Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - newb question

Had a knee injury, haven't ridden or thought about bikes since last June '11.

It appears sloping top tubes are becoming very prevalent on SS bikes? Last i checked this was something that the purists really hated, is the sentiment changing or are people saying they liked sloping top tubes before they were cool..

I like sloping top tubes, horizontal top tubes, and aggressive top tubes all the same. Each have their place in my aesthetic taste collective.

I will say in that new movie "Empire", the bike used by Dwain was very sloped, and was one of my favorite bikes shown.

I hate sloping top tubes...

hate.

There is a reason that most modern bikes have a sloping top tube. A few years ago the fixed scene was relitivly young, and had a lust after old steel track frames from the 70s, so that lust included horizontal top tubes. But as things have matured people collectivly realized that there are performance advantages to a sloping top tube. There is always the lust for the past(in most areas, including most bike "genres"), so there will always be some companies catering towards them.


This is all based in "hive mind", so don't give individualist examples please.

I don't mind sloping top tubes at all. I also like horizontal top tubes too. I currently have one of each.

It's really just that they're coming back.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Terront.jpg

I prefer non-sloping TT's. Although, I did ride a bike with a sloping TT for over a year.

But as things have matured people collectivly realized that there are performance advantages to a sloping top tube.
What are they? Not disagreeing, just asking.

What are they? Not disagreeing, just asking.

stiffer, or so I've heard. Due to a longer head tube I'd imagine.

What are they? Not disagreeing, just asking.
One advantage is that you can have longer top tubes without having to be as concerned that standover height is too high.

I don't know of any others.

I have two bikes with sloping top tubes, and one without. :)

to me, sloping top tube frames do seem stiffer while stomping on pedals, all other things being equal.

more room on seatpost for seatbag, light and backscratcher is probably my favorite thing about slopers tho.

i reckon I should add that I hope I never own a sloper road bike and while I occasionally have horiz MTBs, they're not my first choice for gnarly trails.

Usually a sloping top tube means a shorter seat tube, not so much a longer head tube. Take the standard horizontal top tube frame - Now, lower the top tube downward pivoting at the headtube. The headtube length can stay the same, but of course the seat tube doesn't need to be as long. This can also changes the angle of the seat stays.

The 2011 Madison I have is the newer sloping top tube frame. The old geometry reads to have a 605mm seat tube length, but the new geometry with sloping top tube has a 560mm seat tube length.

Usually a sloping top tube means a shorter seat tube, not so much a longer head tube.
Often, but...
Road bikes that are more in the longer headtube camp are becoming increasingly common. Helps old people and freds ride rad roadbikes yet still run bars level with saddle.

Often, but...
Road bikes that are more in the longer headtube camp are becoming increasingly common. Helps old people and freds ride rad roadbikes yet still run bars level with saddle.

Ah, true - but that leaves less standover clearance, unless the slope is one serious slope :) Which I guess older people would most likely be more comfortable on a shallow head tube anlge, thus allowing for more height, more slope, and easier level to the saddle handlebars.

It's really just that they're coming back.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Terront.jpg

Love this picture, btw.

Ah, true - but that leaves less standover clearance, unless the slope is one serious slope :) Which I guess older people would most likely be more comfortable on a shallow head tube anlge, thus allowing for more height, more slope, and easier level to the saddle handlebars.

check geo charts for the Specialized Secteur, for instance. 145mm headtube on a 52cm!!!! My horizontal TT 52 and 53 are about 100mm.

I'm just glad Specialized does frame size kinda vaguely by TT length. on slopers, going by seattube length is kinda senseless.

Love this picture, btw.

Front brake?? OHNOZZ!

check geo charts for the Specialized Secteur, for instance. 145mm headtube on a 52cm!!!! My horizontal TT 52 and 53 are about 100mm.

I'm just glad Specialized does frame size kinda vaguely by TT length. on slopers, going by seattube length is kinda senseless.

Agreed.

Front brake?? OHNOZZ!

Yeah, but look at that brake level!! Cool!