Curved Top tubes

[samid]

Are we sure this one hasn't been in an accident?

LOL

 

[phil_hg_uk]

Are we sure this one hasn't been in an accident?

I guess it could be a problem if you did have and accident on it, how would they know if it had been damaged or not

 

[Cubist]

This is mine it was a challenge mounting the pump on the crossbar:

it also has a curvy backend

Forgive me, but does anyone else think the underslung cables look kinda "orphaned" hanging there under the top tube? Any bike builder worth their salt would have simply clipped in a full length outer to the tube to follow the curve!

Flex in an alluminium top tube? Are they taking the piss?

 

[mickle]

Cycling Pus is and always has been full of shoot, and don't get me started on that Paul Vincent character.

 

[Night Train]

I read a cycling plus review about an alloy bike with a curved top tube which stated "the curved top tube acts like a leaf spring smoothing out bumpier rides" (wording m,ay not be exact).

This sounds like BS to me.

It would be BS.

It is marketing speak to explain why the curved tube provides less structural stuffness then a straight tube would.

 

[slowmotion]

It would be BS.

It is marketing speak to explain why the curved tube provides less structural stuffness then a straight tube would.

Yeah, right. My Secteur has a bent and tapered aluminium top tube. The motor's crap too....

 

[TheDoctor]

'Stuffness' is an excellent word !!

More stuffness and less stiffness.

 

[mickle]

More stuffness and less stiffness.

You can get pills for that.... It's just your age.

 

[gaz]

curved tubes are sexy (if they curve the right way)

 

[Night Train]

I suppose you can have a curved tube that doesn't affect the stiffness of the frame but it would need to be a larger tube with more weight to it.

Curves do look good but to an engineering eye they look odd on a triangulated structure if there is no need for it to be there.

My first full sized bike had curved tubes.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I am not knocking a curved top tube at all it would neither attract me to or put me off a bike .

Just challenging Cycling pluses assertion that it can in some way soften the ride.

To quote what I posted in another thread in Bikes And Accessories -

"As 90% of modern cycling journalists are clueless self-gratification artists who swallow any old shoot fed to them by marketing men they write exactly what the manufacturers intend them to write, ie crap that is designed to make the readers think they must have a different bike for evey day of the week".

 

[Banjo]

To quote what I posted in another thread in Bikes And Accessories -

"As 90% of modern cycling journalists are clueless self-gratification artists who swallow any old shoot fed to them by marketing men they write exactly what the manufacturers intend them to write, ie crap that is designed to make the readers think they must have a different bike for evey day of the week".

I am tempted to write to C+ probably best if I dont quote your comments though Joe

Be interesting to see if it gets printed or if I get any form of reply.

 

[Willo]

I wasn't keen on the curved tube on my Allez at first, but have grown to like the shape of it now, with no knowledge of whether it's a good or bad design functionality wise. However, have to agree with the earlier points about the cable hanging below the tube, as can be seen below, which is a little daft design wise (and means I have to take a little extra care when putting it on the rack on the car.

 

[notthebuzzard]

Thought I'd chip in to this as I have a vested interest. What with me being the editor of Cycling Plus and all. I've just looked back over the last issue and found the offending caption and hands up, I missed it. That said, I'm no engineer so I'm going to consult one to check if this is, indeed, BS. (Yes, it's a bit late now but...)

But a couple of points: Mickle "Cycling Pus is and always has been full of shoot, and don't get me started on that Paul Vincent character." You're perfectly entitled to your opinion about the magazine, and I'm perfectly entitled to disagree but for future accuracy Paul left Cycling Plus some time ago.

And Smokin Joe. Likewise we're all entitled to an opinion but I definitely don't agree with: "As 90% of modern cycling journalists are clueless self-gratification artists who swallow any old shoot fed to them by marketing men they write exactly what the manufacturers intend them to write, ie crap that is designed to make the readers think they must have a different bike for evey day of the week" They're not and they don't.

Rob

 

[mickle]

Fair do's.