Frames with shorter top tubes
 

Are there any type of frames (road, touring, etc) or brands that tend to have shorter top tubes? Before I got my 2003 Pista, I had a Giant Kronos road conversion that I realize now I was much more comfortable on. It was not only smaller center to top 53 vs. 55 for the Pista but a little web research turned up that the top tube was shorter than the seat tube whereas most frames are the same length or longer. Just wondering how I would find something similiar. Not too particular if it's a track frame as I think I like more relaxed geometry. I was so psyched to get the Pista but now 2 years later after tons of riding, I find that I just can never quite get comfortable no matter what I do with the stem and seat.

Nightfly... I dindt know the Giant Kronos but i did a research, and let me tell u ... there is a big difference between thats "frame?" and a 2003 pista frame (I guess u have pista frame with track geometry). The 2 bikes are totally different! U cant compare them at all.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycl...n-45864675.htm

Thats the Giant Kronos u had, right? That bike is for commuting. The geometry its weird aswell... Commute, turing frame?? well... defetelly not for racing... no wonder u found both frames so different one from each other. And no wonder why u never got used to the track frame. The geometry it is too different in both, and so different that u cant compare them at all. U r comparing an old minivan with a porshe carrera. The posrche carrera looks cool but it is useless, hard to drive, 2 passenger, no cargo area, suspension it is super stiff, car too low but super fast and super cool, a racing car.... not for the street but it looks cool aswell.

In the other hand u have a weird frame made for turing (maybe not even for that). like a van. U just drive it for hours w/o any pain and a suspension super soft. It is quite ugly and uncool but is super confortable. I think u got the idea. Acually the trick in the giant it was the geometry not the "shortiness" of the frame.

If u want something like your Kronos... soft and comfortable... grab maybe a lemond's turing model... those are super nice and super comfortable. I really dont know if somebody its doing frames like that kronos but 4 sure in target or wallmart u can find one of those for 100 bucks and in aluminum. Or go to your LBS and see what they have there.

UM :)

ultraman, you really have to lay off the 'u's. it makes your writing so annoying to read, and saves you what, like 2 seconds?

It was similiar to that, probably a little newer but the same idea. I think the comfort though was not so much with the geometry but just that I wasn't so stretched out. I've done a century on the Pista, actually shortly after I got it, and it wasn't really that it was too twitchy handling or hard riding that bothered me, as much as that it was just too damn big. Shoulders hurt like hell after 70 miles. Switching to a shorter stem helped but never really enough.

So yeah, the Giant was an unusually comfy ride and the Pista is the opposite, but my problem isn't with the ride so much as just general positioning. It's not like I'm doing a century every week. I just want a something like a 52-53mm top tube. I can handle the more aggressive geometry.

Folks: TT length affects/is a part of the geometry. Touring, commuting, and other less "race-inspired" bikes will have bikes with a more relaxed geometry. Relaxed geometry means a more upright posture is achieved, which is done with a shorter TT. Ta-da.

Don't keirin bikes tend to have shorter top tubes too?

Kronos does not have such weird geometry. it's an entry level road bike.

having said that, i LOVE my Kronos. 52cm c-c seat tube, 53cm top tube (pretty standard, really?). tight clearance for the rear wheel.

love love love love love love love.

WSD bikes tend to have a shorter reach. Usu a combo of shorter top tube and a shorter stem. Women have longer legs/shorter arms when compared to men. Generally.

You can also shorten the reach by getting a taller stem. (rivendell style *gasp*)

True, but the feel of the steering really changes as you modify where the bars are in relation to the steerer tube. I am a big fan of short top tubes, and I've found that swept back bars or stems that have more rise are no substitute for having the right geometry. (Strangely, a substitute that is better, I think, is riding a frame that's a little small and using a long seatpost. But that's just me.)