Originally Posted by hoss10
To recap I’m having my dream touring bike built and I just received the preliminary drawings.
I have very “unique” body measurements in that I have a 31 inch in seam and I’m 6'5" tall (O.K. I’m a freak), because of this we decided to use a sloping toptube to give me some stand over clearance. Besides looks, the bike looks like a Mountain bike, (a really cool mountain bike) is there any disadvantage in having a sloping toptube? Why do more road/touring bike not use them it seems like a good idea when it comes to stand over.
No there is nothing wrong with sloping top tubes. You end up with a bike that has a smaller, lighter, stiffer frame. That's the reason that you see so many mountain bikes with them. If there is a downside it would be in a stiffer rear triangle which would make for a slightly harsher ride.
The reason you don't see them in touring bikes (and I'm donning my asbestos undies as we speak
) is because we touring nuts tend to a rather conservative bunch. If anyone still made
Draisines, a not insiginficant part of the touring population would argue that they are all that you need to go around the world. Chains are just too complicated for real touring use