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I think this is a great valid question. Here's my two cents on how to make a bike flickable/playful/poppy/unstable (four words that mean basically the same thing in MT : 1. Shorter chainstays. This has been beaten to death. 2. Higher BB. As others have said, your bike is more stable front to back when your feet are below the axles, and less stable when your feet are above them. 3. Smaller wheels. A mullet is more "flickable" than a 29" bike, and a dual 650 bike is going to be more unstable than a mullet bike. 26" bikes are king...

The changes to the B1 all seems like a response to issues people had with the A1 without admitting it. And the biggest complaint of all, "the lever is too hard to pull" confounds me to this day. Really? I think the A1 line is preferrable in this chart, at least it's unique to other options an not similar like the B1?

So they don’t use a control pad or a control rotor? Their test setup photos don’t look like they properly apply the force to the pocket of the brake lever either. Junk science all around IMO.

They're just copying srams retarded decision to tuck the hoses up against the bars as though we're all roadies that are going to integrate them into our bars and headsets. I thought we'd effectively communicated to manufacturers that we didn't want that shit but Shimano is late to the party and has misread their customers once again. So now we get more cable rub and noise from both the major brands, unless you're a weirdo who buys Scott I guess. Gives everyone else a little more motivation to explore other options.

Pads and rotors are both things easily changed by the end consumer. For the lab data, they should have used either control pads and rotors from someone like Galfer, or used the best available from each OEM. If they wanted to use whatever OEM pads were fitted for subjective on-trail testing that would be fine but you don’t get meaningful lab data with a random spread of pads. Another note that makes me question their testing too: their setup photos for the Maven on the lab test make it look like they may not be applying force to the correct...

Different seat height every time I extend the dropper, and having to micro-tune seat height with the lever every time? Hard pass, for me and especially for beginner riders.

Catching up on the thread and not to pile on to said dead horse but there is info out there for Athertons (bikes, racing, trees, etc) if you're so inclined. Some interesting reading if you're @jeff.brines geeky. For the record, I like what they're doing, am a big fan, and hope to add one of their bikes to my garage later this year. Atherton Bikes 1, 2 Atherton Racing Dyfi Bike Park Dyfi Timber Company Atherton Group Holdings Tenths Distribution

oh wow, theres probably only 2 people who I would genuinely be offended by getting confused with so I must have phrased that post very poorly sorry....I thought the fact I still acknowledged a good reason why the plot would use sag would be the biggest giveaway? @ebruner your hat is safe!