Anyone want to help me understand road bike geometry?
#27
aka Tom Reingold
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I just looked up the Zig Zag. It looks great. $1,300 isn't bad at all. My wife has an All City Macho Man. It's so great that I'm envious.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#28
Friendship is Magic
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#29
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#30
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Don't give up! Document the bike you have - especially the fit points. BB to HB tops. BB to seat. This is what works for you (if it does). With that, you can set up potential bikes to have similar fit. Then ride them!
#31
Senior Member
Showlow, you will like the Zig Zag. I am a big fan of shallower than 73 degree seat tube angles, and prefer how it puts me behind the BB. This does slightly affect handling and you will find that it has a positive affect on stability, which is good on rougher than smooth surfaces or loose surfaces such as gravel roads.
I believe you made a solid choice.
I believe you made a solid choice.
#32
Senior Member
You're going to like the bike. Probably. As best as could be known w/o a long, long test ride.
72.5 is not particularly shallow and not shallow at all for a bike to be used w/ bigger tires on rougher surfaces. The (slightly) shallow head angle, the (slightly) long fork rake, the long top tube combine to make a longish wheelbase. You don't design a frame to a target wheelbase. Steering trail is about same as what you are used to and that is usually the strongest determinant in handling. Frame is intended for up to 35mm tires and that means it has to be longer than a pure road bike. Wow. That frame is very well spec'd. Is Anna Schwinn still designing? Somebody smart designed that frame.
72.5 is not particularly shallow and not shallow at all for a bike to be used w/ bigger tires on rougher surfaces. The (slightly) shallow head angle, the (slightly) long fork rake, the long top tube combine to make a longish wheelbase. You don't design a frame to a target wheelbase. Steering trail is about same as what you are used to and that is usually the strongest determinant in handling. Frame is intended for up to 35mm tires and that means it has to be longer than a pure road bike. Wow. That frame is very well spec'd. Is Anna Schwinn still designing? Somebody smart designed that frame.
#33
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Just wanted to mention that the lack of helpful discussion to your question(s) was quite noticable.
also- post some pics of the frame/bike!
#34
Senior Member
Thread Starter
wow this has been a mess of a thread. Since you bought the frame, I'll refrain from discussing geometry, comparisons, and how differences relate.
Just wanted to mention that the lack of helpful discussion to your question(s) was quite noticable.
also- post some pics of the frame/bike!
Just wanted to mention that the lack of helpful discussion to your question(s) was quite noticable.
also- post some pics of the frame/bike!
I'll post pics when I can. I have been ridiculously busy and whatever free time I've had I've opted to go riding rather than tinker in the garage. I hope to get a half day to build it up this weekend.
#36
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I think partly what confuses all this is that you get used to geometry, so a new bike can feel strange at first but after 10 hours or so feels perfectly normal. So different people can have different perceptions of the effect of geometry changes depending on where they're coming from. MTBs got gradually longer, lower and slacker over the last few years and journalists always exclaim how each one is sicker than the last. But if you went back in a time machine to 1992 and gave someone a 2020 MTB to ride they'd probably say it felt weird and they didn't like it.
Those geometries you posted all looked pretty similar and I'm sure any of them will ride fine. Enjoy the new bike!
Those geometries you posted all looked pretty similar and I'm sure any of them will ride fine. Enjoy the new bike!
#37
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Between the Zig Zag and Zurich, I see 1 degree difference in the head tube angle and half a cm in the chain stay. Doesn't seem like they will ride much different, unless the head tube is significantly longer on the Zig Zag (which will reduce the reach and be more upright).
#38
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Between the Zig Zag and Zurich, I see 1 degree difference in the head tube angle and half a cm in the chain stay. Doesn't seem like they will ride much different, unless the head tube is significantly longer on the Zig Zag (which will reduce the reach and be more upright).
#39
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guy153 that's very true. A lot of what is best for us is what we are accustomed to.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.