Sloping Geometry

[bennydorano]

I've been looking at a few Ribble bikes, saw their Ribble Stealth , but it measured 54.5cm - I'm generally in the 57/58cm area for horizontal TT bikes. After an email back and forth with Ribble I've been told "The stealth has sloping geometry, so although its a 54.5cm its a 58 top tube".

Not knowing my arse from my elbow I'm a bit wary, I read up a bit there but still not much the wiser.

Edit: I had actually discounted this option previously because I saw 54.5cm, today I eamiled tehm to enquire when a 57 or 58 would be in stock.

 

[amaferanga]

Its top tube length that matters. Measure the top tube on your bike and then look for a bike with a (virtual) top tube of around the same.

 

[Zoiders]

People will incorrectly tell you that all compacts are "smaller" or automatically have less trail than non compact frames.

This is untrue, the front and rear triangles may be shorter at the seat tube but the contact points remain in the same place, as Amfreanga says - look for the virtual top tube height and it's length/reach which is essentially a line running from the top of the head tube parallel with the ground in the place where the top tube would be on a non compact frame, where it intersects with the seat post gives you the actual frame size (roughly).

 

[bennydorano]

Would Specialised bikes generally be considered as sloping Geometry?

 

[PpPete]

Stealth Geometry is here:http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/assets/images/Stealth_Geometry.jpg
Specialized Geometry is also available on their website
here is the page on the Venge for example : http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=62005&scid=1101&scname=Road

 

[bennydorano]

Yeah, that Ribble Stealth Geometry has just been added this week(over my promptings I'd like to think!).

I was just asking about Specialised as I'm 6ft 2" and had a 58cm Secteur, which in theory should have been ok for me, but I hated it and put shorter stem, flipped handlebars etc... to make it more comfortable, was just thinking if it was sloping Geometry I may have had more joy with the 56cm.

Edit: Having checked the Specialised geometry they reckon I should be on a 58cm (6ft-6.3)- not for me again.

 

[fossyant]

Bennydorano, sizing is individual, and the guide from the manufacturers is somewhere around the recommended. What happens is some folk perfer shorter stems and have bars much higher, others (like me) prefer much longer stems and the bars nice and low.