There is an increasing number of options coming with increased set back just like there are higher rise options (like 50mm Chromag and 76.2mm ProTaper). PNW dipped their toes in with 10° and I think it's been well received. SQLab at 12° and 16°. Stooge Cycles has a great looking 17° backsweep aluminum bar.
That doesn't even get into all the custom steel and Ti options out there.
Anyways, in terms of the design, Fasst has done the classic thing of re-sizing a successful Moto product for mountain bike usage. I sure - as I pointed out in referring Rev grips, SQLab saddles, etc - with the average age of mountain bikers continuing to climb more and more products designed to help people keep riding, or ride more comfortably, will pop up.
I think it's arguable that a flex bar is easier to design well (stiff fore-aft and forgiving up-down) compared to the twisting loads a stem takes - especially with a wide mountain bike bar - but I won't be surprised if I have an opportunity to test a suspension stem in the future.
That said, for folks that don't need the Fasst bar it looks weird, costs a lot of money, and weighs a fair amount. For folks that do need it, it's an awesome product.
...
I think in many cases (especially hardtails) super steep STAs are as much a product of minimizing chainstay length (tire-seat tube clearance) and making LONG Reach rideable as any benefit that's actually derived from the steep STA itself (recognizing that really tall people need steeper effective STAs).
I think the clearest examples (since mountain bike positioning does tend to be fairly dynamic) come to us from gravel riding where a lot of companies seem to have jumped on the steepish STA trend. Plenty of riders out there running 35mm setback posts with their saddles slammed rearward in order to create a proper pedaling position and get the weight off their hands.
Myself, I find my bar v. saddle height has changed dramatically as I have ridden larger and larger bikes. Once I get beyond a 470mm Reach (I'm 5'9") I can run my bar as high or even higher than my saddle and still weight the front tire perfectly. We're all [digging that short-person bike fit](https://meatengines.com/f/we-are-all-digging-that-short-person-bike-fit?blogcategory=As+The+Shore+Turns) :-).
June 15, 2020, 9:45 p.m. - Andrew Major
There is an increasing number of options coming with increased set back just like there are higher rise options (like 50mm Chromag and 76.2mm ProTaper). PNW dipped their toes in with 10° and I think it's been well received. SQLab at 12° and 16°. Stooge Cycles has a great looking 17° backsweep aluminum bar. That doesn't even get into all the custom steel and Ti options out there. Anyways, in terms of the design, Fasst has done the classic thing of re-sizing a successful Moto product for mountain bike usage. I sure - as I pointed out in referring Rev grips, SQLab saddles, etc - with the average age of mountain bikers continuing to climb more and more products designed to help people keep riding, or ride more comfortably, will pop up. I think it's arguable that a flex bar is easier to design well (stiff fore-aft and forgiving up-down) compared to the twisting loads a stem takes - especially with a wide mountain bike bar - but I won't be surprised if I have an opportunity to test a suspension stem in the future. That said, for folks that don't need the Fasst bar it looks weird, costs a lot of money, and weighs a fair amount. For folks that do need it, it's an awesome product. ... I think in many cases (especially hardtails) super steep STAs are as much a product of minimizing chainstay length (tire-seat tube clearance) and making LONG Reach rideable as any benefit that's actually derived from the steep STA itself (recognizing that really tall people need steeper effective STAs). I think the clearest examples (since mountain bike positioning does tend to be fairly dynamic) come to us from gravel riding where a lot of companies seem to have jumped on the steepish STA trend. Plenty of riders out there running 35mm setback posts with their saddles slammed rearward in order to create a proper pedaling position and get the weight off their hands. Myself, I find my bar v. saddle height has changed dramatically as I have ridden larger and larger bikes. Once I get beyond a 470mm Reach (I'm 5'9") I can run my bar as high or even higher than my saddle and still weight the front tire perfectly. We're all [digging that short-person bike fit](https://meatengines.com/f/we-are-all-digging-that-short-person-bike-fit?blogcategory=As+The+Shore+Turns) :-).