As a light weight rider the problem I have with "engineered" compliance is engineered for what weight? When I buy my cross country racing skis, my weight and skill level is critical in selecting skis. Top skis have a sticker indicating weight range. Certain compliant bars come in one flex. They don’t take rider weight or bar width into account. Manufacturers who claim vertical compliance do sometimes place number on that compliance but more often than not they just state it as a fact with zero data to back it up. Or magazine test riders who simply parrot what the manufacturer told them.
We tend to believe what we read because it’s often hard to properly test ride a bike before we buy so we rely upon the written word and word of mouth. Blanket statements about frame material being stiff or compliant have a basis in fact but tube diameter, wall thickness and other properties are equally if not more important. And double Diamond frames have no vertical compliance. None. Zero. Zip. Nada.
May 27, 2023, 9:13 a.m. - Andy Eunson
As a light weight rider the problem I have with "engineered" compliance is engineered for what weight? When I buy my cross country racing skis, my weight and skill level is critical in selecting skis. Top skis have a sticker indicating weight range. Certain compliant bars come in one flex. They don’t take rider weight or bar width into account. Manufacturers who claim vertical compliance do sometimes place number on that compliance but more often than not they just state it as a fact with zero data to back it up. Or magazine test riders who simply parrot what the manufacturer told them. We tend to believe what we read because it’s often hard to properly test ride a bike before we buy so we rely upon the written word and word of mouth. Blanket statements about frame material being stiff or compliant have a basis in fact but tube diameter, wall thickness and other properties are equally if not more important. And double Diamond frames have no vertical compliance. None. Zero. Zip. Nada.