Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Traditional Geometry

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Traditional Geometry

Old 01-30-09, 05:38 PM
  #1  
Ass Hatchet
Thread Starter
 
lung's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Western NC
Posts: 711

Bikes: Felt FC custom | SRAM Force/Red mix.| RS80 Wheels | 3T Cockpit & Post.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Traditional Geometry

I'm a fan of traditional geometry. I prefer a horizontal top tube. With all the "swoops and slopes" out there today do you ever see a return of the classic shape frame? Discuss. I'm very curious what you guys think.
lung is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 05:42 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Near Sacramento
Posts: 4,886
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I don't. At least not with the prevalence of CF frames. You can always get a new steel frame with the classic look. I don't expect that will stop.
__________________
-------

Some sort of pithy irrelevant one-liner should go here.
JoelS is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 05:47 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
yogi13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Torrance, CA
Posts: 1,113

Bikes: '06 Specialized Allez Expert

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I hope not. While a traditional geometry frame may be esthetically pleasing, it doesn't work nearly as well as modern compacts for those who are inseam-challenged, like me. My choices in the good old days were to ride a frame I could actually stand over, but feel crunched while riding; ride a frame that felt OK when riding, but basically had to dismount when stopping; or buy custom.
yogi13 is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 07:00 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Northern California
Posts: 10,879
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 104 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
You ask what I think? I think this is a troll.
johnny99 is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 07:30 PM
  #5  
Ass Hatchet
Thread Starter
 
lung's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Western NC
Posts: 711

Bikes: Felt FC custom | SRAM Force/Red mix.| RS80 Wheels | 3T Cockpit & Post.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by johnny99
You ask what I think? I think this is a troll.
Uh, you'd be grossly incorrect. I own a traditional steel Bianchi and more current, a 2006 GURU Carbon traditional geometry. I tried several sloping frames and found them all far less comfortable as well as aesthetically lacking in comparison. My question is valid. If the overwhelming consensus was a future filled with a bunch of sloping top tubes, compact geometry, and crazy curves... then I am looking to buy up some traditional frames and keep them for the future. Among that list is a Colnago C-50 and a Merlin Extralight. So, no... not a troll. A serious rider with a valid concern who values the opinions of "most" on this forum. Thanks for playing.
lung is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 07:35 PM
  #6  
Banned.
 
Mr. Beanz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Upland Ca
Posts: 19,895

Bikes: Lemond Chambery/Cannondale R-900/Trek 8000 MTB/Burley Duet tandem

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts
Compact or traditional doesn't bother me. But that thick curved look of the TT on Specialized CF frames looks kind of PeeWee Herman'ish!
Mr. Beanz is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 07:44 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 298

Bikes: Cannondale CAAD9, Trek 4300

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts

I like the minutely sloping TT of my CAAD9.

What I really don't like are the heavily curved tubes on the Trek Madone and the Orbea Orca. The Tarmac doesn't look so bad to me.
MadCity Cyclist is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 07:45 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Harrow, Middlesex
Posts: 267
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i have a De Rosa SLX from the late 80s which i am in the painstaking process of building up. these things are so beautiful, but the bottom bracket area is a veritable nightmare. IMO, this shape looks just so much more elegant than some of the new CF shapes one can find about the place.
but i seriously doubt any frames of that shape are going to be found in a modern pro peloton. in a world where people are more interested in eye catching features rather than basic functionality, a traditional frame is just...boring.
monporn is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 09:35 PM
  #9  
Jet Jockey
 
Banzai's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 4,941

Bikes: Cannondale CAAD9, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Nashbar X-frame bike, Bike Friday Haul-a-Day, Surly Pugsley.

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 382 Post(s)
Liked 29 Times in 25 Posts
MadCity beat me to the Cannondale.

My Six13 has a very slightly sloping top tube, like the CAAD 9 in the above picture. But it's very slight. The "traditional" look of it was one of the appealing things to me...yet it has a definite modern edge as well.
__________________
Good night...and good luck
Banzai is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 10:13 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,744
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts
I bought a 2007 53cm Jamis Eclipse Steel/Carbon frame set and transferred everything over from a Pedal Force RS frame. 73 head, 74 seat with a 54cm horizontal top tube. It's all Jensen USA's fault. If I had not received that blasted catalog in the mail with the Eclipse listed as closeout, I would never have contacted Jamis to see if any frame sets were remaining. Blast my luck if they did have a few left.

The Pedal Force will get built up again eventually. It's currently in a dormant state sitting in the corner of my bedroom.
Bostic is offline  
Old 01-30-09, 10:19 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,753
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thats about the only thing I liked the old Trek Madone for. I was sad to see it go.
__________________
Originally Posted by RacerOne
Get the Trek, either one. You'll piss off BF and you'll be happy.

Co owner of The Chain Station bike shop.
Cdy291 is offline  
Old 01-31-09, 01:03 AM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
Surferbruce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Los Angeles/Aveyron France
Posts: 5,308
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
i don't mind sloping toptubes, but i still think round tubes and lugs look way better than all the aero fatness going on.
Surferbruce is offline  
Old 01-31-09, 02:40 AM
  #13  
cs1
Senior Member
 
cs1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Clev Oh
Posts: 7,091

Bikes: Specialized, Schwinn

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 225 Post(s)
Liked 24 Times in 22 Posts
Originally Posted by lung
Uh, you'd be grossly incorrect. I own a traditional steel Bianchi and more current, a 2006 GURU Carbon traditional geometry. I tried several sloping frames and found them all far less comfortable as well as aesthetically lacking in comparison. My question is valid. If the overwhelming consensus was a future filled with a bunch of sloping top tubes, compact geometry, and crazy curves... then I am looking to buy up some traditional frames and keep them for the future. Among that list is a Colnago C-50 and a Merlin Extralight. So, no... not a troll. A serious rider with a valid concern who values the opinions of "most" on this forum. Thanks for playing.
I started riding in 1976. Having grown up with "Old School" geometry, that's what I prefer. My 2 main road bikes are both Waterfords, bought used and built up by me. You're going to get very different answers in this forum than the Classic & Vintage. I suggest trying that one. There's actually a couple threads of old frames equipped with modern groups, best of both worlds.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/505995-how-modern-can-you-make-old-road-bike.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/361558-retro-roadies-old-frames-sti-s-ergos.html

The Classic of all threads concerning old frames with modern groups:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=361558
cs1 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.