Originally Posted by
63rickert
Default/de facto was long reach brakes. When the switch is made to short at front, sure, they could have gone short at either end. Against that is inertia. No absolute need to change the rear so it didn't happen. Reduced clearance at front absolutely allows lower standover.
For fifty years I have personally experienced a constant drumbeat of short riders complaining there is nothing for them. Mostly they are correct. When I sold them on the retail floor I often said, you are right, I have nothing to sell you. We can re-equip a DL-22L or you can buy a better looking bike that's too big. This has only barely changed. What just will not ever change is anyone's thinking about how small frames are designed. 98% or maybe 99.9% of knowledgable aficionados are never going to think about anyone different than themselves. It is not about notions of performance. It is not about "de-rating" a brake caliper. It is about being able to stand over the bike or dismount w/o pain. The wife's Colnago is the best designed small frame I have ever seen and it is that way because Ernesto was short himself. Explaining this to a tall person may be impossible.
+1 I'm 6'2" and I understand completely, several years selling bikes on a shop floor helps.
When I was a sales rep there was a shop in SF out in the Avenues I used to stop at. His wife (or maybe it was his ex-wife) was tiny, and had a custom built frame for 24" wheels. Smaller wheels are probably the best solution. The problem with a production bike is that this is a small volume of frames. Georgena Terry is at least one maker that is addressing this market. 26" wheeled roadbikes can be found. Is it an underserved market? Now we're getting into business dynamics.
It still begs the question of why design in and mix short and long reach brakes on
any frame, short or tall. I hear the reasoning, it just doesn't make logical sense to me. If anybody brought a frame into my shop for mods or repairs and had a "tall" brake bridge compared to the front, I'd suggest "fixing" that if the frame were getting repainted anyway, unless they wanted to reuse the OEM rear brake.
You're sensitive to small frames, I'm sensitive to fender lines - here in the PNW many of us tend to be obsessed with it! BTW, one of my kids is 5'-0" and fully grown. I repurposed an old mountain bike frame. Cantilevers remove the brake reach from the equation, and place nicely with wide tires and fenders.
