[schlim]

What do you guys think of the offset chainstays on the new 07 bikes? I've seen these on some Konas and they're a little odd looking. :skep:

Is the benefit of this better front derailleur clearance? Less chainslap/chainsuck?

 

[coolhandluchs]

Popular feature

I think the benefits of the asym stays are a stiffer (or same stiffness) rear triangle with less weight. Whether or not it makes any real world benefit...

As for odd looking, get used to it. Trek, Specialized, Yeti, Ellsworth, Turner, Kona, Iron Horse, Scott, Ibis and probably a dozen other companies I can't think of right now are using 'em, usually on lighter weight bikes.

 

[cactuscorn]

I think the benefits of the asym stays are a stiffer (or same stiffness) rear triangle with less weight. Whether or not it makes any real world benefit...

As for odd looking, get used to it. Trek, Specialized, Yeti, Ellsworth, Turner, Kona, Iron Horse, Scott, Ibis and probably a dozen other companies I can't think of right now are using 'em, usually on lighter weight bikes.

its stiffer. straight lines normally are. by how much... yould have to ask a cad guy. and yer right, its lighter as well. straight lines and all ya know.

i think they look excellent! a very moto look. brings me back to the 1st time we saw the '97 afterburner.

 

[RED5]

I think it's just one more reason to not waste money on a Turner when you can get a Kona for a lot less $$$.

 

[schlim]

I think it's just one more reason to not waste money on a Turner when you can get a Kona for a lot less $$$.

Rode both. Bought Turner. Money well spent.

 

[cactuscorn]

I think it's just one more reason to not waste money on a Turner when you can get a Kona for a lot less $$$.

tea comes in similar bottles to beer too and also costs less which is just dandy if ya prefer flavored water to a good imported brew. cheers!

 

[turnerbikes]

derailer

the drop on the right is for the front derailer, no sense in putting it on the left as CC mentioned the shortest distance is a straight line. There are only a couple other ways around it, raised chainstay or put the derailer on the chainstay so it move with the rear end.

DT

 

[Jerk_Chicken]

Rode both. Bought Turner. Money well spent.

Kona is very common out here, so believe me, I tested them to get a feel for them. It's not that I wasn't impressed, I just didn't like the ones I tried as much as Turners offerings. I wasn't impressed with the frame only pricing.

PS- one could go sour grapes into the Kona forum and tell them to go with the original, but that's not what it's all about.

 

[freebiker]

Why are these asym stays w/held from the flux and sultan models?

 

[FM]

Why are these asym stays w/held from the flux and sultan models?

Like DT mentioned, the chainstays are asym. to provide clearance for the front der. as the suspension compresses. On shorter travel bikes, (i.e. flux and sultan) the chainstays don't rotate upwards as much during suspension compression, so clearance isn't an issue.

With longer travel bikes (7" and up), the asym chainstays don't provide enough clearance, so on most bikes you have to run the F. der really high... The Highline has a really cool design to work around this: with a wide 83mm BB shell, the swingarm & pivots are vertically off-center (closer to the non-drive side) so the front der. can sit outboard of the chainstay bridge. :thumbsup:

 

[freebiker]

Nitrous has asym stays and less travel than both flux and sultan.

 

[FM]

Nitrous has asym stays and less travel than both flux and sultan.

True, but of course there's more to it than amount of travel. BB height, pivot location and seat tube angle all factor in to the amount of clearance between the F. Der and chainstay.

Looking at the '07 photos, I notice that the Nitrous does not have a CNC'd chainstay yoke like the flux and Sultan. With a CNC yoke on a shorter travel bike, it's easier to make both stays the same length. Notice that neither of these bikes have a distance between drive-side chainstay and main pivot. My guess is that the nitrous lacks the CNC yoke to save weight, and the asym design was used to keep it light and simple while providing enough clearance for the F. der.

Nitrous:

Flux:

Now look at the RFX and how much more clearance they had to provide for the F. der:

Sorry to get OCD about this, but having worked at a custom frame shop, I find it pretty interesting...

 

[Juan Speeder]

Why are these asym stays w/held from the flux and sultan models?

My guess is that their wasn't enough time in the year to design a new yoke for the Flux/Sultan along with all of the other changes the line saw this year.

I'd bet that both the Sultan and Flux get assym stays for '08.

 

[cactuscorn]

bet yer right on both counts.

 

[SCUBAPRO]

put the derailer on the chainstay so it move with the rear end.
DT

IIRC, Specialized is working on that.

 

[Dusty Bottoms]

The RFX has the dropped chainstay since it will most likely be run with 2 rings. The others are assumed to be adorned with 3 rings.