Originally Posted by
akatsuki
Instead of top-mounting the cables, why not just put cable housing over the entire length of cable so that they don't get gummed up (I haven't done this, but I was just wondering)?
because then the cables still dig into your shoulder. imo, top mounted cable routing is
not optional or a matter of preference in a cross bike.
Originally Posted by
flargle
A sloping top tube is probably easier to suitcase, because your right hand doesn't need to go as high while carrying..
exactly. this is the one and only cross specific benefit to sloping top tubes that i acknowledge. still not enough to make it worth the trouble shouldering. i ride smaller frames, and compact geo means it's almost impossible to quickly get my arm through the triangle. if you could make a 52 cm frame with a sloping top tube, high(ish) bottom bracket and still have a nice spacious triangle, (and 700c wheels of course) that'd be pretty awesome. but i've never seen it done.
Originally Posted by
flargle
That Leader frame's top tube, in addition to being sloping, also has a cable running under it, make of that what you will.
the leader cross frame is in my mind the perfect example of a company just slapping canti mounts on a crit frame and calling it a cross bike. and by starting this thread that seems to be the sort of thing that mike's trying to avoid.