HakeemT wrote:Thanks for the insights Calnago.
To be honest, I've not given the whole trail/rake thing much thought. Then again, that's probably because I haven't experienced the bike wanting to 'wash out', or other erratic behaviour going around corners (and I race plenty of criteriums). In the end, I've set up the bike with my preferred saddle height and position relative to the BB, and then just race the shit out of it.
@Hakeem, the characteristics I'm speaking of are subtle for sure, and if you are racing the shit out of it you are probably in a pretty aggressive position most of the time, weight pretty forward and thus planting that front wheel in crit turns etc. I certainly don't mean to imply that it's unridable and is going to wash out when you look sideways. And the body adapts to the handling of any bike it's on quite frankly. Keep riding the shit out of it.
@Konky: Yes, I am one of those people. In order for those people to even comment they probably have a fair bit of knowledge about the geometry they are looking for and geometry in general, gained from experience and a good bit of study. The handling characteristics of long trail versus short trail as defined by head tube angles and fork offsets, weight distribution etc., are not specific to any one bike. Storck is that outlier in a cluster of finely tuned road bikes. I merely question why, what is their reasoning behind their geometires. The body is very adaptable. If I don't feel right on a bike after a week, then the bike is not right for me... let alone several months as you suggest. I don't want to have to "learn to love" it. I want to love it from the start. I know that Storck's geometry is not right for me, and apparently lots of others too... and when the distributors were at a loss to answer any of my questions it just screamed "pass on this one". At the time I was researching these frames for an interested party. That you have found your home on Storck is great. But you're right, it's not for everyone. I've often wondered what a "majestic" ride might feel like however. So if I come across one in my size, I will for sure take it for a spin.
DMF wrote:I would go out on a limb, and think maybe Marcus Storck is one of those guys with a short torso and long legs but short femur bones, in which case the geo (with the inline seatpost in place) actually makes a lot of sense. I.e rider positioned far forward and with the bars low.
Horses for courses, but I can definitely see a course for this horse, even if it's obviously not for everyone, you might be thankful that it is there at all as these geos are few and far apart for the riders who need 'em.
We're not all built around 72,5/73 geo with 20mm setback and 120mm stems.
@DMF: I get what you're saying, and I do not know what Marcus Storck's physical attributes are, but he is producing bikes to sell the the public, not his twin. If he's convinced there's that many people out there with those attributes, then great... produce away. It's just that he really seems to be more about producing different designs merely for the sake of being different than improving on the existing.