Sloping or Traditional? What's your choice?

redddraggon
redddraggon Posts: 10,862
edited September 2008 in Workshop
The more I look at bikes the more I notice the better looking frames seem to be of the traditional horizontal top tube frames. There are still some nice sloping frames but they seem to be the ones with shorter headtubes.

Anyone else think this? I think I want a steel frame now :P
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Comments

  • Scrumple
    Scrumple Posts: 2,665
    Mine is a sloper.... PX carbon.

    Can someopne please explain the merits / reasons for both types?
  • Lagavulin
    Lagavulin Posts: 1,688
    A slightly bowed top tube. :P

    Think the extreme slope in my ('06) Allez looks a bit sh!t now.

    Don't think I could get away with the Ribble winter/audax with the horizontal TT. My Izoard (medium) has a 14.5cm headtube. For a 53-54cm TT I think I'd have to go with the sloping and flipped stems look w@nk. :x
    2010 Cannondale CAAD 9
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  • iga
    iga Posts: 155
    As I've got a horizontal top tube, steel frame I had to vote for that!
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  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Lagavulin wrote:
    Don't think I could get away with the Ribble winter/audax with the horizontal TT. My Izoard (medium) has a 14.5cm headtube. For a 53-54cm TT I think I'd have to go with the sloping and flipped stems look w@nk. :x

    My headtube on my 50cm ribble (55cm TT) is ~12cm, with the headset and a couple of spacers I've got the "stack height" to 14.5cm. Seems fine to me.
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  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    iga wrote:
    As I've got a horizontal top tube, steel frame I had to vote for that!

    heh same here
  • gavintc
    gavintc Posts: 3,009
    I have both - not bothered.
  • mr_hippo
    mr_hippo Posts: 1,051
    I have both but prefer horizontal for the simple reason - it looks better. A sloping top tube and long seat post looks like you are riding a bike that is too small for you.
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    both! the mortirolo is really one or the other. :)

    "slighty sloping"
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  • synchronicity
    synchronicity Posts: 1,415
    What's with sloping? I mean why bother? What's the idea behind it?

    They make the frame so small and then they go and stick a seatpost a mile long on it.

    You don't even get the full range of saddle height adjustment because the seapost often interferes with the bottle-cage mounting bolts on the seat tube. A compact frame might be stiffer, but when you consider the whole bike it isn't.

    People then come to me saying something along the lines of "I'm 6 foot tall and I need a 52cm rental bike". No I don't think so... it just confuses people with the sizing.

    AFAIR, giant introduced compact geometry to reduce production costs on their first carbon frames... they didn't need to make as many sizes. Less tooling/mould costs.

    While we're on the subject, I think integrated seatpost designs look silly too! Now they're making stubby seatposts which make the whole thing look uglier than ever (ritchey). ISP frames are more difficult to fit into bike travel cases for a start. Not only that, but it isn't worth as much second hand because no one's sure if it'll fit them after it's been cut.

    Needless to say, I voted standard horizontal geometry on this one. It also looks better! :D
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