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.

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

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 therevox.comtherevox.comOpen ↗ - custom electro-
theremins and stuff. mikebeauchamp.commikebeauchamp.comOpen ↗ - 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

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 habcycles.comhabcycles.comOpen ↗ Home of
the $695 ti frame

"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! 🙂

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.