[blantonator]

So I've been riding my ASR5-C for a month now and still haven quite adjusted to the bike geometry. I'm coming from a specialized SJ with a 69.5* HTA and over an inch shorter wheel base and now I feel like I'm over shooting my turns. It feels like I have to lean/turn the front more than usual to get the bike around a corner, and sometimes I'm leaning past my tires and slide the front out. As of results I'm braking more in turns than my old bike and am not carrying as much speed.

I do love the stiffness of the frame and its overall climbing ability, but for xc riding, is the 68* HTA just to slack or have I just not gotten used to the geometry?

 

[dufferin]

Try a shorter stem to make the steering faster. How long is your stem now?

 

[blantonator]

90mm stem. Wouldn't want to go any shorter

 

[Grizzy]

Its the bike...

If you can ride a bike you dont need super slack geometry. Its for helping you not get sketchy if you dont have good balance.

Nothing will fix the fact that you have to steer with your bars more than with your old SJ. If the yeti had a 70'ish HA I would get one in a heart beat. New bikes are terrible in the steering dept.

There's 2 things you can do to compensate:

1) run your fork softer so it dives if you lean into the fornt end. You can push it down into a corner and get a steeper HA angle.

2) get a shorter travel fork.

Hope this helps. Sorry to hear about the adjustment; that frame is beautiuful and I'm sure you can get used to it.

 

[John Kuhl]

You didn't say which fork you have. If you have
a 140 instead of a 120, that could be part of your
problem.

Best, John

 

[Dogboy]

How wide are your bars?

 

[blantonator]

How wide are your bars?

120mm fox RLC and 24" bars

I was adjusted the sags, dropped the fork by 5 psi and upped the rear by 5. I also moved the seat forward. Will report back after my race wednesday.

 

[smithrider]

You will learn to lean more and steer less with the slacker angles. You will start to carry more speed as you adjust to this type of riding style. I personally guarantee it!

 

[antonio]

Have you already tried lowering/flipping your stem? Should help weight your front tire when pinning a turn.

If you do change your mind and try running a shorter stem, you may also want to get wider bars (will keep you from feeling too cramped).

btw - i agree with smithrider :thumbsup:

 

[blantonator]

You will learn to lean more and steer less with the slacker angles. You will start to carry more speed as you adjust to this type of riding style. I personally guarantee it!

I hope so, I've definitely gained more speed on the climbs than i've lost in the turns, but I'd like to be just as fast in the twisty stuff.

I tried the 27" bars that came on the bike, and I was hitting every other tree. I can certainly try lowering stem.

 

[Dogboy]

I would seriously consider something wider than the (quite narrow) 24" bars you have on there. If you couldn't adjust to the 27" bars that came on there, perhaps something between the two - maybe 26". The wider bars will spread your arms and lower your chest (center of gravity) which will weight the front end more. It has some of the effects of going to a longer stem but without the wonky handling that a long stem can cause.

ps. 68* is by no means super slack, you just need some time to adjust and you will find the bike is more stable and rails turns.

 

[blantonator]

I would seriously consider something wider than the (quite narrow) 24" bars you have on there. If you couldn't adjust to the 27" bars that came on there, perhaps something between the two - maybe 26". The wider bars will spread your arms and lower your chest (center of gravity) which will weight the front end more. It has some of the effects of going to a longer stem but without the wonky handling that a long stem can cause.

ps. 68* is by no means super slack, you just need some time to adjust and you will find the bike is more stable and rails turns.

I prefer the narrower bars, actually cut them down form 26" I assume dropping the stem, actually i flipped it, would have the same effect of getting my weight over the front. Narrow bars should steer faster too.

 

[yetirich]

I have seriously been considering getting one of the new Cane Creek Angle set headsets. Link here: http://www.canecreek.com/AngleSet
You can adjust it to give you 1.5 degree of steeper HTA adjustment.

I too have the slow steering issue. My ASR is at 69 and all of my other Yeti's HT's are 71 degrees HTA. Coming from a road background, where 72 or 73 is standard, it takes some time to get used to such slow steering. Even my cyclocross bike is 72 degrees.

I would say 68 is super slack when you compare it to other 4 and 5" travel bikes. Looking at some other bikes in comparison:
2010 Trek Top Fuel 9.9 SSL - HTA is 70
2010 Specialized S Works Stumpjumper FSR - HTA is 70.5
2007 Yeti ASR - HTA is 70

It appears that Yeti's believe is that with a longer fork you should have a slacker HTA and it will steer better. Just a thought.

 

[Dogboy]

I would say 68 is super slack when you compare it to other 4 and 5" travel bikes. Looking at some other bikes in comparison:
2010 Trek Top Fuel 9.9 SSL - HTA is 70
2010 Specialized S Works Stumpjumper FSR - HTA is 70.5
2007 Yeti ASR - HTA is 70

Firstly, compare the Fuel EX, not Top Fuel to the ASR5 - it is a much better, more accurate comparison. It is 69*, so a degree steeper. The S-Works Stumpjumper is 68.5* - not sure where you got that 70.5*. Most are getting slacker next year - the Stumpjumper Evo has a 67* HA. My point is that the ASR5 is not out of line with *current thinking on mountain bike geometry and is my no means *super slack - that would be in the 65-66* range for a trail bike IMO.

 

[blantonator]

I have seriously been considering getting one of the new Cane Creek Angle set headsets. Link here: http://www.canecreek.com/AngleSet

That's pretty cool. I'm definitely not giving up yet, but looks like there's an option to put me at 69* if I wanted.

 

[Dogboy]

That Angleset will not work with the ASR5. You need either a straight 1.5" head tube or a tapered head tube with a 44mm Zero Stack spec on the upper cup.

 

[blantonator]

That Angleset will not work with the ASR5. You need either a straight 1.5" head tube or a tapered head tube with a 44mm Zero Stack spec on the upper cup.

what are the dimensions of the upper cup on the asr5?

 

[Dogboy]

what are the dimensions of the upper cup on the asr5?

It is a traditional 1 1/8" press fit - 33.95mm.

 

[yetirich]

what are the dimensions of the upper cup on the asr5?

When all else fails, just call Yeti and ask them.

Dogboy, I actually looked at the wrong line for the Spec bike.

 

[smithrider]

Blantonator - Here is one more thing for you to consider. Tires and head angles go together. Given you have to lean more in the corners with relatively slacker angles (which really aren't that slack), you need to ensure you have a tire that provides appropriate cornering grip (read side knobs) on the front. Given what I can gather from your riding style, a consistent and grippy tire that will hold at any lean angle will work well for you. A Nevegal 2.1 or 2.35 would work well for you on the front and improve your cornering confidence. I can offer up other safe front tire suggestions for you as well if you like (Fat Albert, Trail King, etc). Rear tire really doesn't matter that much.

Conversely, trying to run a crossmark on the front would make the leaning a bit sketchy and make it difficult for you to carry speed. Crossmarks and tires of that ilk work ok for front tires when you are steering but not when you are leaning.

Just a thought.