You're exactly right that good cornering comes much more from 50/50 weight distribution than from steering angles. With a slacker head angle, you get the weight back over the front tire with longer chainstays*. You'd be surprised, but a crit bike will corner as well or better with a slacker head angle and longer chainstays that get it to 50/50, than one with a steep head angle that's at 60/40.
*That's my other rant. All size L-and-above MTBs have chainstays that are too short. That's why in EWS and DHI you see pros on frames that are smaller than what you would expect for their height.
edit: to put it in perspective, supermotos are the best-handling, highest-lean angle motorcycle format, especially at city speeds of 10mph - 50mph (vs. track speeds). Good riders can literally drag handlebar while cornering... corrected lean angles of 50+deg, uncorrected of 60deg. They have head angles around 63-64deg. To corner properly, you do compress the front a lot, to approx 66-68deg, but still much slacker than road bikes.
Jan. 21, 2022, 9:43 a.m. - Marc Fenigstein
You're exactly right that good cornering comes much more from 50/50 weight distribution than from steering angles. With a slacker head angle, you get the weight back over the front tire with longer chainstays*. You'd be surprised, but a crit bike will corner as well or better with a slacker head angle and longer chainstays that get it to 50/50, than one with a steep head angle that's at 60/40. *That's my other rant. All size L-and-above MTBs have chainstays that are too short. That's why in EWS and DHI you see pros on frames that are smaller than what you would expect for their height. edit: to put it in perspective, supermotos are the best-handling, highest-lean angle motorcycle format, especially at city speeds of 10mph - 50mph (vs. track speeds). Good riders can literally drag handlebar while cornering... corrected lean angles of 50+deg, uncorrected of 60deg. They have head angles around 63-64deg. To corner properly, you do compress the front a lot, to approx 66-68deg, but still much slacker than road bikes.