# suggestion for a bike with max 74.5° seat tube angle



## outback82 (Oct 20, 2021)

Hi guys, a friend of mine is very tall and the biomechanic said him that he needs at least 74.5° seat tube angle to make an efficient pedaling. He rides mainly trail and all mountain tracks. Do you know a brand that makes those kind of bikes with such as that seat tube angle?


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## mike_kelly (Jul 18, 2016)

Sounds like an old crit bike...


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## rollinrob (Feb 22, 2004)

Revel rascal has 75. Scoot the seat back and you get close


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## palmasi (Sep 26, 2013)

rollinrob said:


> Revel rascal has 75. Scoot the seat back and you get close


Intense Primer or 951 Trail have 75 degree STA. Both solid trail bikes with same frame, the 951 being a budget spec with decent components.


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

I think Niner and Canyon has bikes with STAs in that range. Bikes are getting long...and along with the reach...the STAs have to become steeper.


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## rton20s (Aug 27, 2010)

If I am understanding your post right, I would think the suggestion would be for 74.5 minimum, not maximum. This is especially true for taller riders where the "effective" seat angle in published specs ends up being substantially lower with a very high seat position. Tall riders end up "off the back" of the bike. In that case, you'll want to find bike with much higher effective seat tube angle (~78) which has become much more common on modern geometry.

Budget and desired travel would also help before suggestions are offered.


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## outback82 (Oct 20, 2021)

rton20s said:


> If I am understanding your post right, I would think the suggestion would be for 74.5 minimum, not maximum. This is especially true for taller riders where the "effective" seat angle in published specs ends up being substantially lower with a very high seat position. Tall riders end up "off the back" of the bike. In that case, you'll want to find bike with much higher effective seat tube angle (~78) which has become much more common on modern geometry.
> 
> Budget and desired travel would also help before suggestions are offered.


The fact is that the biomechanic said that my friend needs a 74° sta. I think he has taken into consideration the effective sta that will be set with the seat in position


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## Roto599 (Jan 3, 2010)

outback82 said:


> The fact is that the biomechanic said that my friend needs a 74° sta. I think he has taken into consideration the effective sta that will be set with the seat in position


Effective STA on many modern steep STA angled bikes might end up being around 74 for a very tall rider, as the seat tubes are angled rearwards a lot more than the STA suggests (and this varies greatly between bikes) - why STAs are so steep nominally is because the seat tube sort of starts in front of the bottom bracket nowadays. So, it might be very easy to find 74 effective STA for a tall rider. Another thing, which the biomechanic might not understand, is that when you pedal uphill, the STA in relation to horizon/ gravity becomes a lot slacker -> this is why modern steep STA bikes actually are better "biomechanically" in my opinion for riding uphill vs old geo bikes. However on flats the modern steep STA do put me (I am not very tall) too far forward to have the optimum knee angle. But if your friend rides in terrain that is mainly either uphill or downhill - and when going down he of course does not sit much on the saddle - he might actually not need a very slack STA...


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

outback82 said:


> Hi guys, a friend of mine is very tall and the biomechanic said him that he needs at least 74.5° seat tube angle to make an efficient pedaling. He rides mainly trail and all mountain tracks. Do you know a brand that makes those kind of bikes with such as that seat tube angle?


Is this “biomechanic” highly knowledgeable about modern mtb geo, or is this based on a road/gravel fitting?


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## Notyetman (Dec 12, 2021)

2020 and 2021 Trek Top Fuel is 75 degrees and adjust the seat accordingly . I too question that the bike MUST be precisely 74.5 degrees seat angle.


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## Salespunk (Sep 15, 2005)

74.499 to be exact

Seriously though, if racing road and seated for 5+ hours sure. Riding mountain where you are constantly moving fore/aft/seated/standing making pronunciations that the SA has to be X is a little silly. Mountain bike geo has changed so much that a lot of the old rules are out the window.

BTW if he is saying he needs a minimum of 75* then it would make total sense. Only thing is you did not give any parameters on the bike style. XC race, Trail, Enduro?


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

I don't trust this "biomechanist" any further than I can throw a bicycle in his/her direction. That's just not how mountain bikes work. Saddles can be adjusted, seatposts with different offsets exist, and most importantly, the geo and riding position on a mountain bike is NOT static. If the biomechanist is setting up a stationary bicycle, perhaps. What is the basis for such a rigid metric? F--king KOPS?


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## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

Since effective seat tube angle changes... at how many mm's above the bottom bracket?


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## timboland (Nov 10, 2013)

Black Market Roam


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