MTB flipchips: What are the advantages of geometry adjustment on a mountain bike?

What is a flipchip on a mountain bike?

To be honest, many mountain bikers have never used the flipchip on their bike, if they have one. Some may not even be aware of its existence. This is understandable, as this tiny component is usually hidden inconspicuously in the suspension of the shock or in the chainstay and is often not even labelled. Also on trend: adjustable steering head shells, with which you can easily increase or decrease the steering angle. Usually by 0.5 degrees. Some might mistake the flip chip for a robust washer. However, these inconspicuous parts on the frame of the mountain bike can actually bring about noticeable changes in riding behaviour by making minor adjustments to the geometry.

What does the flipchip do?

Flipchips change the geometry of the frame parts connected to them and thus influence the seat angle, steering angle and bottom bracket height. The differences are usually small, often less than one degree in the steering angle and less than one centimetre in the bottom bracket ground clearance.

In practice, however, these subtle changes are definitely noticeable. A steeper steering angle (normally labelled as the "High" position on the chip) makes the bike more agile and manoeuvrable. On steep climbs, you automatically adopt a more aggressive climbing position. The bottom bracket is higher, which offers more ground clearance in rooty or rocky terrain.
A slacker steering angle (normally the "low" position) stands for improved downhill characteristics. The bottom bracket is lowered, the centre of gravity is lower, the bike is more stable and provides more safety at high speeds.

Turn it up, turn it over, done!

The effort required for adjustment is manageable. A small Allen key is often sufficient. If necessary, the geometry can even be adjusted on the trail. In this case, however, care should be taken not to lose any of the small bolted parts.

But there are also disadvantages. We interviewed two designers, each with different opinions. The question is: Should manufacturers leave the geometry up to the customer?

Pro

Yes and no, geometry adjustments make bikes more universal. There are many trails with different terrain: narrow, rough or fast and rough, etc. Here, the customer can react and adjust the bike to their area of use. So that the customer knows what he should set up for which requirement, specialist brands such as Focus have dealers on hand to provide advice and assistance. The argument of higher wear is justified, but it can be solved constructively, e.g. with plastic headset shells. -Fabian Scholz, Focus design engineer

Contra

I say no. This number of adjustments is counterproductive for the hobby rider and simply overwhelms him. The manufacturer should know in which setting his bike offers the greatest range of use. If a flip chip is used, then it should be on the rear triangle, e.g. to adjust the kinematics. In my opinion, the trend towards adjustable steering angle shells is overrated and also comes at the expense of durability. The more moving parts, the higher the maintenance costs. - Thomas Harter, Intense design engineer