I don't want a road racing or a full touring bike, so I'm piecing together what I want. Please let me know where I'm going wrong:
- Soma Smoothie ES frame, size 58 or 60 TBD
- IRD carbon fork, 1-1/8, made for 57mm brakes
- Ritchey fuzzy logic, 1-1/8 headset
- Stem: to be determined by frame size; probably 110mm with a 58ETT or 90mm with a 59ETT
- Ritchey Pro seatpost, 27.2
- Ritchey Pro Biomax handlebars, 31.8x44cm
- Ultegra 6510 3x9 shifters
- Shimano 57mm brake calipers (the Smoothie ES frame & IRD fork call for 57mm-reach brakes)
- Deore M530 44/32/22 ring crankset; I'll get a 36T middle ring now and 48T/26T rings when I can
- 105 5500 9-speed triple front derailleur, allows a 22T difference between
- 12-27 9-speed cassette, make/model TBD
- Ultegra 6600 rear derailleur, 9/10-speed, 27T max cog, triple-compatible
- Ultegra/Open Pro wheels or Velocity Deep V wheelset
- Continental Gatorskin 700x25 tires front & rear
.....
I'm about 6'1", 185lbs. I keep my seat at 79cm height, 8cm setback. I like my bars pretty close to saddle height.
I've got to two bikes which I use as a reference for sizing:
Bike #1: 58cmETT, 74*ST, 73*HT, 195mm head tube with 290mm steerer length from fork crown to top of headset cap with a 17* 110mm stem.
This bike has me fairly spread out, even with the 17* stem.
Bike #2: 58cmETT, 73*ST, 72*HT, 200mm head tube with a 275mm steerer, 8* 110mm stem. This bike fits me pretty well and has a shorter reach than bike #1 which makes it easier to ride for longer periods.
I'm undecided between the Smoothie ES 58 and 60 frames.
The 58 frame has a 58ETT, 73*ST and 73*HT with a 170mm head tube. The IRD fork comes with a 350mm steerer length so I can easily end up with a 290mm steerer length if I want to. Just don't know if I want so much steerer tube exposed.
The 60 frame has a 59ETT, 73*ST and 73*HT and a 190mm head tube. I want the longer head tube but the longer top tube is a cause for concern as I don't want the bars too far out there.
I'm familiar with the French Fit- get larger bike because the handlebars "retreat" towards you. In this case, though, the steerer length can be the same either way; I'm just choosing between an 170 or 190mm head tube length to contain more of it.
Will having a
shorter head tube with the same length steerer make the steerer less prone with flexing or breakage?
Please advise..