[qmsdc15]

I got passed this evening by a dapper gent aboard a Spot Acme. Gates belt drive, 11 speed Alfine IGH, hydraulic disc brakes. The future is now! Link.






Please post picture of cool bikes (or anything else of interest) 'Spotted' on your ride.

[trx1]

hate to c the price tag on that

[qmsdc15]

Under 2G.

[Industry_Hack]

He should have spent a bit more and got one that fits him.

[qmsdc15]

I think the larger size costs the same but wouldn't simply raising the seat a bit do the trick? I guess he can pay a bike fitter to raise it for him. From his dress and demeanor he seemed like a guy who could afford a bike fitting but perhaps too intelligent to spend money that way.

I prefer undersized frames myself. My Cannondale H300 was designed for a smaller person than me, but it was also designed to be ridden in a more upright position. By buying the wrong size I was able to get the right fit.

[qmsdc15]

Racer dude on a Bike Friday.

[Industry_Hack]

Originally Posted by qmsdc15

I think the larger size costs the same but wouldn't simply raising the seat a bit do the trick? I guess he can pay a bike fitter to raise it for him. From his dress and demeanor he seemed like a guy who could afford a bike fitting but perhaps too intelligent to spend money that way.

I prefer undersized frames myself. My Cannondale H300 was designed for a smaller person than me, but it was also designed to be ridden in a more upright position. By buying the wrong size I was able to get the right fit.

My comment was meant a bit sarcastically, but raising the seat isn't going to change anything. His knees look close to the bars, even with that long stem. Seems cramped, even for an upright ride. And based on the photos, if he can mount a rack and panniers, he's going to hit them constantly. From the Spot website, looks like they're not really intended for mounting racks though.

[Industry_Hack]

The Bike Friday guy reminds of someone I saw this evening on a folder, but he was kicking back and smoking a cigarette. Not much farther back was a girl with badly bleached hair, looking like she was having a miserable time commuting on a BMX.

[ak08820]

Originally Posted by qmsdc15

I think the larger size costs the same but wouldn't simply raising the seat a bit do the trick? I guess he can pay a bike fitter to raise it for him. From his dress and demeanor he seemed like a guy who could afford a bike fitting but perhaps too intelligent to spend money that way.

I prefer undersized frames myself. My Cannondale H300 was designed for a smaller person than me, but it was also designed to be ridden in a more upright position. By buying the wrong size I was able to get the right fit.

I always wondered how folks had so much space to hang bags form teh back of the saddles. etc. If I try to hang a bag, it covers the rack. May be a smaller bike and longer seat post would do the trick. I always went by the standover height to size my bike.

[qmsdc15]

A smaller frame will probably not allow you to have more distance between saddle and rack because the rack needs to be high enough to clear the rear wheel and your saddle height relative to the cranks/pedals cannot be changed if you already have your saddle at a good height (knee close to fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke). The distance of the cranks to the ground does not change with frame size, so the saddle height relative to the ground won't change. And the wheel size doesn't change with frame size either so rack height will not change unless you find a bike with a smaller rear wheel.

I've used rear rack designed for 26" wheel mountain bikes on a bike with 700c wheels which sat very close to the top of the tire. This gave me more room between rack and saddle which came in handy for carrying boxes. The Jandd Mountaineering Expedition rack seen on my Cannondale in the picture above is larger (and heavier) than standard racks and it sits further back on the bike than other models. If my saddle was lowered, it would move forward due to the angle of the seat tube. So for a rider shorter than myself, a small saddlebag might fit between the rack and the frame.