMETRY VS RACE GEOMETRY
Over the past decade, mountain bike geometry has undergone significant changes, none more so than in the enduro category. The bikes raced at the first Enduro World Series (EWS) event back in Punta Ala, Italy, in 2013 weren’t even in the same league as today’s aggressive cross-country bikes when it comes to frame shape. A 67-degree head angle was considered slack, and a 425mm reach on a medium frame was relatively standard. In addition, many of those early enduro bikes still had a front mech and 26in wheels.
Today’s equivalents sport hugely different frame measurements, but this transformation didn’t happen overnight. Instead, incremental refinements were made each production cycle, which contributed to a general trend towards building longer, lower and slacker bikes that were able to charge down the timed stages yet still be pedalled uphill on the transitions. Most brands played this game, with some being more eager to try new things, and others following behind with a more reserved approach.
Over the past few seasons, things seem to have settled down, with the majority of brands now conglomerating around similar figures for their enduro bikes. In some cases – as with Commencal’s Meta SX – this means they’ve reverted to slightly shorter and steeper geometry than they’d previously experimented with. A 64-degree head angle is expected, plus or minus half a degree, while reach values around the 455mm to 470mm range for a medium frame are common. However, a few companies – including GeoMetron, featured here – continue to push the envelope of what was thought possible with more extreme geometry concepts.
THINGS SEEM TO HAVE SETTLED DOWN... HOWEVER, A FEW COMPANIES CONTINUE TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE WITH MORE EXTREME GEOMETRY CONCEPTS
There’s no denying that the changes made over the past decade
