On the tube top question--- There is "on paper" length and "anatomical effect." On paper the Joe Ap is longer, but that means you ride a 9 instead of an 11 stem. And the higher bars possible with the Appa bring back them back toward you more and at the same time have a lengthening effect on your arms (see "Vitruvian man"). Finally — well, I actually kinda doubt that, but it's all fun anyway — the original Atlantis midsise small wheel was 26, and the Appa's is 650B, and when we came out with Atlantis, 35mm to 38mm tires were common on it, and now--the combo of 650+fatter in general, raises the requirement for longer front centers. As I like to say, "these things get ultramajorly thoughten about before they show up in steel!" But also yes, there has been an emotional and an actual shift away from locking into drops on a touring bike. Touring and generally useful bikes aren't anymore the poor kin of racing road bikes, and with so many good non-drop bar shapes out there, it's not necessary (tho still not stupid) to ride drops. Freedom from drops means freedom to design around the other good bars with grip areas for the most part behind the stem clamp, not in front of it, as on a drop. When you throw that into the pot, there's room to increase the bike's front wheelbase a bit, too, and adding a cm or even 3m to the tt is a good way to do that. If we had to make only one bike, it'd be the Appa--no question, for me. But for better or worse we have about 6 models. Wait till you see the Roadini. I think any of the latest Rosco Roadish bikes with tons of clearance and cantilever ride as well as any road bike and have tons of clearance, but we've wanted to do a cheaper version of the Roadeo for a while, and we're gonna do that this Spring or Summer. Sidepulls, 130 rear wheel, all the road stuff.
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