Compact vs Std Frame

[alienator]

good plan. In the end, it will never be a weenie bike. You have to sacrifice and get an R3SL to do that.

Just build it up right, we don't want an Erez style frankenstein-bike-with-weenie-parts even-though-its-a-heavy-frame. The end product always looks **** and is never truly light.

Erez style.....ow! That hurts! I remember seeing pics of a certain Pinarello.......

It'll get my Claviculas....my Record stuff....my Toupe... Wheel time will likely be split between my Ligero wheels and, in the not very distant future, LEWs. That's about it. It WILL be a lot o' black. A lot o' black. Very black. But of course, black is the only real color.

 

[el Ingles]

Well, that part is mostly true. Giant went down that road. It was also a savvy move at the time because roadie sales were in the doldrums, and going to compact frames was thought to attract some of the MTB crowd, who were figured to be less keen on trad roadie frames.

In it´s time the Giant design was the lightest frame available as well as one of the most rigid - rigid enough to be uncomfortable at times - so the idea seems to have been ok .
but...... these days it´s all a matter of choice , so just try not to fall for any fashion based money trap ( ie paying for the name not the quality )

 

[geoinmillbrook]

[Geo [/QUOTE]

4.) Hmm -- what should bike #6 be ?-- maybe I'll try one (a CF) and "experiment" with it !

Geo

Update: Bike # 7 actually (if you count the rebuild of my old Univega- not bragging , bikes are actually pretty easy to assemble, it's just my OCD in me that makes me want to count ) is an Orbea Urkiola...pretty much looks like this picture.

It is the one and only semi? compact frame we have...
I built it with moderate components, mostly Ultegra 10sp.. and Reynolds Alta Race wheels (noisy hub !). Thompson post and some goofy FSA aero/wing (hey I can fly!) bars. I used the same bi-color tape scheme .. it actually looks pretty cool in "person" (flame on!). My first two rides = nice ride... different than standard geometry ? Can't tell. Too many other factors are diffrerent from the other bikes we have. Weighs in around 17lbs - 60 "cm" frame. It is comfortable me thinks due to the carbon fork/stays and the shape of 'em. Climbs well but is 3 lbs lighter than my C'dale CAAD4 so I can't tell if it's geometry, weight, or wheels.
Conclusion: Same as before. If it feels good, do it ... maybe not always in public, but you get the drift