With a sloping top tube, like the Sam Hillborn's, all this is no problem. I know, many people don'like them, but a really high frame is also not that comfortable. And - a riserstem is even more ugly than a sloping top tube, at least in my eyes. Long distance riding on a good road is shurely no problem, even with a really high top tube, but walking a loaded bike over a curbstone, jumping off on uneven ground, on the lower side is easier with the lower TT. For people in the city and others without a garage, a bike with a lower TT is easier to handle whenn carrying it up and down the stairs. When you read the texts about choosing a frameheight, you sometimes think it's natures law that with seatlevel bars the toptube must be extremely high, but as you can see now also at Riv. the times ar a changin.. For me a 65 AHH with sloping top tube and horizontal dropouts would be the ideal bike. So many people like old sturmey archers, speedhubs and so on. Like to change the position of the wheel with changing tiresize.. There are so manny advantages with horizontal dropouts. And also: Manny people just seem to like them, many Riv. - Customs seem to have horizontal dropouts.
On Aug 10, 2:27 am, JoelMatthews <joelmatth...@mac.com> wrote: > > Personally, I worry very little about it. I seldom come off the bike in a > > manner which plants my weight on both feet, evenly distributed while > > straddling the bar. Honestly, I cannot remember doing so. If the bike is > > set up correctly, it's much more comfortable (and feels much more balanced > > to remain on the saddle up to and past the point of stopping forward motion. > > Same here. I put Big Apples on a bike that fit me fine with 28 mm > tires. The added height made it a little more difficult to swing my > leg onto the saddle I suppose, but I never felt unsafe. > > On Aug 9, 5:26 pm, CycloFiend <cyclofi...@earthlink.net> wrote: > > > > > on 8/9/09 1:07 PM, Richard at rsv...@netzero.net wrote: > > > > After reading Michael's request for recommendations for his "right > > > frame size," and if I'm interpreting Rivendell's sizing chart > > > correctly (?), will Michael's pbh clearance above the top tube on a > > > 57cm Hilsen be about 7mm, with a 35mm Pasela? > > > Usually PBH is measured in bare feet, so he should get a boost from the > > height of his shoes. It's not precisely the same as Standover height. > > > > At what point, for road and/or country bikes, does pbh clearance > > > become a safety factor for the rider? > > > I think this is actually a reasonably imprecise issue that has a number of > > variables. It has come up on almost every list I've been on over the years, > > and I've yet to hear a specific number that really works for everyone, under > > all conditions. > > > According to the CPSC, Office of Compliance for Bicycles, 16 C.F.R. Part > > 1512 > > "...If a bicycle is sold less than fully assembled or > > adjusted, any advertising material and the outside > > of the shipping carton must include a list of tools > > necessary to assemble and adjust the bicycle and > > a drawing showing the minimum length of the > > leg of a rider for whom the bicycle is appropriate. > > That length must allow at least one inch between > > the top tube and the crotch of the rider when the > > rider¹s feet are on the ground." > > > I don't quote that to get into a discussion of the requirement, only to > > point out what requirements manufacturers have. > > > That being addressed, a lot has to do with how one rides, where one rides, > > how well balanced a rider is and how comfortable the rider is positioning a > > metal bar in proximity to one's more sensitive bits. > > > Personally, I worry very little about it. I seldom come off the bike in a > > manner which plants my weight on both feet, evenly distributed while > > straddling the bar. Honestly, I cannot remember doing so. If the bike is > > set up correctly, it's much more comfortable (and feels much more balanced > > to remain on the saddle up to and past the point of stopping forward motion. > > > This may have to do with my basic build, which has legs a bit short for my > > height. I don't think I have a full inch on either the Quickbeam (58) or > > Hilsen (59). My non-Riv commute bike (fixed gear Dawes) is 0". > > > In practice, I don't ever notice it. > > > When I'm commuting, my non-down foot rarely leaves the pedal. At a light, I > > can usually just prop myself up with the tip of my toe on the foot-down side > > by shifting my hips slightly. > > > On trails, if I'm running out of steam on a steep incline, I'll start > > swinging a leg over and stepping down if I want to keep moving. If I just > > want to stop, I'll turn the bars slightly away from my down foot when I stop > > and normally can lean the bike over so I can stay in the saddle. > > > Now, if I were buying a frame to use as a fully loaded touring machine, I'd > > probably want a touch more clearance, as that would be about the only > > condition in which I might possibly want a two-foot-down/straddling-toptube > > position. > > > So, I think that unless you specifically need that type of clearance, it's a > > "safety factor" insomuch as it makes you nervous for your riding. If you > > have a little less flexibility, it might make sense to have a smaller frame > > (or a mixte). > > > Also, Riv has address some of these issues on their > > site:http://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_fit/fit_sizing_position > > and other articles under "Bike Fit" > > > As one more data point, I watched two riders yesterday come up to a stop > > sign where they were going to have to wait for cross traffic to cease. Both > > riders had already unclipped one shoe and had come forward off their sddles, > > with weight shifted significantly onto their arms. Both torsos were almost > > straight up and down, at about the middle of their top tubes. This struck me > > as a monumentally bad way to stop - weight forward, upright and with two > > contact points (butt and 1 foot) eliminated. Yet, I see that a lot. They > > were ready to stand up well before arresting their forward momentum. A quick > > stab on the front brake would make for an unfortunate result. Both were > > riding current "road" bike frames which gave them significant clearance with > > the top tube. > > > - Jim > > > -- > > Jim Edgar > > cyclofi...@earthlink.net > > > Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries -http://www.cyclofiend.com > > Current Classics - Cross Bikes > > Singlespeed - Working Bikes > > > "You must be the change you want to see in the world." > > Mahatma Gandhi- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
