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Comment by loeg | Hacker News Reader

As a bicyclist, I'm amused this made it on to the HN front page.

I'm not sure I agree with the description of stack. Cockpit height can be adjusted with riser stems and different handlebar shapes; it's not solely a function of axle-crown and headtube length.

Without getting into it too much, some other descriptions are not great either. The general overview is ok but they make some overly strong claims.

I'm not sure I've seen wheelbase used much in a bicycle context, although it makes sense. You see it used for cars a lot.

Edit: The go-to source for bicycle information I'd point others at is Sheldon Brown's webpage, https://www.sheldonbrown.com/ .

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Thanks for the feedback. We tried to keep these succinct and approachable, and have probably over-simplified some things as a result. I agree that we've left out some important details, and are probably too focused on the frame geometry without clearly explaining how it relates to the contact points on a complete build. We'll try to make some improvements here. If you feel inclined to point out more specifics where you feel we missed the mark I'd love to hear so we can improve the site. You can reach me at bryan@99spokes.com, or use the feedback form on the site.

Everyone should think about this comment the next time they’re wow’ed by some link here.

When you’re knowledgeable about something and read an article/blog/whatever about that topic, it’s shocking how much is either somewhat off-base or just plain wrong.

The articles that aren’t about your areas of expertise are no different.

I agree with your general point but I think OP is being a bit picky about this particular page. The descriptions are pretty good and wheelbase is indeed a common bicycling term (I see it all the time in reviews and it’s listed on the product pages for the last three road bikes I bought—I just checked).

This website overall is a great resource for bike nerds, specifically their bike database; there’s nothing else like it AFAIK.

> I think OP is being a bit picky about this particular page.

That's fair. I didn't look at the other pages on the site, and in general the descriptions are solid.

To be clear, I was amused that it made the front page not because of inaccuracy, but because I don't think of HN as a community very interested in cycling.

Wheelbase is one of the most important measurements for mountain bikes. It determines stability at the cost of the ability to turn quickly.

It's definitely also important for road / track bikes! My observation is just that it usually isn't described by that name (or even necessarily that specific measurement). (In my experience, YMMV, etc.)

For example, Look publishes Chainstay (sometimes called "Rear Center") and "Front Center" (BB to front axle) measurements, separately, for their frames, but does not publish axle-to-axle / wheelbase measurement.

Sometimes it is described sort of qualitatively as "cramped" (on the short side).

Mountain bike reviews will frequently mention wheelbase, and most brands I’ve been perusing lately will mention wheelbase in their geometry section.

Agreed. These are frame geometry measurements, not contact point measurements as they are sometimes described in the article. A small but important distinction.

The sentence: "Stack gives an indication of how tall or upright a frame’s cockpit is."

Should be more along the lines of: "Stack gives an indication of how tall or upright a frame’s cockpit can be."

Frame geo is very useful info but it's best to think of it as an indicator of a range of points in space wherein you can reasonably position your contact points.

Wheelbase is important if you're using a bike for transportation. A longer wheelbase makes for more stability and helps with carrying groceries, children, or other cargo. It does make the bike feel less nimble so may not be optimal for purely recreational riders.

Not only. Modern trail and all mountain bikes also have longer wheelbases so they're more stable at descending slopes at full speed.

Too many risers or an unorthodox stem can adversely affect the handling, aerodynamics, and structural integrity of a bike. Not to mention they can adversely affect the aesthetics.

While other measurements (wheel base, trail, rake, bottom bracket drop, etc.) may more significantly affect the performance and handling characteristics of a bike, no measurements are more important to the correct sizing of a bike than stack and reach.

Dan Empfield has written extensively about this at Slowtwitch.com if anyone out there wants to read more about why stack and reach are essential measurements when correctly sizing a bike.

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