# What is an ideal chain stay length?



## urbanfreerider (Aug 13, 2007)

If you use a bike for street and DJ, what is an ideal chainstay length for such a bike? I see lots of different frames with different chain stays. I hear that the shorter it is the better but then I still see some high end bikes with 16.15in (yeti DJ) while I see the atomlab trail king frame with 14.5 in. Is it down to just personal preference? What are the pros and cons of a long chainstay verses a short one for street and DJ?


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

Do you not realize that different bikes have different functions? So different bikes will have different geometries...

Are you going to start a thread asking for ideal HA? And another for ideal SA? And another for ideal TT length? And one for ideal seattube lenght? And one for ideal bottom bracket width? And one for ideal rear end spacing? And one for ideal standover? And one for ideal seattube size? And one for ideal BB height?


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## aggiebiker (Apr 18, 2006)

ideal cs length is exactly 18.37611. if its not exactly that, your bike will be COMPLETLY UNRIDEABLE. (this cs length is only ideal for 20 inch, 24 inch and 26 inch dj/xc/road/park/street/ or stationary bikes)


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## urbanfreerider (Aug 13, 2007)

XSL_WiLL said:


> Do you not realize that different bikes have different functions? So different bikes will have different geometries...
> 
> Are you going to start a thread asking for ideal HA? And another for ideal SA? And another for ideal TT length? And one for ideal seattube lenght? And one for ideal bottom bracket width? And one for ideal rear end spacing? And one for ideal standover? And one for ideal seattube size? And one for ideal BB height?


No just chainstay lenght.


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## sittingduck (Apr 26, 2005)

Shorter stays will make the bike a lot more nimble, flickable, and easier to manual. Longer stays are a bit more forigving and feel a bit more stable. If you like doing lots of rotating tricks and manual tricks, shorter stays are ideal. But not for 50 foot gaps. LOL


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

If you're doing gigantic stuff... longer stays. But you aren't... If you're doing lots of spinny/poppy stuff... shorter stays. But you aren't...


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## BikeSATORI (Mar 20, 2004)

The Yeti is going to be aimed at more 4X/dual slalom style. fast and big lines while pedalling your jazz off. The longer chainstays will allow you to crank that power down and get big speed without lifting the front end too much. Same concept with bmx race frames...

shorter chainstays will allow you to become a wizard. a wizard of the ways of the street that is... not really though, but hey, that's what marketting is telling us these days.
13.25 on the Tierra. I'm sitting at 14.75 on my duece-quad.

but...... I've been testing one of these protos now for a couple of decades... and the feel _all _depends on crank arm length. yeah.... ponder that one.


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## *B* (Mar 17, 2007)

aggiebiker said:


> ideal cs length is exactly 18.37611. if its not exactly that, your bike will be COMPLETLY UNRIDEABLE. (this cs length is only ideal for 20 inch, 24 inch and 26 inch dj/xc/road/park/street/ or stationary bikes)


I believe it's 18.37612...._jeeez_


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## JBsoxB (May 18, 2004)

since you do 55 ft gaps at whistler (don't worry. i believe you), 36" would be ideal.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

My bike sits at 15,89'', a bit less when I slam the tire(tire's too big to do that though).

Ideal length for the chainstays doesn't exist. Period.

You want them longer for 4x/DS to be able to really lay the power down without making the bike wheelie too much, and on wide open, fast and big DJ's, they are much more forgiving.

Shorter stays are awesome for slow tech urban stuff, general spinning and manualing for days on end. Jumping they can rock or they can suck, depending on the jumps. For very steep and short jumps I'd rather have shorter stays, longer on less steep and long DJ's.


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## urbanfreerider (Aug 13, 2007)

So if a bike was used JUST for dirt jumping would the chainstay lenght of lets say the Jackal at exactly 16 inch be good or bad for almost every different kind of jump?


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## Rb (Feb 28, 2007)

My bike's C/S length: 15.98" (406mm for the euros)

You should buy it.


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## dalton8 (Aug 15, 2007)

jesus!! no wonder i cant learn fvcking manuals on my kona stuff dirtjumper... it is so hard, especially when the chainstay length is a whopping 16.7"


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

I can manual Kona DJ bikes just fine, in fact, I was popping wheelies on XC, DH, and flat bar road bikes all over the shop. Sure, a shorter CS can help, but if you've got no skill, it doesn't matter how short those stays are. Keep practicing and you'll find the balance point.


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## BikeSATORI (Mar 20, 2004)

dalton8 said:


> jesus!! no wonder i cant learn fvcking manuals on my kona stuff dirtjumper... it is so hard, especially when the chainstay length is a whopping 16.7"


oh man, my fully's cs are 16.7 with 6"+ of travel.

My buddy has a Kona Cowan and everytime I hop on that thing to ride it's like I'm going to dislocate my shoulders I have to yank so hard just to b-hop or manual, compared to what I'm used to! :eekster: doesn't seem like those numbers would effect a ride that much, but no doubt about it, you can feel it. (doesn't help my buddys' ride is rigid, lowering the bb height even more, but hell, it doesn't stop him, he can t-whip and I can't so I don't rip on his bike, hahaha...  )


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

i like em short. but not too short...

13.25 on the tierra is crazy(that is the new fly frame right?) don't think i would really dig that. 

on my 26" the wheel sits at about 15.85" give or take. 

on my 20" it sits at about 13.8-14".

i can manual/spin a lot better on the 20" but still manage to do fine on the big bike.


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## dalton8 (Aug 15, 2007)

> oh man, my fully's cs are 16.7 with 6"+ of travel.
> 
> My buddy has a Kona Cowan and everytime I hop on that thing to ride it's like I'm going to dislocate my shoulders I have to yank so hard just to b-hop or manual, compared to what I'm used to! doesn't seem like those numbers would effect a ride that much, but no doubt about it, you can feel it. (doesn't help my buddys' ride is rigid, lowering the bb height even more, but hell, it doesn't stop him, he can t-whip and I can't so I don't rip on his bike, hahaha... )


yes, just about everytime i try to manual it either just comes of the ground for 2 seconds or i come of the back!!! (i can wheelie fine on this bike though) when i try to manual i fall back to fast and thats why i come of the back... it sucks


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

Shift your weight around. If you're falling back, you can feather the brakes a bit to bring the front end down.


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## dalton8 (Aug 15, 2007)

> Shift your weight around. If you're falling back, you can feather the brakes a bit to bring the front end down.


 yes i would, BUT... i dont have time to as the bike falls back way to fast, its like there is no balance point, its either not enough or way to much.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

Practice practice practice. Hone those reflexes. You can pump with your legs and feather the brakes.


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## mesier (Jun 5, 2007)

*dalton8*!
How to manual:
Move your ass lower, nearly to rear wheel. Hold your back and hands straight. Bend your legs in knee. Don't twitch bar, just pull it slowly.
When you'll get balance point, you'll feel it. It will seem you that you sit in comfortable chair.
When balance point was find, keep it by moving your ass onward or backward.


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