Hence, looking at the bike, I sometimes wonder why it was named 'Moose-stang'. Every branded car maker had tried to introduce their own engineering expertise into the bikes bearing their name. Why not Volkswagen?
So when I read about Gary Fisher's Genesis geometry, I wasn't very impressed.
From Treknology:
How did Genesis geometry get started?
In the spring of 1997, Gary Fisher himself was riding along his favorite trail when suddenly he found himself thrown head over heels over his handlebars. One minute, the father of mountain biking was in single track bliss, the next he had a broken wrist. It was a freak occurrence, a rare event for a rider as skilled as Gary, but it made him think. why? Why had he gone over the handlebars? Why was his center of gravity so far over the front wheel in the first place? This started Gary thinking about bike geometry. It was the genesis of Genesis.
What is Genesis Geometry™?
In a nutshell the angles on a bike are changed to allow for more even distribution of the rider's weight on the bike. A simple sounding concept that has proven to make a big difference. Genesis makes mountain bikes more reactive and more stable, which in turn makes riding safer and more fun. Genesis also make going faster easier, and that has changed how the race world builds bikes.
How does Genesis Geometry™ work for me?
1. Climb more efficiently
because your chainstays are shorter and stiffer. This ends up putting more weight over the wheels which in turn improves traction.
2. Descend with confidence
because your center of gravity is optimally positioned. The rider is further behind the front wheel.
3. Navigate with extreme precision
because your stem is shorter, necessitating a smaller arm movement to steer.
4.Maintain your usual riding stance
because your relative position is unchanged. Genesis allows for the natural distribution of your weight.
Alright. None of the above are new to me, because the Volkswagen delivers on all counts. Whenever I ride a friend's bike, I am always amazed at how different their bikes feel compared to mine. The Moose-stang is much more stable at speed, a missile on wheels.
The compromise seems to be a certain sluggishness in quick manuevering, a lack of flickability on the rear ... making it necessary to get the line dead down before entry, and to use the rear brake and tire to correct the line instead of simply whipping the back end. My rear is glued to the ground. Or maybe my trail riding skills aren't there yet. Also, I've also never flown over the handlebars, something which I am thankful for. In fact, it's pretty damn nigh impossible to endo or faceplant on the steepest inclines.
Million dollar question: does the Moose-stang have Genesis Geometry?
When you look at it, this frame is quite specifically designed to position the handlebars further up front with a long top tube, slack headtube angle leading to a long rake/increased wheelbase, yet with a tight rear triangle.
Compare the Moose-stang to a Genesis Gary Fisher.
Genesis Geometry features a long toptube paired with a short stem. This moves the front wheel forward, which increases confidence and control on descents because you're less likely to go over the handlebars. Plus, saddle-to-handlebar length remains the same for a sweet fit. And, to compensate for the increased wheelbase, Genesis Geometry features short chainstays, which place more weight over the rear wheel for improved traction.
Except the stem isn't short. But that's a part from my old bike. I plan to test a shorter stem some time.
Apart from that, was Volkswagen in fact the first to come up with Genesis geometry, independantly of Gary Fisher? And because of its stability, the guys decided to give it a name that evokes speed and climbing ability? (Mustang/Moose-stang?)
Anyway ... geometry is just a bunch of variable angles. Gary just slapped a name on his particular combination. Marketing man.
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