How does chainstay length affect the way a bike handles?

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How does chainstay length affect the way a bike handles?
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flag mountainbiker1122
Posted: Jun 21, 2016 at 14:15 Quote
I am trying to understand how the length of a chainstay affects how the bike handles. To my knowledge, a longer chainstay is more stable at speeds but harder to wheelie/ manual. I have also heard in some places that a short chainstay improves climbing traction, while other sources say a longer chainstay is better for climbing. I just want to know what the pros and cons are for both a short or a long chainstay. And what lengths would be considered "short" and what "long."

Thanks
flag rileyager
O+
Posted: Jun 21, 2016 at 18:41 Quote
You were right with your first assumption about stability at speed. Yes a longer rear end will be more stable at speed than a shorter rear end provided the front centers of both bikes were the same. However shorter chainstays make the bike a little bit more playful and more maneuverable in tighter corners. Shorter stays would also make manuals and wheelies easier as your weight is naturally farther back on the bike. In terms of climbing traction, that has less to do with chainstay length and more with suspension kinematics.

Long and short chainstay lengths can vary depending on whether the frame is a hardtail or a full suspension, whether the frame was designed with front mechs in mind or not, the axle width at the back, and also the wheel size that the bike was designed around.
For 26" and 27.5" full suspension bikes, something between 420mm and 430mm would be considered short, while for a 29er, something in the mid 430's would be considered short. And then for hardtails, stays can be as short at 400mm for smaller wheels.
flag mountainbiker1122
Posted: Jun 22, 2016 at 14:45 Quote
Thanks a lot. I have recently been looking at the Yeti sb5c but I'm worried that its 442 mm chainstays will make it difficult to wheelie or manual and very clunky around corners and at low speeds. Do you think this will be an issue, or the chainstays are short enough?
flag lifeofloon
O+
Posted: Jun 22, 2016 at 17:20 Quote
The Yeti sb5c is one of the most capable bikes out there. I wouldn't worry too much. Yeti is pretty good about demos if you have a local dealer.
flag rileyager
O+
Posted: Jun 22, 2016 at 20:20 Quote
442 isnt terribly long. there are definitely bikes out there with longer chainstays. And unless you're an elite level rider, you would be hard pressed to notice a difference between a rear end like the sb5c and something a bit shorter
flag Buggyr333
Posted: Jun 22, 2016 at 22:26 Quote
As far as the climbing thing goes, Chainstay length can effect climbing in 2 completely different ways.

Shorter chainstays can be better for climbing because your weight is more directly over the wheel, making it harder for the tire to break traction.

However, Shorter chainstays can be bad for climbing since your weight is more over the back wheel, and less over the front, the front end tends to wander more and make it more difficult to hold the line you want to, even sometimes wheelie-ing accidentally.

which one of these factors effect you more depends on the rest of the frames geo numbers.
flag mountainbiker1122
Posted: Jun 23, 2016 at 11:13 Quote
Okay thank you for your responses. You've been really helpful Smile
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Jun 25, 2016 at 18:35 Quote
I was wondering this about short chainstays too. Seems every bike manufacturer is trying to blast about having the shortest stays out there. I mean, I kinda don't get it. Isn't the shortest possible chainstay the distance from your hub to the outer tire? If they want them short just make em that exact distance, no?
flag rileyager
O+
Posted: Jun 25, 2016 at 18:40 Quote
gbeaks33 wrote:
I was wondering this about short chainstays too. Seems every bike manufacturer is trying to blast about having the shortest stays out there. I mean, I kinda don't get it. Isn't the shortest possible chainstay the distance from your hub to the outer tire? If they want them short just make em that exact distance, no?

Theoretically thats what determines chainstay lengths on a hardtail, but if you did that on certain full suspension frames then you would risk the tire hitting the frame before full travel was achieved. Chainstay length has to take into account things like suspension design and also front triangle design, as well as whether the frame accepts a front mech or not.
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Jun 25, 2016 at 20:49 Quote
bowbikebuilder wrote:
gbeaks33 wrote:
I was wondering this about short chainstays too. Seems every bike manufacturer is trying to blast about having the shortest stays out there. I mean, I kinda don't get it. Isn't the shortest possible chainstay the distance from your hub to the outer tire? If they want them short just make em that exact distance, no?

Theoretically thats what determines chainstay lengths on a hardtail, but if you did that on certain full suspension frames then you would risk the tire hitting the frame before full travel was achieved. Chainstay length has to take into account things like suspension design and also front triangle design, as well as whether the frame accepts a front mech or not.

Right. Now that I spent more than 1 second thinking about it, that totally makes sense.
flag Nolipol
Posted: Jun 26, 2016 at 0:22 Quote
CS length cannot be considered in isolation.
For seated climbing it is tied in to the seat tube angle because that will determine your entire of gravity, which affects traction and front wheel lightness.

And then consider the front end.
Short back end plus long front end leads to stable and playful (maybe).
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