Bike porn

Re: the Rob English winter/touring bike...

This is what worries me when I think about custom bikes and not seeing what it's going to be like until you've shelled out major bucks. I see that bike and think it's amazing and all morning I've been yearning for one similar.

Then I see that someone else thought the same, and like me is a bit taller than Mr English (though not as tall as I am) and see that they've asked for their own. And you get this: http://www.englishcycles.com/custombikes/jvs-winter-bike/#

And whilst it's pretty similar, albeit with ugly paint, it does absolutely nothing for me whatsoever. The geometry is just nasty looking and I'd probably need at least an extra cm or two on the head tube. :(

A taller person = a bigger bike, not just more scoblestack. I agree the green one looks terrible. The paint doesn't help.

I think the bigger one would look better with a more level tt that ended in a proper rack above the rear wheel instead of the low pannier rack.

You've just undesigned two clever features there. The geometry allows seatpost flex (for comfort) and a small rear triangle (for stiffness). The low rack rails keep centre of gravity low when carrying panniers.

It's the headtube and spacer stack, and lack of saddle to bar drop, that makes it look so bad.

This. I'd rather have a positive rise stem and less stack. Being a new bike I guess the green monster was shot prior to the owner getting it dialed in and swapping out spacers.