Top tube length bollox

[haro boy]

I'm an. Old school rider and trying to get my head around new bikes being judged on their top tube length.
Surely a bikes geometry is basically down to wheelbase, head angle and bottom bracket position? The top tube length is according to the seat post tube position , which is then governed by its angle, so how can the length of the top tube have anything to do with how a bike feels?

[ED209]

rear triangle is smaller
top tube is longer
wheelbase is about the same

simples

[dan-dare]

I'm an. Old school rider and trying to get my head around new bikes being judged on their top tube length.
Surely a bikes geometry is basically down to wheelbase, head angle and bottom bracket position? The top tube length is according to the seat post tube position , which is then governed by its angle, so how can the length of the top tube have anything to do with how a bike feels?

Good point, well put.....

[not johndub71]

Would explain the long manuals these young uns do. This witchcraft no braked hang 5s get me.

[Jon The Bassist]

I'm an. Old school rider and trying to get my head around new bikes being judged on their top tube length.
Surely a bikes geometry is basically down to wheelbase, head angle and bottom bracket position? The top tube length is according to the seat post tube position , which is then governed by its angle, so how can the length of the top tube have anything to do with how a bike feels?

It makes quite a lot of difference to how a bike feels if you're constantly smacking your knees on the bars or stem if it's too short  
I honestly think that we were let down in the 80s having to ride bikes that didn't fit.

[not johndub71]

I'll agree on that. I couldnt ride a Burner and a Trickstar was claustrophobic

[OrgasmDonor]

I'm an. Old school rider and trying to get my head around new bikes being judged on their top tube length.
Surely a bikes geometry is basically down to wheelbase, head angle and bottom bracket position? The top tube length is according to the seat post tube position , which is then governed by its angle, so how can the length of the top tube have anything to do with how a bike feels?

It makes quite a lot of difference to how a bike feels if you're constantly smacking your knees on the bars or stem if it's too short  
I honestly think that we were let down in the 80s having to ride bikes that didn't fit.

if the distance from bb to top of headtube is is sufficient the top tube could be 3.83" long n would make no difference at all to you bangin ya knees on the stem or bars if stood up, sitting down might be a bit of a problem (and you'd look a c*nt)   i got my head round this a good while back and coz i build bikes to ride ( a couple of members i've approached to buy frames off in the past may confirm) i always ask them to measure the downtube for me if the bikes tt is 20.5" or below. the bikes i have now all have different length tts (some shorter than i would have bought based on tt lengths but the downtube length, rider area, is above 21 1/2" on all of them, n that does me just fine, they only feel significantly different when sat down. tt length is irrelevent

back end makes a difference too, along with the obvious geometry



slipped off the herbal wagon a tad tonight, so the above might seem a bit long winded, but i'm fookin right i am  

[Jon The Bassist]

Understood Daz .  For a bike with modernish geometry (without a slack seattube angle) it is a helpful guide though but it's not the whole picture. Doggy's TNT was perfectly rideable for me without a massive top tube length, presumably the rider area on that was decent

[OrgasmDonor]

my TNT is the bike that proved the point, its got a 20.5 tt but the dt is as long as my other 21" frames, my revcore was a 20" tt and i never really enjoyed riding it as psychologically i thought it felt short but i measured the dt and it had exactly the same dt as my tnt and i felt it rode fantastically once i realised this, one of the best bikes i'd raced. i know its all a bit anal but sometimes its makes a huge difference to the confidence in ya ride. i had 180mm gt profiles on all my bikes n got a pair of 182mm ones n convinced myself that the difference was easily noticable, but what the fook is 2mm? thicker or thinner soles would have more of an impact but in my tiny mind each pedal was devastating 

[Gtbill]

i am only 5,6 so just get the bastards and ride  short or long 

[Betty]

Best email all the current manufacturers and let em know the last 30 years of development have been a waste of time 

[Dark Diggler]

Best email all the current manufacturers and let em know the last 30 years of development have been a waste of time 

There's none left in business since you went on a cracked frame expose rampage 

[OrgasmDonor]

Best email all the current manufacturers and let em know the last 30 years of development have been a waste of time 

There's none left in business since you went on a cracked frame expose rampage 

i want one of them cracked frames for my wall, if ya speak to dibly tell em i'm still waiting, n we miss him 

[Jon The Bassist]

Best email all the current manufacturers and let em know the last 30 years of development have been a waste of time 

There's none left in business since you went on a cracked frame expose rampage 

are we're goinG To expoSE dodgy frames that break then?

[ron burgundy]

I'm an. Old school rider and trying to get my head around new bikes being judged on their top tube length.
Surely a bikes geometry is basically down to wheelbase, head angle and bottom bracket position? The top tube length is according to the seat post tube position , which is then governed by its angle, so how can the length of the top tube have anything to do with how a bike feels?

I don't think any one judges a bike by it's top tube length. It's just used as guide for size. Other factors have to be taken into consideration regarding the way a bike rides.

[James Nada]

are we're goinG To expoSE dodgy frames that break then?

 

[Dark Diggler]

I think the new ranges from SE and Pure are absolute crackers

[OrgasmDonor]

I think the new ranges from SE and Pure are absolute crackers

geddit? 

[Betty]

Best email all the current manufacturers and let em know the last 30 years of development have been a waste of time 

There's none left in business since you went on a cracked frame expose rampage 

i want one of them cracked frames for my wall, if ya speak to dibly tell em i'm still waiting, n we miss him 

[OrgasmDonor]

is that yours?

[dan-dare]

is that yours?

Jacko's famous chat-up line.... 

[OrgasmDonor]

is that yours?

Jacko's famous chat-up line.... 

to which you reply, "its yours, if you want it "

[Jon The Bassist]

My SE behind the BB, both sides went the same, now welded up and working okay:



Hopefully the latest offerings from the big bike companies will be fit for purpose

[ron burgundy]

Good to see SE are keeping some of the classic features

[Betty]

John looks like you wanna avoid alloy frames 

is that yours?

My sons, don't know why he's kept it