Originally Posted by isotopesope
i agree the seat to bar ratio is too big. profile designs makes a nice riser bar with two inches of rise. it might help. ditch that flat bar for sure.
I dunno... 3"-6" drop from seat to bars was the norm before long-travel forks and full suspension came along. They climb very well but steep descents are a bit trickier. If you can get your butt back behind the seat on the way down, I'd say you're doing very well.
As an aside, dutret is right about threadless headsets on mtn bikes coming well before those on road bikes. By 1993, most new mtn bikes came with threadless headsets, while road bikes didn't switch until... what, 2000? Later?