Originally Posted by
tallbikeman
The seat posts way out like Mr. Clem von Jones's Scott 29er make me cringe. The forces at work on that seatpost tube are magnified if the frame isn't triangulated by supporting seat stays near the top of the seatpost tube.
Maybe things were different back in the day, but the exposed seat on that bike is not unusual at all by modern mtb standards and is a non-issue. Even on a HT. With the move towards longer and longer dropper posts, that amount of extension is expected and planned for with modern bikes. You just have to make sure you have enough post insertion.