First let me say that the Hillborne is an awesome looking bike and seems to have incredible versatility. It is truly a unique bike!
What I'm wondering about is the sparse sizing available for Rivendell's expanded geometry frames, such as the Hillborne. As I understand it, the reasoning behind offering fewer sizes of these frames is that one size will fit a wider range of PBHs. However, it seems to me that the upsloping top-tube should not actually add any versatility in terms of fit, because the numbers that matter in sizing a bike are not actually affected by it. Specifically, I think that given a particular BB drop and seat-tube angle, the two *main* numbers that matter in how comfortable a bike will be are (1) how high the handle bars are and (2) how long the top tube is*. For a given rider, their chosen seat height is not going to change no matter how tall the seat-tube is, unless of course the seat-tube exceeds their seat height. So in 'normal' frame fitting, the 2 cm seat-tube size intervals for a particular model are really allowing the rider to choose their base handlebar height and handlebar distance, to be fine-tuned with stem length etc. Perhaps it would make more sense if the industry had chosen head-tube length/TT length rather than seat-tube length as the number indicating frame size(?) Anyway, in offering only 4 sizes of a frame for the Sam Hillborne, you are really only getting 4 choices of base-handlebar height (not including the bounded, yet infinite number of positions you can adjust a quill stem) and top-tube length. If those are the most important measurements in fitting a frame, I wonder if the wider-range thing really holds true. Just to clarify, I'm not criticizing Rivendell at all for only offering 4 sizes of the Hillborne frame. Also, I know NOTHING about frame design next to Grant Petersen and the folks at Rivendell. Of course I realize that it makes sense from an economical point of view to limit the sizes of this frame-- however, it still does not make sense to me that one of these frames will fit a wider range of riders, any more or less than a frame with a standard geometry. Matt Admiring the Hillorne but just wondering *this is assuming typical head-tube angles, rake, cs length, etc, and of course a comfortable seat. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
