Originally Posted by
3alarmer
...the classic French mixte design, if you take a good look at it, is going to have more frame flex than a diamond frame. I've seen 531 Reynolds mixte bikes, Raleigh sold one for a while. But it's not how I would design a bicycle if I were interested in reducing frame flex.
Frame flex in the proper direction is a feature. It's called "vertical compliance." A mixte uses a cantilevered double triangle design. This level of compliance is something current gravel bike manufacturers strive for with dropped stays, long seat posts, & other unique innovations of frame design. All invented for traversing cobbled streets & rough, uneven or inconsistent terrain. The goals are the same, even if the execution is different.
In the wrong direction it's called "noodle-ness" & leads to vague non-confidence inspiring handling as the front & rear of the bike try to ride in different planes. That's the reason for the desire of modern metallurgy with large diameter strong tubing, stiff carbon forks, tapered headtubes, stout large bore cranksets etc... escape the historical limitations of the materials of the time.
It seems the 2 innovations would compliment each other nicely. Historical design & modern advances.
Originally Posted by
seypat
Did the OP ever explain why he/she has mixte on the brain?
I don't know why. It was a fleeting thought 18 months ago...& now it's "in there" & it's taken to waking me up from time-to-time. At the very least, it's a vehicle to learn new things from. And that's good enough as any reason, I should think.