[sfmtber]

Looking at picking up a Commencal Meta AM 4.2 and have been reading reviews about the bike. Sounds like it's exactly what I'm looking for but a little nervous about bottom bracket height - too low and hence pedal strikes- and chainstay rub on the drive side. Almost every review I've read mentions those two things.

I ride mostly in the bay area so trails aren't terribly chunky but am planning on this being my Tahoe bike.

Anyway... what's the real story on these issues?

Current bike is a Transition Scout and it has a low BB as well, which most of the time is fine but it does require some "pre-planning" when climbing technical chunky terrain.

 

[niels65]

You will eventually have a pedal strike when hitting something big and pedals aren’t horizontal, that’s in my opinion not more frequent than any other similar bikes.
I’ve ridden my V4 over three years and around 10000 km and I’ve had no chain stay rubbing, I ride with flats. A friend of mine has a V4.2 which he have ridden around a year and 2000 km, he ride clipless and he do have chain stay rubbing.
If you fear that chain stay rubbing will rub off paint, then add som helicopter tape.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[sfmtber]

thanks! not really worried about rubbing off paint. more worried about it just being annoying to the point where I'm not enjoying the bike. the way it was written in the reviews, it seemed like a big issue but since I can't demo the bike, I can't tell for myself.

for this bike, i would probably ride it with flats.

 

[mrFreelancer]

Looking at picking up a Commencal Meta AM 4.2 and have been reading reviews about the bike. Sounds like it's exactly what I'm looking for but a little nervous about bottom bracket height - too low and hence pedal strikes- and chainstay rub on the drive side. Almost every review I've read mentions those two things.

I ride mostly in the bay area so trails aren't terribly chunky but am planning on this being my Tahoe bike.

Anyway... what's the real story on these issues?

Current bike is a Transition Scout and it has a low BB as well, which most of the time is fine but it does require some "pre-planning" when climbing technical chunky terrain.

I've been riding the 4.2 for the past 1+ year and have had very little issues with chainstay rub. In fact, the few times I've experienced it were trivial, and I ride flats. As for the low BB, unless you're doing some serious chunky rock gardens or very short sharp drops at low speeds, it's almost a non issue. I fly through some really chunky stuff and rarely have hit my BB. If you're not putting her through some technicals, you really have nothing to worry about.

On the other hand, I've also crashed with this several times on the DH and this bike can take a beating. My fav bike thus far.

 

[dougiet]

I ride the 2019 AM 29 clipless wearing size 14 shoe and have no issues with calf rubbing or pedal strikes.

A suggested fix for calf rub or shoe rub on crank arms is to add pedal washers, but my calves are not the size of Chuck Norris.