Horizontal top tube frames

TommyS

I'm not new to cycling, but I am new to this forum and I suppose this could be seen as a beginners question in the grand scheme of things....

Anyone else have a dislike for contemporary compact and sloping top tube geometry road bikes?

I've just bought a new bike and was always cynical of compact frames and this past week of riding has done nothing to change that. I'm tall at 6foot 2 inches, but all my height is in my legs. I have to go for a smaller size frame than my height would suggest so as to be able to reach the handle bars without needing a 5cm stem.
I'm very worried what having so much seat post exposed will do to the frame. The minimum insertion point on the post is well hidden, but there are some serious leverage forces going through that seat tube and stays!!

Can anyone direct me to suppliers or shops still selling older style horizontal top tube bikes?

I'm not after anything fancy, simple 7005 double butted and possibly steel forks etc.
The cheaper the better as I've now feeling the pinch after speccing out a bike I don't really like.

I've seen those ribble frames, but wonder what else is out there.

I'm based in south london, so if anyone knows that their LBS has some old style frames knocking about I'd be grateful of a heads up.

Cheers
Thomas

bigmat

I'm 6'2" as well and have a Prorace traditional geometry frame for the same sort of reasons you've described. 58cm, perfect fit. The obvious choice would be Trek - Lance always stuck with regular geometry and I think Trek are the same to this day. Ribble's Terry Dolan designed frames also look the part.

meagain

"I'm very worried what having so much seat post exposed will do to the frame. The minimum insertion point on the post is well hidden, but there are some serious leverage forces going through that seat tube and stays!! "

While horizontal or sloping is of course a matter of personal preference, as long as the post is within min insertion and goes below the intersection of seat and top tubes I really don't think that "leverage" is an issue. Free ride and even down hill mtb'ers often have loadsa post out and kick some serious s*%" out of the rear end without any obvious problems!

PhilofCas

Cannondale are another company that haven't swayed too much away from the horizontal with their top tubes

NervexProf

Click here http://www.witcombcycles.co.uk/

Barry Witcomb is an experienced frame builder - firm is based in Deptford SE8

mr_hippo

TommyS wrote:

Anyone else have a dislike for contemporary compact and sloping top tube geometry road bikes?

For a tall rider like myself with a 36" inside leg, the sloping tube frames look like I'm sitting on an undersized bike. My Trek 3900 hardtail is great but I have just seen a photo of me on it and it looks all wrong! I decided to get a hybrid and Trek do sloping tubes up to 22.5" but their 25" do not.
My LBS had a Trek 7200 25" in stock, I tried it out but it was too big even for me, my road bike is 25"! The problem was the suspension seat post; after we changed the seat post to a normal one, it was perfect.
I have not done many miles on it as I have just got over my first cold in many years but with bit more tweaking, it will be a perfect fit.

cyclingfury

I too think that sloping top tubes just don't seem to look right for tall riders on larger framed bikes. Some people think a horizontal tube is old fashioned. I prefer to think they have a "timeless" look to them!

I'd be interested to know how you've avoided colds for many years Mr Hippo. Any tips?

Beardy10

You could do a lot worse than Condor IMHO.

They have one bike called the Classico that has a perfectly horizontal top tube as you would expect with a name like that. None of their bikes have what I would call a compact geometry either. I just bought a Baracchi from them which I am very happy with. They make most of their bikes to order so it's fitted to you properly with right stem length and angle etc. I am 6'2" and have a 58 cm frame.

mr_hippo

cyclingfury wrote:

I'd be interested to know how you've avoided colds for many years Mr Hippo. Any tips?

More good luck than mnagement! Back in the UK - no central heating in the bedroom, here in Bangkok no air conditioning.

wastelander

I believe that Somec, Gios, Casati and Time all have 'traditional' frames in their range.

acorn_user

A lot of smaller builder will make whatever you ask for. Vetta and Simoncini are Italian custom builders that will work with aluminium and are good value. Cycles Clements in the UK importer for Simoncini. I think an aluminium frame would start at about 200 pounds and go up from there. You would also be able to choose your paint job. I cannot think of any UK builders that build with aluminium at the moment. Lee Cooper in Coventry has in the past.

mr_hippo

My 25" Trek 7200 - seat post changed from suspension to normal one.
UK price about £320

giant_man

The geometry is always different of course and most compacts suit more people that trad geometries. Possibly why some manufacturers offer less compact sizes, such as Giant.

Every compact I have ever tried fitted me better than the equivalent horizontal geometry model. Also depends how you are built of course.

PHcp

If you're looking for an all round road bike/winter trainer/Audax type frame, have a look at the Kenisis Racelight T. Wiggle have some for £150, If you don't mind the brown colour (it's a very nice brown) . They also do a ITM £40 carbon fork that goes well with it. I'm waiting on the last few bits to finish mine off.
Frame
Forks

TommyS

Thanks for all the replys.

Yeah 58 cm is what i used to ride in terms of bikes with a horizontal top tube.

Eventually I will go the custom route and get a frame made for me. It is pretty much the only way I'll get a bike that really fits me.

I've been talking to a number of taller riders recently and nearly all had problems with sloping top tube bikes in terms of fit....who knows why.

For now I think i'll do what I should have done anyway and get the frame I was riding (nice steel criterium job, custom made for someone of a very different build to myself, but one which seems to fit me) re-spaced and a few other mods to accomodate modern components....seems I've gone down a very exepnsive route of getting a tiagra groupset...oh well live and learn.

McBain_v1

My Enigma Esprit has 'traditional' top tube alignment and that is one of the reasons that I bought one

McBain_v1

My Enigma Esprit has 'traditional' top tube alignment and that is one of the reasons that I bought one