• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

Vertical vs post forward steering

Vertical-Extreme

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Sep 15, 2008
1,555
500
113
42
Airdrie, Alberta
www.airdriejudo.ca
Similar to my other post, I would like to hear from people that have spent a lot of time on both styles of steering. I ran a 14 from new till last year with a 3 inch post forward, then an 18 last year with a 1.5 post forward. But lots say the vertical steering is better in Technicial riding.
I would like to hear from who has tried both

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk
 

Chewy22

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 17, 2009
1,993
1,369
113
Montana
I had the 3 inch post forward on my 14. Left the vert on my 16, but used a 2 inch rox riser on the bottom of the riser to move it forward a bit. I like the 16 setup better. I’m 6’4 so like the bars forward a bit, the primary reason I tried the post forward on the 14. I also felt like with the 15 and old geometry, specifically the spindles you needed to be forward more on steep side hills. With the changes in 16, didn’t feel like you needed to be as far forward. Not sure if that helps, but just my take.

One thing to note - with the rox riser it’s angled down so not a full two inches forward.
 
P
Feb 28, 2008
680
181
43
45
Castlegar BC
i find the steering effort to be much much less with the post forward. and zero slop. my elbows and shoulders love it.

took me half a day to realize i had my bars tipped a little too far forward. once i found the sweet spot, i never really found myself in a position where i was wishing i still had the vert post.

i'm using a 1" forward block. i do wish the swing was slightly more vertical, but not as vert as the original.
maybe a 2" or 3" block, and then another angle adjustment on the riser would make it perfect.

another thing i noticed is that now i almost never use my lefty throttle. needed it all the time with my vert post.

i don't think i'd ever go back to vert. at least not unless the post was further forward than stock.
 

bgraff1

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 29, 2007
894
323
63
Lloydminster, Alberta
following. came from riding doo's with laydown steering and spent the last 6 years with a laydown style steering post on my cat and now have my 18 with the vertical. in the garage it feels very foreign and the couple times I rode my bothers sled it felt very weird. obviously it will take some getting used to, guess worst case ill toss in the lay down post I have
 

jakey-boy

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jan 10, 2009
1,447
787
113
Idaho Falls
instagram.com
following. came from riding doo's with laydown steering and spent the last 6 years with a laydown style steering post on my cat and now have my 18 with the vertical. in the garage it feels very foreign and the couple times I rode my bothers sled it felt very weird. obviously it will take some getting used to, guess worst case ill toss in the lay down post I have

If you start the season with vertical when you are rebuilding those mucles and muscle memory by halfway through the first day it will feel normal. It is really only noticeable when you try and jump back and forth the same day once you are used to something else.
 

bgraff1

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 29, 2007
894
323
63
Lloydminster, Alberta
If you start the season with vertical when you are rebuilding those mucles and muscle memory by halfway through the first day it will feel normal. It is really only noticeable when you try and jump back and forth the same day once you are used to something else.
that's what I was assuming, no different than hopping from one sled mfg to another. all takes some actual seat time before you can say one way or another
 

GBrown

Member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 5, 2007
133
22
18
I had a 12 with a 3" post forward and modified steering similar to the WYO mod to gain more steering swing, also had 16 spindles on it. Switched last year to a 18 mountain cat and kept the steering stock.

I did prefer the post forward steering, I think more for the forward body positioning on the sled rather than the difference on how the bars swing. I've left the 18 stock (for now) because so far I didn't feel the difference was worth hacking up the airbox that was required to install the 3" kit. More time on the sled might change my mind.

I definitely missed the added steering swing of the WYO mod going from the modified 12 to the stock 18. Very noticeable in steep terrain. Didn't do it last year because again I initially wanted keep things stock but I'm leaning closer to changing my mind on this part.
 
Premium Features