Why sloping top tube

Sudden dismounts are always a possibility. In similar situations, a sloping top tube is more comfortable and desirable because it reduces the chances of coming in contact with the frame. The stand over height is the distance between the ground and the top tube.

If the top tube is sloping, then the stand over height is measured to the middle of the top tube. Or in simpler words, the crotch clearance of the rider would be problematic because the front of a modern mountain bike is high.

The sloping top tube design was introduced to the world of road cycling during the mids when the bike designer Mike Burrows worked for the cycling manufacturer Giant. You can learn more about his ideas on bike design in his book Bicycle Design. Then, the sloping top tube gradually became the norm as more manufacturers saw the commercial and structural benefits of the design.

Sloping top tubes make for a smaller and subsequently lighter frame, but the weight savings are questionable due to the need for a longer and subsequently heavier seat post. Sloping top tubes are less aerodynamic, but the overall drag is reduced thanks to the less vertical chainstays. Horizontal top tubes are more aesthetically pleasing and offer less drag.

Unfortunately, the aero gains are reduced by the more vertical chainstays. Horizontal top tubes are more spacious and allow the installation of multiple water bottle cages and large frame bags. This is exactly the kind of info I was looking for! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content Post author: B. The Anatomy of a Bike Frame sloping top tube model. The image shows the projected horizontal top tube on a frame with a sloping top tube.

The classic road bike look. Tags: horizontal top tube , sloping top tube. Rising Bicycle Handlebars 0. Biggsy 14 Jul Reply. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Comment. Enter your name or username to comment. My guess is tall head tubes are in vogue because when sloping top tubes became the standard, we lost comfort at the front end and realized we had to get it back.

Stems do come in a variety of lengths and angles, but the option of raising the stem is often the deal breaker. The mixte top tube s runs in a straight line from the head to the rear hub, so I guess it could be described as a steeply sloping top tube. The reason I love this is that I am knock-kneed, and would often have problems with my knees especially the right knee smacking into the top tube of bikes that otherwise seemed comfortable.

Do the sloped top tubes on modern bicycles also avoid this issue? Yes, they should avoid this issue. I recently built a custom frame with a sloped top tube to address this same issue. I don't know if others do this as well or not. An expanded geometry results in a stem that is higher than it would be on a bike with a horizontal top tube which in turn makes it easier to get the handle bars high relative to the saddle.

To me this also looks a bit better than a standard frame with a tall stem. There is a bit more material in the frame, so it is probably heavier by some tiny bit. A compact geometry means that you get a lower standover for the same virtual frame size. This seems like a nice feature in a mountain bike. It probably makes the bike a bit heavier than a standard frame since I'd guess that seat posts are heavier than seat tubes and the top tube is longer than on a standard frame.

Depending on what you want in a bike any of these choices can result in a good fit. So some of it comes down to what looks good to you. It seems noone has a clue really, so my opinion and we all have one! The same size of frame can fit more people. I do not believe that a compact frame saves weight. I ride a 32 year old road bike horizontal top tube that weighs Sign up to join this community.

The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. What is the difference between a horizontal top tube and a sloped one? Ask Question. Asked 7 years, 6 months ago. Active 8 months ago. Viewed 37k times. Some comparable bicycles have a crossbar top tube that's horizontal: Others have one that's sloped: What are the reasons for either frame design? Assume a men's frame.

Improve this question. Glorfindel 1 1 gold badge 5 5 silver badges 12 12 bronze badges. Matt Matt 1 1 gold badge 6 6 silver badges 16 16 bronze badges. The second bike is a trek crossrip which is a commuter cross bike i. I'm assuming the images were for illustration only. Both of these are mens' road bikes and could quite conceivably run alongside each other on the same ride.

Last year, Team Belkin's riders had the choice of either of these bikes in the Tour de France. Not sure how this stands with Giant-Shimano this year. The top picture is just one I grabbed from the Internet, the second one I also grabbed from the Internet but it's a Trek Crossrip, the make and model of my own bicycle.

A sloping top tube does not look right to me. I think its a cost cutting measure. The weight you would save is very small. You save a lot of weight on bikes by have nice light rims and alloy or stainless steel spokes, and a shorter seat post plus narrow handle bars, and run skinny 25 or 22 tires. I hate the look of the sloping top tube. It looks not finished and that does nothing for performance or weight. A good chromoly bike can be as just as light as a good alloy one.

The down side of a very light bike such as an alloy or carbon fibre bike is durability; a chromoly bike will give a much smo — user I have to say sloping top tubes look like touring bikes to me - they look like a handlebar that is a lot higher.

A level top tube looks "right" to my eyes. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. The full article is here , but to summarise it: the compact frame is smaller than the corresponding standard frame. Therefore, less material is used in the manufacture. Therefore, it is lighter. Again because it is smaller, it is stiffer With traditional designs, to stiffen the bike designers use stiffer materials which unfortunately makes the ride rougher.

By using the natural stiffness of the frame, materials don't need to be stiffened hence the ride is comparatively smoother because the top tube is lower, it is easier for cyclists to get a good fit Now I'll say straight away that you can attach your own weight to some of these features, this article has a whiff of marketing about it.

Improve this answer. PeteH PeteH 9, 5 5 gold badges 29 29 silver badges 52 52 bronze badges. Of course the omit the "minor detail" that you need a longer seatpost, and since this seatpost is longer and must be stiffer due to its length it's heavier. ChrisL ChrisL 1, 8 8 silver badges 10 10 bronze badges. Btw: You can still buy large frames which don't require a long seat post.