[Closed] Geometron Curious

I've got a Longest G16 in Sheffield. You're welcome to a test ride if you're ever down here on a Sunday and fancy riding Wharny or Greno.

I came from a hardtail so can't comment on the Enduro switch. I will admit it's an odd bike and takes some getting used to. You really notice the difference when you go back to a 'normal' bike and it feels super sketchy. I used to lust after my mates Bronson but now it feels short and twitchy. It's like when you get on a bike with a really long stem and you feel like you're going to faceplant all the time.

There's a Facebook owners group here- 

You might find someone close to home with a bike you can check out.

I went from a 44mm reach 26er Ion 16 to a 520mm reach Longet Geometron and it felt.........not that weird at all. In fact its surprisingly normal.  There's a slight adjustment, and after a bit other bikes start to feel awfully short, but there's no big "OH MY GOD THIS IS WEIRD" shock. And then you notice climbing traction and  how stable it all is.

THey're not for everone, but  for me its the best bike I've owned by a mile. And if you're very tall, it may well be a "finally, a bike that fits me" moment.

Ahh thanks for the offer, my folks live in Sheffield so might take you up on that! Im 6'2 with short legs and a long torso.

I used to have an Helius AM 26" with a reach of 440mm, the Enduro is 470mm, but the seat tube is 520mm. It feels OK, but i could do with a lower saddle on the steeper stuff.

I also want to use 29" wheels.

Yeah I agree with honourablegeorge. They don't feel strange, that huge cockpit is a very comfortable place to be. Climbing traction is immense. I'm not a natural climber so anything that helps a little makes a big difference. I've done a couple of uplift days on it and it's far superior to my previous proper DH bikes in grip and stability. The rear suspension with a Mojo tuned X2 is the best I've ever felt.

When I say mine took some getting used to I just mean in terms of handling. Coming from a hardtail with a background of BMX and general arsing around I'm used to pulling up everywhere and trying to manual everything in sight. I find it much harder to get the front wheel up and haven't cleaned any rhythm sections yet. I'll get there eventually. Can't wheelie it yet but I haven't been out since New Years day.

Oh and yeah, when you jump on your mates modern 'enduro' bike, it'll feel like a 90's XC bike.

I came from a 26” Large Nicolai Helius AC to a longest Geometron. I am 6’ with 34” legs and long arms. I think my seat tube is 470mm reach 520mm. Perfect fit for me with a 31mm stem. Recently fitted a bike yoke 175mm dropper and when lowered it the Bike feels really low for downhill. A couple of days on the Geometron will make you realise you have not had a correct fitting Bike up until then and it will feel totally normal.

The G16 is 27.5 so not 29er but you can run a 29er front if you desire.

Oh and yeah, when you jump on your mates modern ‘enduro’ bike, it’ll feel like a 90’s XC bike.

I'm on a Pole, so fairly similar to the Geometron.  As others have said, it's ruined my other bikes.

'Normal' bikes just feel so wrong now.

Wasn't someone flogging a g16 in classifieds recently?

I went from a medium Lapierre Spicy with a reach of 428mm to a long Geometron with a reach of 485mm (went down from a 50mm stem to a 35mm stem at the same time). As others have said it felt normal from the off. Not had a chance to revert to a shorter bike but will be interested to try sometime.

Agreed with the comment that it climbs fantastically, and also that wheeling and manualling are harder.

The only time that I have noticed the longer wheelbase is that it’s worse at seated cornering. What I mean by this is trying to turn the bike on a fire road when seated the bike seems to require more room. On the trail (ie standing) I’ve never had an issue, in fact I’d say that cornering is one of its strengths. Not sure if that makes sense!

So sharkattack says that it is much harder to manual yet all the owners seem to love them. So what gives ? Is the manual just not a skill you care about? What about keeping the front up when going off drops.  Is that harder too ?

I'm crap at manuals on any bike. Zero issues on drops though, it flies

If these longer bikes are harder to manual, does that make bunny hopping more difficult too?

jambaron, I've never riden a geomatron, but i've had a  test day on  a Pole. That was harder to Bunny hop. I found a p7 hardtail harder to bunnyhop when i tried that too compared to more trad. geo.

the longer geo stuff is great if that's what suits what you ride and love doing i think, which for most people is smashing down hills.

I’m crap at manuals on any bike. Zero issues on drops though, it flies

What about slow-speed drops, or is slow speed just not a thing anymore 🙂

I’m crap at manuals too, which is what puts me off these longer bikes. I like the idea of the extra stability and confidence, but figure that, if I can’t manual the bike I’ve got I probably shouldn’t get something even longer.

I have a bike with the same geometry as a pole evolink 140. I love it, it's really confidence inspiring.  On steep and tight trails, its very forgiving, riding a friend's bike on the same trails feels like I'm going over the bars! On fast trails, it's just so stable and planted.

