How does a chainstay length affect a mountain bike performance? (wrt: 26″, 650B, 29r)
5 min read
Asked by: Melissa Hayes
How important is chainstay length?
The popular perception is that chainstay length is one of the most important factors in bike design because stay length affects bike handling, acceleration, climbing ability, and descending stability.
How does chainstay length affect handling?
Chainstay length helps a designer determine the rider’s weight distribution between the two wheels. It also influences (because of its role in wheelbase) a bike’s handling. A bike with a shorter wheelbase will turn more quickly just as one with a longer wheelbase will turn along a larger radius.
Are longer chainstays better?
Longer chainstays create a more stable ride on rough ground and increase heel clearance around panniers. However, they’re harder to maneuver in extremely tight, technical situations. Shorter chainstays are not any faster, since they don’t significantly affect the mechanical efficiency of the drivetrain.
Why is a shorter chainstay better?
Shorter chainstays effectively reduce the wheelbase of the bicycle. The result is a nimbler, more maneuverable machine offering faster cornering – a good quality when the trails are extra “twisty”. The improvement comes at a price – reduced stability and potential lifting of the front wheel during climbing.
How do you calculate chain stay length?
What is chainstay length? The distance from the center of the bottom bracket to the center of the rear wheel axle. This measurement is taken from the side view of the bike, ignoring the z-axis such that the width of the axle or bottom bracket does not come into play.
What is a long chainstay MTB?
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.
What do shorter chain stays do?
However shorter chainstays make the bike a little bit more playful and more maneuverable in tighter corners. Shorter stays would also make manuals and wheelies easier as your weight is naturally farther back on the bike.
What is considered a short chainstay length?
Anything under 13″ is considered a short chainstay. More technical riders will be riding a short chainstay on their BMX because of the quick spins and snappy feeling that it provides.
What is a dropped chainstay?
Dropped Chainstay
This is a driveside only modification, so the pair of stays is asymmetric. The “dropped” stay in this pair curves downward as it approached the bottom bracket shell and back up again to join the frame. The curve is continuous, made from a single piece of titanium.
Why does seat tube angle matter?
Seat tube angles range from about 70-75 degrees. A steeper angle moves the saddle forward while a shallower angle moves it back. Steep is fine for racers. It allows them to ride hard in an aero crouch, as the more open hip angle doesn’t constrain breathing or power transfer.
What is bottom bracket drop?
Definition. BB Drop is the vertical distance between the centre of the bottom bracket, and the axles of the front and rear wheels. This is a fixed, static measurement. Once a bike is built up and has no rider on it, this doesn’t change.
What is a rear chainstay?
What is the chainstay? The chainstay or “stays” = The pair of frame tubes that joins the bottom bracket shell to the rear axle holders (the slots the back wheel goes in). This means that the chain stays connect the bottom bracket (BB) to the center of the back wheel.
How long should your bike chain be?
Using a ruler, a new chain should measure exactly 12 inches across 12 links, from middle of pin to middle of pin. The number most commonly agreed on for a worn chain is one percent elongation between links. In reality though, you want to replace the chain before this point.
Do I need to change chain when changing chainring size?
No. Reducing the chainring size by two teeth means the chain needs to be one tooth shorter, so half a full link. You can only shorten a chain by a whole link, which is two teeth’s worth of chain, so if the chain was optimal before you could make it too short.
How many links should my bike chain have?
116 links
Bicycle drive chain length
A new bicycle chain usually comes with 116 links. This is long enough for the biggest chainrings and for most distances of rear wheel from front chainrings. So for optimal length a new chain is usually shortened from the 116 links that come in the box.
What is a dropped chainstay?
Dropped Chainstay
This is a driveside only modification, so the pair of stays is asymmetric. The “dropped” stay in this pair curves downward as it approached the bottom bracket shell and back up again to join the frame. The curve is continuous, made from a single piece of titanium.
Why does seat tube angle matter?
Seat tube angles range from about 70-75 degrees. A steeper angle moves the saddle forward while a shallower angle moves it back. Steep is fine for racers. It allows them to ride hard in an aero crouch, as the more open hip angle doesn’t constrain breathing or power transfer.
What is bottom bracket drop?
Definition. BB Drop is the vertical distance between the centre of the bottom bracket, and the axles of the front and rear wheels. This is a fixed, static measurement. Once a bike is built up and has no rider on it, this doesn’t change.
How do I increase the reach on my mountain bike?
A bike’s reach is determined by the frame and you cannot change it. However, you can artificially increase the reach by purchasing wider or longer handlebars. This will force you to sit further forward while you bike, which is effectively the same thing as buying a bike with a longer reach.
How does bottom bracket drop affect handling?
More bottom bracket drop may improve handling by lowering the bike’s center of gravity, thus improving stability and providing more responsive rear-end handling (steering with body weight).