Originally Posted by
JonathanGennick
I would expect a frame designed for drop bars to have a shorter top tube than one designed for flats bar.
Correct.
Why?
Saddle setback (your position sitting on the bike, in relation to the b/b/) and reach to the bars should be adjusted independently. Pushing the saddle back to increase reach on too short a frame upsets pedalling position; adding a ridiculously long stem to increase reach upsets steering.
The best explanation (shortish) I know of is Andy Blance's (Thorn Cycles):
"A bike, designed for drop handlebars, needs a shorter top tube than a bike which is designed for “straight” handlebars. The reason is simple...drop bars have a pronounced forward throw, straight bars have no such throw (they usually sweep back, towards the rider.) When cycling on drop bars, using the brake hood position, the rider’s hands are even further forward. The designer of a well designed drop bar bike, will know that this is where a riders hands are, most of the time and will have taken this into account, by providing a suitably short top tube.
When drop bars are used on a bike which has been correctly designed for straight bars, they will grossly overstretch the rider. I have found that generally, the stem length needs to be reduced by around 60 to 70mm, when moving from straights to drops on the same frame. As most straight bar bikes are designed for use with a stem of from 100 to 120mm, drop bars would generally mean fitting a stem between 30 to 60mm. This is far from ideal.
Conversely, a frame which was fine with drop bars would need a 60-70mm longer stem to achieve a comfortable position
with straight bars. Really long stems, used with straight bars, have a terrible effect upon the steering, making it feel like a tiller! in the position that you have to use, for much of the time, in order to operate the brakes!
I hope that I have been able to explain why we believe that it is so important to choose your bars before you choose your frame.
We also believe that a frame alleged to be suitable for all types of bar, is unlikely to be satisfactory with any type of bar!"