I find it hard to do slow, long manuals on a fireroad, but then I'm not great at them anyway. But when I'm actually on the trails, this isn't an issue. Also, it's harder to hop logs etc thanks some bikes, but it is a 150mm 29er!

It's not the most fun bike  for me, on mellow, flatish xc trails, or trail centres or bike park style jump lines, but I  didn't buy it for that.

I guess it depends what you enjoy most, I know people from BMX/4x backgrounds who lhavent enjoyed it as it's not the most 'playful' bike, and others  who have loved it.

I'd get a test ride if I were you.

I'm curious on these new longer geometries to but my impression so far is that for DH they are more stable and grippy and faster - which is fine, but for the 80% of the rest of the time when you're riding trails with ups, downs, little kickers you can grip a bit of air off, those big puddles or divots you might want to manual over or bunny hop over, those banks to the side of the trail you might want to ride up and jump off, a bit F-off long heavy bike just sound to me to be a bit much of a handful compared to a more conventional shorter bike.

Not sure if my impression is accurate or not - I just need to get out and ride one I guess. But you can't just significantly increase the length of the bike without compromising some aspects of the bikes handling and like everything in life its all about trade off's and you just need to decide where to make those compromises.

I do find my G16 harder to wheelie and manual but I came from a Cotic Bfe which was the polar opposite. Also i just havent been riding in the frozen slush we've had this winter, I've been slacker than ever. I've seen much better riders than me pick them up and launch them all over the place so I'm sure it's just technique and I'll pick it up.

Also, some people won't notice and won't be bothered by this. Not everyone "loves back wheel". If you do, maybe consider something else. I'm not a Geometron salesman on commission, it's not a bike for everyone.

I bought mine to replace my trail bike and a YT Tues DH bike. So far it's done all my local stuff plus uplift days with no downsides.

So if I can design a frame that is laterally stable but vertically volatile I will be quids in?  Or do I have to sort the stiffness/compliance thing too?

It is really worth trying one, there are a couple of good places to ride near where they are based.

Despite being a long slack fanboy, I'll happily admit it's definitely not the bike for everything.  IT really does like steep, and/or higher speeds to really make sense.

If your riding is mainly quite pedally, undulating then that's the sort of stuff I take the HT / rigid out on.  The Pole kinda crushes that sort of terrain and turns it a bit bland.

Low speed dropoffs are certainly a bit harder, no doubt about it.  Picking up the front end at low speed with 160mm of plush coily goodness on the front to suck up the 'pop' is always going to be more of a struggle than with a 120mm travel HT for example.

So if I typically ride long slogs up with steep downs and never wheelie, manual or bunny hop it should suit me ok?

I don't really have any trouble hopping and wheelieing my G16.

I'm not great at manualing it for any great distance, but no worse than on any of the other bikes I own.

It did take a little while to adjust to having to lean off the rear more and keep the front higher when carpark one wheel posing but not long. 😉

So if I typically ride long slogs up with steep downs and never wheelie, manual or bunny hop it should suit me ok?

Good effort, but you're no DTF. 🔔🔚

Good effort, but you’re no DTF.

No idea what DTF means?

That was a pretty accurate description of me and my riding so I'm not sure why you have a problem with it?

Even since I didn't buy a G13 I have had a niggling regret....

Leisure Lakes Bury have a G15 demo bike that can be taken out. It is the Longest size.

I found hopping fine on mine, manuals too albeit I am rubbish at them. Yes, it takes more effort, timing adjustment and if your technique to manual is just hoiking the bars then it's not going to be your friend. It's just something you adjust to. Slow speed drops are a non issue, how high do you lift the front wheel when you do them anyway?!

That said it's not as playful as something which a much shorter rear end. Roverpig, its the rear that makes more of a difference than the reach in my opinion, unless you're riding a bike with a reach that is too long for you. Some interesting articles out today on the subject, Matt Wragg on Pinkbike and on the Airdrop blog.

Smashing through stuff quickly that is on the edge of your comfort zone is where the G series bikes (and probably poles) are brilliant. Mine saved my ass a number of times in rough terrain in Finale. Bedmaker echoes my thoughts regarding slower, smoother, more undulating trails though.

No idea what DTF means?

Damn Trollin' Fule

TBF it did read a bit like one of his.

So if I typically ride long slogs up with steep downs and never wheelie, manual or bunny hop it should suit me ok?

No no offence but that is these are some of the most obvious misconceptions about the Geometron.

The Geometron is a lot more than on trend long, low, slack. It far from slogs uphill, it is always an eye opener for a new rider to find out how well it climbs. That said long uphills are a slog on any bike up here in t’Lakes. Wheelie and Manual are straight forward enough once you adjust to it. Bunny hopping zero difference to any other Bike.

