Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
Reload this Page >

How much does frame geometry matter?

Search
Notices
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

How much does frame geometry matter?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-18-10, 11:47 PM
  #1  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 31
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
How much does frame geometry matter?

I'm not talking about a huge difference, just a slight one.

Excuse me if I dont use the proper cycling terms... but I've decided I want a fixed gear bike. While looking at Framesets I've found a few that I like, however the one I'd rather get (because of price) has a slightly different geometry, and I dont know how much it will effect the bike as a whole.

Here's the main two I'm looking at:

The Eighth Inch Scrambler V3- https://www.eighthinch.com/scrambler_frame.html

and the Mission Valencia- https://www.missionbicycle.com/frame

Now, I THINK I would prefer the top tube to be flat or slightly sloped downward for a LITTLE bit more aggressive geometry, however the Scrambler frame seems to have an almost upward sloped top tube... it's so slight that it's hard to tell in many of the pictures. and the Valencia looks to be slightly sloped downwards... So, do you all think that it matters for the price difference?? Would I really even notice much of a change with the different geometry?

What do you all think?? and if you have suggestions for other fixie framesets around the same price range I'm all ears, but I've read a ton of old forums on the topic of cheap fixed gear framesets, so if you have a suggestion please include some reasoning to help me decide.

thanks alot!! I appreciate any help.
MbruceL is offline  
Old 11-18-10, 11:53 PM
  #2  
GONE~
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 6,747
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Define "aggressive geometry".

I hear it used a lot, but what exactly is "aggressive"?
Squirrelli is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:00 AM
  #3  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 31
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
downward sloped toptube as opposed to upward sloped toptube. I included that in my post.
MbruceL is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:06 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Kayce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: St Louis
Posts: 1,846
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Aggressive refers to short stays and steep headtube and seattube. It has nothing to do with the angle of the top tube.

Last edited by Kayce; 11-19-10 at 12:12 AM.
Kayce is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:10 AM
  #5  
GONE~
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 6,747
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Downward slopping top tube does not necessary translate to aggressive geometry; upward slopping top tube, or compact geometry, can also be "aggressive".

You could achieve downward slopping top tube simply by buying a new fork with different length and/or add 650c wheels. The handling will be very jittery and shaky, though.

Neither of the frames are very aggressive, if you want the downward slopping look, get the Affinity Lo Pro.
Squirrelli is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:11 AM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,737
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 147 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 8 Posts
It depends on all kinds of factors: riding style, aesthetics and the bike build.
NormanF is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:12 AM
  #7  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 31
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Oh, thanks. As I also said in my post I dont know what alot of cycling terms mean. (although I thought I knew that one haha)

So, would you consider the Scrambler any less aggressive than the Valencia?
MbruceL is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:13 AM
  #8  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 31
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Vixtor
Downward slopping top tube does not necessary translate to aggressive geometry; upward slopping top tube, or compact geometry, can also be "aggressive".

You could achieve downward slopping top tube simply by buying a new fork with different length and/or add 650c wheels. The handling will be very jittery and shaky, though.

Neither of the frames are very aggressive, if you want the downward slopping look, get the Affinity Lo Pro.
Thanks!
I'll check it out
MbruceL is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:19 AM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Kayce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: St Louis
Posts: 1,846
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Comparing the dimension on the 55 scrambler and the 56 valencia(just those two cause Im lazy some times). The scrambler is slightly mor aggressive. Since there is a lot of confusion of what aggressive means, do you know how they handle differently(theoretically, there is such little difference between the two)?
Kayce is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:22 AM
  #10  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 31
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Do you mean aggressive handling vs. less aggressive handling?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't an aggressive geometry give you quicker handling, more nimble a little less 'stable' ect.??
MbruceL is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:26 AM
  #11  
GONE~
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 6,747
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I should point out that Scrambler's forks are 30mm in rake, which will affect how the bike will steer.
Squirrelli is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:30 AM
  #12  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 31
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Vixtor
I should point out that Scrambler's forks are 30mm in rake, which will affect how the bike will steer.
How exactly would that affect it?? And I apologize if I sound clueless... but I am. apparently even more so that I thought. haha
MbruceL is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:38 AM
  #13  
GONE~
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 6,747
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
If I am correct, the less the rake, the more the trail, the more stable the bike it is at speed but will not be very lively at low speed.

David Moulton have a very cohesive article on fork rake and trail.
https://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com...f-history.html

More to read about how a bike handles by David Moutlon.
https://davesbikeblog.blogspot.com/20...rrelly_30.html
Squirrelli is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 12:41 AM
  #14  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 31
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Vixtor
If I am correct, the less the rake, the more the trail, the more stable the bike it is at speed but will not be very lively at low speed.

David Moulton have a very cohesive article on fork rake and trail.
https://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com...f-history.html

More to read about how a bike handles by David Moutlon.
https://davesbikeblog.blogspot.com/20...rrelly_30.html
Thanks! I'll read both of those. I seriously appreciate it.
MbruceL is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 10:48 AM
  #15  
Chronic 1st-timer
 
lubes17319's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Lakehood, CO
Posts: 1,140

Bikes: ...take me places.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Urban Velo also did a nice easy-to-understand geometry guide in Issue #3.

Originally Posted by Vixtor
....David Moulton have a very cohesive article.........

lubes17319 is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 10:56 AM
  #16  
GONE~
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 6,747
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I know, my English sucks...


Very unpleasant picture to look at.
Squirrelli is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 10:58 AM
  #17  
Ths Hipstr Kills Masheenz
 
cc700's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: seattle
Posts: 8,542

Bikes: tirove

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Cool disc "Break" picture
cc700 is offline  
Old 11-19-10, 03:33 PM
  #18  
Noob.
 
longjohns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: NYC/NJ
Posts: 503
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
My Lo pro has fairly slack angles considering the aggressive look. I believe the headtube angle is 72-73 with a 43mm rake fork.
longjohns is offline  
Old 11-20-10, 11:38 PM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 1,744

Bikes: Miele Azsora, Kuwahara Cascade

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
If you don't know what makes a frame "aggressive" then it isn't something you should be worried about when buying your bike. Pick something in your favorite color.
jtgotsjets is offline  
Old 11-20-10, 11:57 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: im, hungary
Posts: 1,976
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by jtgotsjets
If you don't know what makes a frame "aggressive" then it isn't something you should be worried about when buying your bike. Pick something in your favorite color.
+1, "aggressive" isn't always the best for the street anyways and it wont even matter if you bike around the park all day. Get the one that looks the best.
xkillemallx16 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
rEVOLVED
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
52
10-18-16 08:38 PM
jibberishballr
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
12
07-30-12 02:53 PM
datlas
Road Cycling
124
07-09-12 10:43 AM
plowmanjoe
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
32
08-18-10 04:14 PM

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



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.