Mountain Biking - Benefit of horizontal dropouts?

Are there any? My next frame is either the Cove Stiffee or the Santa Cruz Chameleon. However the Chameleon has horizontal dropouts. Ive never owned a bike with this setup so I dont know if it is a plus or a minus. Are they better than vertical?

I'm familiar with bikes with horizontal dropouts being singlespeed - allowing the rider to change chain tension by sliding the rear wheel forward and backwards in the dropouts. Couldn't tell you what else it could be for.

-Moab

Horizontal dropouts make for an easy conversion to singlespeed with no tensioner needed if you are ever so inclined. Other than that, I don't think there any other reasons to run one, but I don't think there are any drawbacks either.

Actually, you can change the characteristics of the bike by placing the wheel either fore or aft in the dropout. However, the Chameleon has them because as it's name implies, it can be changed to suit different riding styles. Single Speed, Geared, Dual, of DJ.

Both frames are good choices.

But if you get any frame with horz. dropouts, switch out your quick release for a regular threaded axle. You'll be happier you did!

L8R

Ill stick with the stiffee.

Kind of a preference. A lot of people that come directly from bmx like the option to change the geometry of the bike slightly. People who do big drops claim the wheel slides out (this is debatable but since I dont ride horizontal dropouts I definately can't directly comment) one thing that is pretty consistent is to use a through axel and not a QR :)

Horizontal dropouts allow for an adjustable wheelbase.

Move it in to get a quicker feeling ride, snappy and easy to lift the front end.

slide it back and roll it downhill style. Much more stable at speed.

I'll be running my Scream in the 16.7" setting (shortest), unless I want to race DH.

Also, if you buckle a wheel, HD's allow you to move it back for more frame clearance.

Klein frames (pre-trek) had horizontal dropouts, or at less my '97 did, and I was told by the rep. that Klein used horizontal dropouts on their frames b/c if your quick release came undone while riding the normal tension one puts on the chain would pull the wheel into the front of the horizonal dropout
I dont know, that is just what I was told... but it made removing the rear wheel very easy though, b/c you didnt have to worry abt the rear derailer