The biggest misconception is tight twisty trails, the very short stem and slack head angle creates rapid steering and the long reach means you can commit your body to the attack positition even on really steep trails so there is loads of front end grip.

IME, the stability from a long bike more than outweighs any turning lethargy.  I got round more (alpine) tight hairpins in my "long" mondraker than i ever did on my "normal" length Lapierre

Fascinating discussion (and links).  Thanks.

I think chainstays and the ratio between front and rear centre may be the key for me. Short chainstays are the key to a playful bike and I think that's what I want, but I sold my Smuggler, a 29er with a relatively long reach (for its time) and relatively short chainstays (457 reach, 435 chainstays). Yes it was quite playful and it could be very fast. But to make it work I had to get my weight well forwards. Doing that meant that I felt over the front and lost all the confidence inspiring advantages that I expected to get from the longer reach and bigger wheels.

I also like to climb and longer chainstays seem to be an advantage there.

So, if I want a bike that climbs well and gives the levels of confidence that I've got used to on my fat bike I probably want a long bike with not too short chainstays. But that means giving up on a playful bike. It's a tough one.

I’ve been reading the big Geometron thread on here since it was started, and now this one. I’ll be honest and say I’d love one, and have been stashing the pennies accordingly!

But as time has gone on I do worry that maybe it’s too much Bike for me and my kind of riding, I like riding Trail centres, natural stuff ( I live in the lakes) and the odd trip to Gnar, or BPW.  Bit Im not going at the speed of light or doing 10ft drops to flat!

It’s tough as it’s at one end of the spectrum geo wise, and my current nine a transition is short at the moment 487mm reach but it’s been a revelation to me, and weighting the front really makes to go round the corner on rails.

I’ve startex to think of a middle ground would be better reach wise line the new rocket? I want to go longer and the new transition stuff isn’t different enough to warrant a change as although it’s longer the stem is proportionally shorter so I’m in the same position as near as damn it.

I'd love to have a go on one, (or the Pole evo-link) and TBH living in Calderdale, it would probs be OK, but The Edit I've currently got (453mm reach) feels pretty much spot on for me, but these days that's not that long...

Looking to go ahead on a G16 purchase soon but out here in HK theres zero chance of getting a test ride.

I'm currently on a Transition Patrol and looking for a little more reach, so bar just going up in size (Medium to Large) the G16 seems to be the good fit in that a medium gives me a huge increase in reach but not so much in wheelbase, weight or, for me with my short legs, standover height. I also do a lot of climbing on my local trails so a long bike with reasonably steep seat tube angle seems to tick the boxes.

For existing users, what do your bikes weigh (in steamy tropical weather too heavy a bike is hard work)?

Also, what front forks are you running (160/170) and do you go up to 175mm at the rear or stick to 155mm, I ask as I may actually go 170mm at the front and have two shocks (155/175) for local stuff and when I'm doing shuttles/bike park trips?

I’m running a 160mm Pike up front as I’ve heard that every time someone builds a Geometron without a Fox fork Chris Porter kills a kitten. I don’t like cats.

155mm rear and, controversially, I run the flip chip in the high/ steep position. (Mine is one of the original ones which can run the flip chip in the high or low setting at 155mm. The latest version uses the flip chip for the shock change between 155/ 175mm.)

But as time has gone on I do worry that maybe it’s too much Bike for me and my kind of riding, I like riding Trail centres, natural stuff ( I live in the lakes) and the odd trip to Gnar, or BPW. Bit Im not going at the speed of light or doing 10ft drops to flat!

My riding is 99% natural and I have a 180/155 1st generation Geometron. It’s a fabulous all day bike particularly for the Lakes as it is immensely durable. The long wheelbase with steep seat angle makes it a great climber. Worth remembering that you can set the Geometron up lots of different ways so if you went to a tail center you can stick a low drag rear tyre on, add a few clicks of compression and then you have a very spritely efficient ride.

I’m running a 160mm Pike up front as I’ve heard that every time someone builds a Geometron without a Fox fork Chris Porter kills a kitten. I don’t like cats.

I think Chris Porter is no longer Fox only so there should be some interesting alternative options for the Geometron appearing soon.

I’m running a 160mm Pike up front as I’ve heard that every time someone builds a Geometron without a Fox fork Chris Porter kills a kitten.

Just swapped out the180 Floats that came with my Geometron for 180 Lyriks. Spent a year faffing with nobs and adding and removing volume spacers and eventually got sick of them....they were ok but I could never get them to feel as plush as the160 Pikes that I have on a different bike.

They have made the world of difference straight out of the box with no faff. Also the black stanchions look better with the black frame - Iv really gone off chavy looking Kashima.

On top of all that I broke even despite buying new and selling used!