Less Long frames?

Anybody know why it is so hard to come across frames which have a shorter top tube than the seat tube?

It seems square is most common. But then you get a lot of frames with a short seat tube but long top tube.

Bikes always seem to be too long for me, especially when wanting to use drops/hoods. But at the same time I need something relatively tall. I have to put both seat & stem pretty high. It would work a lot better if I could find a short top-tube frame. Which would also mean I would not have to rely on short stems, which fuck up the handling.

Has anybody come across many (second hand ideally) frames like this?

something like a 52 TT but 56 ST ? (not a lo pro!)

Women tend to have longer legs than men so look at women specific bikes.

happen to me too, I want a 57cm ST but need a 55cm TT for the same reason as you - to ride on the hood.

compact geo frame seemed to be the answer, I now have a 55.5cm TT (with 55cm ST) , with 90mm stem and brake hood give me the perfect position.

in an idea world, I would go for a custom build frame that'll fit me nicely but alias cost is still the issue.

most bikes use whats known as a traditional road geometery: getting you tretched out and in an aggro position. up until recently this was the norm, now companies are offering a compact geometry, making the bike a little shorter up top and using the seat post and stem to compinsate for the shorter tubes. this still might be an issue for you. you should check out a womens specific design. they're made with longer down tubes and shorter top tubes to accomidate what people refer to as teh classic womens shape: long legs and shorter torso. i've found that calling these womens specific frames isn't fair because just as many men are benfited by this as ladies, and theyre harder to sell to men that fit on these bikes better.

oops, i left this open while i showered and didn't notice everyone said what i just said. haha

Anybody have some tips for finding S/H steel frames with women's geo, but not step-trough/mixte type?

Frames designed to be aggressive racers have short top tubes. This is because the rider is expected to have a large saddle to bar drop, which shortens his/her reach. The problem is these usually have shorter headtubes, as well steeper angles.

Need long headtube & long seat tube.

All the smaller size frames seem to have an extra long top-tube. Like all the 49-52cm bikes posted here/ebay that are snapped up by guys for their girlfriends. Have they all missed the fact that the bike is not going to fit the long legs & short arms/torso?

Are there any cheap OTP that cater for this market?

lethal

come down to london, see scherrit and he can then suggest frames that'll fit

lethal

come down to london, see scherrit and he can then suggest frames that'll fit

beward...;

Fit means nothing, just HTFU.

on a serious note, he should able to help you in suggesting a frame that'll fit you.

Need long headtube & long seat tube.

All the smaller size frames seem to have an extra long top-tube. Like all the 49-52cm bikes posted here/ebay that are snapped up by guys for their girlfriends. Have they all missed the fact that the bike is not going to fit the long legs & short arms/torso?

Are there any cheap OTP that cater for this market?

Generaly speaking shorter folk have similar length spines to taller folk, but shorter legs. My ideal horizontal frame, as a shortie, would be around 510mm seat tube, 535mm toptube. So short and long (relatively speaking). Often when you get to large frames, the top tube is shorter than the seat tube.

I think this generalisation works pretty well, untill you take into account the variances in flexibility, and arm length.

what is your definition of on the cheap?

By OTP I mean something similarly priced to pompino's, genesis's, mongoose maurice's, giant bowery's and that sort of thing.

aren't Plugs weirdly proportioned?

I went to check their geo, and look like you're right.

Small Charge Plug have a 53.5cm top tube, while maintaining a 56.9mm seat tube, the Extra Small one have a 52.5 TT with a 54.5 ST

look like it almost fit nicely with your required measurment o'deadly bumbag.

yeah that's what i thought - i'm the opposite, very short legs and long torso for my height and there isn't a plug size I can ride comfortably.

Fuck me, a plug?

My least favourite bike ever, and it looks like I may have to get one.

I just cannot bring myself to do it, plugs are just so heavy & ugly looking. Plus maximum "fixie scene" tax on second hand ones.

Justbuy the PlugTi and build how you like.

(only £1260, bargin)

You could get the Ti one. People were asking why anyone would want one of those but looks like you are a good example. Although could obviously get a custom frame for less!

a lots less, something like £500 for a fully custom frame with decent tubing (Reynolds 631 or equal).

you know, in your situation I think it's defintely worth getting a custom frame, with a custom frame, you won't need to get another frame again when it fit you perfectly.

You could get the Ti one. People were asking why anyone would want one of those but looks like you are a good example. Although could obviously get a custom frame for less!

Some of the Enigma Ti frames start at around £999 - £1200, and if I remember right, custom geo is around £150. So a simple singlespeed frame, with you own geometry, made in the UK, should'nt cost much more than the PlugTi. If you fancy trying XACD, you could a least half that.

Planet-X and On-one sell various quality OTP Lynskey frames for around £800.

I cant see how the PlugTi is anything other than grossly overpriced TBH.

I cant see how the PlugTi is anything but grossly overpriced TBH.

Exactly, the Plug Ti is double butted titanium, while the Burls (cost like £750-850) is plain gauge titanium, the price appear to be perfectly normal.

Exactly, the Plug Ti is double butted titanium, while the Burls (cost like £750-850) is plain gauge titanium, the price appear to be perfectly normal.

I meant that they were grossly ovepriced.

The Planet-X/ On-One Lynskey OTP frames are double butted and £460 less. Granted they dont have a singlespeed Ti, but the price comparison stands.

A basic singlspeed XACD, with butted tubing, would likely be £700 less.

If I was paying that kind of money on a frame I woud expect replaceable or adjustable dropouts so it would work for SS & geared.

Regarding my own predicament though, the geometry details for the mongoose maurices is now available so I checked it and it seems the smaller sizes have similar ratios to what I need!

They rrp at £349 making them a lot cheaper than plugs or biachi pista's, but I think the actual frame and forks looks loads nicer.

If I was paying that kind of money on a frame I woud expect replaceable or adjustable dropouts so it would work for SS & geared.

Regarding my own predicament though, the geometry details for the mongoose maurices is now available so I checked it and it seems the smaller sizes have similar ratios to what I need!

They rrp at £349 making them a lot cheaper than plugs or biachi pista's, but I think the actual frame and forks looks loads nicer.

Sorry went off on a Ti tangent ;)

They're pretty short those bikes. I was checking trick frames but as they assume people will run short stems and zero reach bars (flat or riser), the top tubes are actually quite long.