Rear Wheel TOO Tight?
 

I've heard some people say how having the rear wheel too close to the seat post is bad for so-and-so reasons.
Right now on the new bike I am building, I am looking at just under 1/4 inch clearance.
Does anyone have any definitive answers as to why this is bad or is it totally okay?
Thanks.

i don't think tight clearance is bad. it does however make your ride look better

…i guess one might say that stuff could get wedged in between the seat post and tyre.

why is it bad? never heard of that before..oh well

the best position is where your seat stays and chainstays meet. this way you can add or take away chainrings or cogs and have room. that point i descibe is you wheelbase point. I always recommend starting there.

S/F,
CEYA!

There's been some pictures posted up here, with clearance of like a couple millimeters. Pretty crazy.

I don't know why it would be bad either.
Some friends at my LBS have mentioned that it isn't good.
I dunno.

just use the method i have stated as a base. is your track ends short? your center of your axle bisect the points mention above..

gotta go! midterms again.

S/F<
CEYA!

seriously, there will be no problem as long as the tyre isn't rubbing against the frame.

Allright, that's kind of what I thought.
Actually, I never really paid it any mind because the clearance on my other bike is pretty average.
Anyway, I'll post pics of my new bike once I get my new fork.

If you ride dead (not moving your body with road hazards, bumps, etc) a super short wheelbase will be less comfortable than long. If you break spokes, or just tend to throw wheels out of true, than the closer your wheel is to your seat tube, the less clearance you have all around. If you're doing that much damage, though, you need to ride gentler, ride larger tires, or get better quality wheels.

A longer wheel base will smooth out the ride, particularly if you can move the rear back. If you have short chainstays and steeper angles on your seat stays, there will be less flex in the frame to absorb those bumps and the apparent motion they cause will be greater because you're sitting right over the point of impact.

A longer wheelbase will make the bike more stable at speed and will prevent wheel lift on vigorous climbs or sprints.

There's no mechanical or safety reason to worry about a shorter wheelbase, it's just the ride characteristics that change.

In all honestly, I was hoping Bostontrevor would chime in with some sage advice, as usual.
I guess I'll just wait for my new straight-blade fork to arrive (the current fill-in has a crazy rake on it) and see how it feels.