Originally Posted by
79pmooney
There's another aspect to this I haven't seen mentioned. (Granted, I haven't read every post.) Weight balance between the wheels. I started my adult life at 6'1/2" with long legs and very long arms. I come far forward (if the bike allows) when I stand. I also sit forward on the seat both going hard on the flat and on hairy descents. So, bikes with either short front ends or long rear ends (again, for me) will be light on the rear wheel. Any dirt on the road and I skid the wheel climbing standing. Bumpy corners on descents are scary. But a bike with a long front end and short chainstays solves both these problems for me. (Well, bumpy cornering takes some other things being right also.
These are technique problems, not bike geometry problems.
When standing and pedaling, your hips should be just in front of the saddle. This puts your hips roughly above the pedal spindle, or slightly in front of it.
On descents, all of your weight should be on the pedals, with your thighs gripping the nose of the saddle.