Hello all,

I've finally decided to try out frame building. My goal is to build a lugged steel bike I can be proud of riding. The geometry is designed to be reasonably aggressive and suitable for road racing by a 5'10" guy (me). The tube sizes is oversized with a 36mm head tube to accommodate a 1 1/8 inch steerer. The top tube is has a slight slope at 4 degrees. Lugs will be from Ceeway with seat and top head tube lugs being 78 degrees (will require bending), bottom head tube lug with 60 degrees, and bottom bracket being 60-64 degrees.



While developing the geometry, I referred to other race road bikes that I've tried riding before but can't afford just to make sure I'm not using any outlandish dimensions.
From the image, is there anything that catches your attention or is down right wrong? Is the bottom bracket high enough?

you may wish you had given yourself clearance for larger tires. BB drop is fine

Possible toe overlap?

With 172.5 crank arms, toe overlap shouldn't be a problem unless the OP has really long feet for such a small frame.

EDIT - There's about 65mm clearance between the pedal spindle and the front tire when the front wheel is straight. There will be a little more clearance when the front wheel is turned, but with 172.5 crank arms I need close to 100mm between the pedal spindle and the front tire when wearing size 12 shoes.

Davet may be right about there being a toe overlap problem. One potential fix is a slacker HTA with a change in fork rake to provide the same trail.

it's obviously a racing bike. On my personal bikes, i'm not worried about toe overlap, particularly on a bike like this one

As I read it, it appears the head tube is awfully small. Only 111 mm from the top of the fork race crown to the top of the head tube.

Since this is a racing bike, for someone 5'-10", I would think at least a 56 - 57 top tube would in order. It was recently published that Peter Sagan (I think he's a racer) At 5- 10' - recently went from racing on a Cannondale with an 58cm extra long top tube, to a Specialized , with a stock 56 top tube. The only way he could make it work for him, was to use a massively long 140 stem.

- if you haven't built a frame before, can you find a design that does not require you to bend lugs.

- have you purchased the actual parts you will use to build the bike so that you can precisely design around them, stuff like your forks.

- Have you found someone to do the frame prep, or are you buying the tools.

MassiveD really has got a point, that has me really thinking. You posted to ask about your idea for frame geometry, i went with that angle. We do not know anything about you, background/ experience, tools owned. I am not trying to discourage you, but there is a lot of stuff to frame building, it's definitely as easy as opening a can of beans. I had been a welder for 8 years, ended renting a torch, ordering tubes and successfully built a tandem frame. One cool thing I did discover with lugs is unlike aluminum, you can see how much you can stress the lugs, to get a a slanted top tube. Its not as commiting. the butting is opposite between aluminum and steel seat tubes.