Compact frames and handlebar height

[email hidden] (Tai) wrote in news:e327185b.0406252118.7e0968
@posting.google.com:

Quoted message said:

Something's been bugging me for a while. The pictures I see of
compact-frame road bikes almost invariably show the handlebars almost
at saddle height, while pictures of conventional road bikes show the
handlebars a few inches lower than the saddle.

Probably an optical illusion. The handlebars on a compact frame look higher
because the top tube is sloped.

Tai said:

Something's been bugging me for a while. The pictures I see of
compact-frame road bikes almost invariably show the handlebars almost
at saddle height, while pictures of conventional road bikes show the
handlebars a few inches lower than the saddle. That implies riders of
compact-frame road bikes sit more erect, or the pictures show
incorrectly set up bikes. Please tell me what's the deal. Thanks!

You apparently have a skewed sample. There is no inherence
either way.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Ken <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Tai) wrote in news:e327185b.0406252118.7e0968
@posting.google.com:

Quoted message said:

Something's been bugging me for a while. The pictures I see of
compact-frame road bikes almost invariably show the handlebars almost
at saddle height, while pictures of conventional road bikes show the
handlebars a few inches lower than the saddle.

Probably an optical illusion. The handlebars on a compact frame look higher
because the top tube is sloped.

Perhaps, but even when I cover the rest of the bike with a piece of
paper, the saddle on a compact frame still sit comparatively low
relative to the stem.

BTW, I'm not saying that's how owners of compact frames set them up. I
have only seen them like this in magazines.

[email hidden] (Tai) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Probably an optical illusion. The handlebars on a compact frame look
higher because the top tube is sloped.

Perhaps, but even when I cover the rest of the bike with a piece of
paper, the saddle on a compact frame still sit comparatively low
relative to the stem.

Are you talking about bikes that people are actually riding? Or just
pictures in advertisements? Ads photos are usually set up for looks, not
functions. If you're interested in buying one of these bikes, test ride one
at a local bike shop and find out for yourself how it fits you.

My guess is that when people are taking pictures of bikes for
catalogues/magazines (that aren't already set up for riding), they put the
seat post at an arbitrary height from the frame. Since it isnt' based on any
riders dimensions, the compact frame will show the seat overall lower (but
the same distance from the frame). badly worded, I know.. but you get the
idea..

set up for picture: take a frame, move the seatpost up 6" and take the
picture. results in what you mention

--
Mike Beauchamp
http://www.therevox.com - custom electro-theremins and stuff.
http://www.mikebeauchamp.com - mike's personal site.

"Tai" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Something's been bugging me for a while. The pictures I see of
compact-frame road bikes almost invariably show the handlebars almost
at saddle height, while pictures of conventional road bikes show the
handlebars a few inches lower than the saddle. That implies riders of
compact-frame road bikes sit more erect, or the pictures show
incorrectly set up bikes. Please tell me what's the deal. Thanks!

JT

Ken said:

[email hidden] (Tai) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Probably an optical illusion. The handlebars on a compact frame look
higher because the top tube is sloped.

Perhaps, but even when I cover the rest of the bike with a piece of
paper, the saddle on a compact frame still sit comparatively low
relative to the stem.

Are you talking about bikes that people are actually riding? Or just
pictures in advertisements? Ads photos are usually set up for looks, not
functions. If you're interested in buying one of these bikes, test ride one
at a local bike shop and find out for yourself how it fits you.

"Compact geometry" frame bicycles look even worse with the seat set at
the proper height than with it too low, so it would not be surprising to
see advertising photographs with the seat too low.

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area

A Muzi said:

Tai said:

Something's been bugging me for a while. The pictures I see of
compact-frame road bikes almost invariably show the handlebars almost
at saddle height, while pictures of conventional road bikes show the
handlebars a few inches lower than the saddle. That implies riders of
compact-frame road bikes sit more erect, or the pictures show
incorrectly set up bikes. Please tell me what's the deal. Thanks!

You apparently have a skewed sample. There is no inherence
either way.

Has anyone looked at the relationship between head tube length and
effective top tube length for compact vs. traditional bikes? My
impression is that the compacts "tend to" have longer head tubes for a
given effective top tube length - but I could be wrong...

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

Tom Sherman <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Ken said:

[email hidden] (Tai) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

>Probably an optical illusion. The handlebars on a compact frame look
>higher because the top tube is sloped.

Perhaps, but even when I cover the rest of the bike with a piece of
paper, the saddle on a compact frame still sit comparatively low
relative to the stem.

Are you talking about bikes that people are actually riding? Or just
pictures in advertisements? Ads photos are usually set up for looks, not
functions. If you're interested in buying one of these bikes, test ride one
at a local bike shop and find out for yourself how it fits you.

"Compact geometry" frame bicycles look even worse with the seat set at
the proper height than with it too low, so it would not be surprising to
see advertising photographs with the seat too low.

That's what I was thinking.

My observations are derived mainly from the pictures in ads and bike
reviews, but I've also noticed the saddle height is relatively low on
compact frames used by women at the triathlons my wife competes in. I
haven't been to the events where there would be a lot of men on
compact frames.

Granted, what men on compact frames do may be different, and I'm not
trying to make an argument against compact frames, but I thought the
way they are set up in print is interesting.

"Mike Beauchamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

My guess is that when people are taking pictures of bikes for
catalogues/magazines (that aren't already set up for riding), they put the
seat post at an arbitrary height from the frame. Since it isnt' based on any
riders dimensions, the compact frame will show the seat overall lower (but
the same distance from the frame). badly worded, I know.. but you get the
idea..

set up for picture: take a frame, move the seatpost up 6" and take the
picture. results in what you mention

--
Mike Beauchamp

It's interesting that photographers may find the appropriate (based on
how it should be set up for actual use) height of the saddle on
compact frames weird and feel the saddle should be lower for
photographs. Perhaps it's because they're used to how the saddle looks
on the old style frames. It's been a number of years since compact
frames are available and yet some people are still finding the look
(saddle on looooong seat post) unnatural.

But I'm not saying that design is bad or good! 🙂