touring bike head tube length
Last Post 08/06/2014 11:49 AM by 79 pmooney. 5 Replies.
Author Messages
THE SKINNY

Posts:506

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08/05/2014 02:18 PM
why do touring bikes have such short head tubes? i see lots of surly long haul truckers with stacks of spacers and fugly upturned stems to get the rider in an upright position. i never see one with the bars slammed. you would think surly would make the head tubes at least as long as the newer endurance bikes.
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
stinkyhelmet

Posts:94

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08/05/2014 03:15 PM
Incremental savings by using less material? Save 1-2 cm of tubing over hundreds or thousands of frames starts to add up :-)
huckleberry

Posts:824

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08/05/2014 07:43 PM
It's so you have a better, more open view on your tour...
longslowdistance

Posts:2881

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08/05/2014 09:31 PM
LOL huck!
Does the retro look sell better?
Nick A

Posts:625

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08/06/2014 10:07 AM
My pet peeve is shallower seat tube angles. I know the "reason" for this, but for my body geometry, I need a more forward riding position.

Nick
79pmooney

Posts:3180

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08/06/2014 11:49 AM
Nick, I often have challenges with laid back seat tubes but for a different reason. I have long femurs so a seat on a 72-73 seat tube. and a traditional setback post works great. But almost always, those laid back frames have the same top tube length as more aggressive frames. I end up needing super long stems just to get the bars where they should be and mot leave me all scrunched up.

On more aggressive bikes, I also need the rear wheel quite close to the BB to keep it anchored on bumpy corners. So those bikes should have ~74 seat angles for tire clearance. (Or a cutout or curvy seat tube.) My good bike has 74 degrees and a 60 mm setback post.

bEN


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