In the most recent step on the frame-drawing tutorial, Grant stated more directly than I can recall his feeling about top tube length:
"It's not the key, or even a key dimension. It matters, but not nearly as much as other things, or as much as people think it does. Bar height affects how far you have to reach to the bar more than top tube length does. Seat tube angle affects reach, too. But at some point yep, you gotta pick a top tube length." On every bicycle forum on the planet, including this one, there will be numerous posters who emphatically state that top tube length is the single most important dimension on a bike, and that frame size itself should be stated as a top tube length dimension rather than a seat tube length dimension. I know I used to be convinced of that thinking and am only beginning to accept the possibility of an alternative. The fact is, everybody wants to know what the top tube length is, so Grant lists it. If handlebar height is way more important, then I wonder why Grant/Riv don't propose a way to quantify that characteristic on a frame or a bike. I can't think of an easy way to do it, either. Is it just the altitude of the headset locknut with a particular normal tire? Is it the x,y coordinates of the headset locknut relative to (0,0) placed at the center of the BB? -- 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-bu...@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.
