So a friend offered to build a custom frame for me, but I'm unsure of whether I want a sloping or level top tune. Why is one design better than the other? Extremely sloping TTs look ugly, but a slight slope doesn't look bad(IMO).

I have very long legs, and feel comfortable with 4.5"-5" of handlebar drop, so the extra standover room of a sloping TT isn't needed?

For race-like performance the sloping top tube is even more important for large frames than for small ones. The shorter tubes and stays make for a stiffer frame. Often large frames can tend to be noodly due to the long unsupported spans of tubes. The compact frame helps with that.

Honestly if the fit (reach and stack) are the same, it's more an issue of aesthetics.

I am old school so personally like parallel (non sloping).

This frame will use an Enve wishbone seatstay, so I'm not too concerned about seatstay flex. Independent Fabrications uses the same design on the Corvid.

Steel or Ti, btw?

neither.

It will be carbon fiber tubes and lugs by Enve.

Wow. Could your friend make one for me too??

I'm sure he'd be happy to, but not likely for free.

The configuration may depend somewhat on the angles of the lugs unless they are custom as well. Aesthetically, I prefer a more level top tube so you don't have a silly tall seatpost like a mtn bike. Personal preference, though.

It's also the top and seat tubes too, as well as shorter chain stays. Honestly it wouldn't matter to me, because I can't get that level of perfromance out of a frame. I was just saying what I've read and heard about the compact design. I would just go with the preferred aesthetics.

Chainstay length is a nonissue and honestly at my weight, frame flex is much of a problem either. I'll probably go with a slightly sloping TT like this one.

My Moots Compact and Alchemy Xanthus both have a 6 degree slope. I requested the 6 degrees on the Alchemy so that it matches the slope of the Ritchey stem.

Looks good. Will it be painted or nude carbon?

level or slightly sloped.

aesthetics do matter.

Don't take this the wrong way...but this is quite possibly the most anal retentive posting I've read this year. I truly appreciate your attention to detail.

I like it.

I think you really meant, "Don't take this the RIGHT way."

I haven't decided yet.

so....sloping or level?

I'm going with sloping but not radical. This is after all the year of our lord 2014.....

That one is Ray Allen's(formerly of the Celtics), but I like the green paint too.

You must have missed the guy posting his neighborhood loop ride distance. It was something like to three decimal points.

When installing Shimano 10speed cassettes, I align the spacers so that the "10s" line up.

That gets my vote. The deep slop just make your bike look like a "geriatric" bike. Don't paint it!

I didn't look when I put in the spacers, threw them in there.

it all depends on how it looks nekid. My last 2 road bikes have been clearcoated carbon, so I'd like some color, but probably not the whole frameset.

I was thinking about going with Enve for the stem, post, and bars, but damn those are expensive. Even with OEM pricing, I can afford them.

Which BB design is best? I know BB-30 is out of the question, but what about the other ones?