Relaxed Geometry Bikes

petethedrummer

I'm putting all the relaxed geometry bikes together into one thread and then maybe the wiki. But really its just an excuse to post this:

Colnago have a new relaxed geometry bike for 2010. I wonder how much it will cost.

http://www.colnago.com/collection.php?name=ACE

Lumen

Relaxed geometry? That's not a knife. THIS is a knife:

petethedrummer

Lumen wrote: »

Relaxed geometry? That's not a knife. THIS is a knife:

hmmm I'm interested. How would handle climbing Kippure?

Idleater

Lumen wrote: »

Relaxed geometry? That's not a knife. THIS is a knife:

I see your cruiser and raise you a recumbent:


I'm beginning to like the cycling forum tangential threads. But perhaps this is a step too far.

I'll get back on my Full Susser and leave now ...

edit: just seen niceonetom's

niceonetom

The facial hair is not optional.

petethedrummer

nereid wrote: »

I see your cruiser and raise you a recumbent:

Nah, some dope just put their new purchase from Wiggle together incorrectly.

Right lads, stop making the mick. This is thread is for road bikes with slightly taller head tubes, not cucumbent bikes.

Lumen

Gaaah, recumbents!

Presumably there comes a point where more horizontal means less relaxed.

niceonetom

bah, staying on topic is for the weak.

anyway, here's two I can think of of the top of my head:

Cervélo RS


Look 566


snobby review

You should probably just HTFU though. Or do yoga.

petethedrummer

niceonetom wrote: »

Or do yoga.

Tried, hurt my back.

petethedrummer

Giant Defy Advanced:

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/road/2264/32185/
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/defy-advanced-1-09-32480

Lumen

Oh, road bikes.

Most manufacturers have a "sportive" bike in the range, which as far as I can tell just means longer headtube (higher front end) and longer chainstays (to stop weight distribution from going all the way back). E.g. Specialized Roubaix, Felt Z?, Scott CR?, Giant OCR, Bianchi 928.

One last stupid one then I'm done...

unionman

Relaxed geometry?

Another new one on me. What are they for? Who uses them? What are the advantages? Euro rating?

etc etc etc.

Never heard the term until today.

I quite liked that first recumbent...was that wrong?

Lumen

unionman wrote: »

Relaxed geometry? Another new one on me. What are they for? Who uses them? What are the advantages?

Higher front end, therefore easier on the back and arms.

The theory is that if you put a load of spacers on a racy road bike the handling will suffer because your weight distribution will be too far back. Also, spacers are ugly so by buying a sportive bike you can pretend that you're using racy bike with a very sloping toptube. But the head tube tells the truth.

unionman wrote: »

Euro rating?

If you have to ask...

rottenhat

unionman wrote: »

Relaxed geometry?

Another new one on me. What are they for? Who uses them? What are the advantages? Euro rating?

At a guess, there's nothing new about them at all - I imagine they have marginally shallower seat and head tube angles and longer chainstays than a contemporary road bike, making for more stable handling and a little more upright position. Traditionally this would have been the geometry for a stage race bike - something you were going to be racing over a couple of hundred kilometres - as opposed to a bike for criteriums where distances would be shorter and there'd be a lot of sharp cornering.

unionman

Lumen wrote: »

If you have to ask...

I know, I know.

Trust me, I have no illusions. The only rule I manage to follow is the one about drinking espresso. Sometimes I even drink it on a patio.

blorg

Relaxed geometry bikes are quite popular, Specialized arguably kicked off the category with the Roubaix but the default "Performance" Madone you will get these days if you go for a compact chainset is also relaxed geometry, you only get the "race" geometry on the "Pro" Madones with a standard crankset. The relaxed ones outsell the "Pro" ones too AFAIK.

Commonly marketed as for sportives or if you are a little less flexible. Like a compact chainset makes a lot of sense if like the majority of road bike riders you do not race your bike.

halvis

Before Greg got jealous of Lance Armstrong and Trek stopped the contract, his Lemond brand of bikes were always built for comfort. I have a 2002 steel frame Alpe D'Huez and the geometry and frame material make the ride bearable on my very bad local roads.

You still see a few around in bike shops around the country and they look kinda retro as they don't have the oversized tubes. More expensive models use Carbon etc.

There is also a company called Thorn in the UK that make tourers mainly, but also some fast Audax and racing style bikes. They are custom built, so may appear a little pricey for what they are, but quality is excellent. I had a friend with one and it was very nice. See http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/models.html. Many models have 26" mtb style wheels, so would suit rough Irish roads. They have an excellent reputation.

blorg

@halvis- modern carbon bikes can also be exceedingly comfortable, I honestly don't believe steel maintains a competitive edge in this regard. A Thorn is the sort of bike you would buy if you were going to cycle across Africa, I honestly don't think it is necessary for "Irish roads."

lukester

halvis wrote: »

Before Greg got jealous of called out Lance Armstrong and Trek stopped the contract Lance decided to crush him, his Lemond brand of bikes were always built for comfort.

fyp

halvis

blorg wrote: »

@halvis- modern carbon bikes can also be exceedingly comfortable, I honestly don't believe steel maintains a competitive edge in this regard. A Thorn is the sort of bike you would buy if you were going to cycle across Africa, I honestly don't think it is necessary for "Irish roads."

Agreed, carbon is very comfortable but thought steel was worth a mention as a cheaper substitute. Depends what your budget is really.

The Thorns bike range covers many types of bike, 'a round the world trip' bike being one of them. Although, many people in the UK use them as winter training bikes and if you just want one bike that will do many things reasonably well, then I still think the Audax and Cyclosportif (although expensive) bikes are worth a look.

petethedrummer

Giant Defy
http://giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/bikes/road/2428/36128/

petethedrummer

Cannondale Synapse
http://www3.cannondale.com/bikes/09/cusa/synapse.html

High End
http://www3.cannondale.com/bikes/09/cusa/model-9RCS3C_9RCS3D.html


Lower End
http://www3.cannondale.com/bikes/09/cusa/model-9RAS7T.html

petethedrummer

Specialized Secteur (New for 2010)
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/specialized-2010-road-preview-tarmac-sl3-secteur-roubaix-shiv-22207

Trojan

Most touring bikes will be more relaxed geometry so check them out too.

ednwireland

think its BS myself the difference between a synapse and my cayo is 0.5cm on chainstays and top tube and 3cm on head tube,its supposed to be "racy" but it less twitchy than my steel winter bike . go figure.

blorg

Not passing any judgement on whether it is BS but 3cm on a head tube makes a hell of a lot of difference you know. Try lowering or raising your bars by 3cm and I wager the bike will feel quite different. I am often amazed by how much difference only a few cm, or indeed mm, make!

sy

blorg wrote: »

...... I am often amazed by how much difference only a few cm, or indeed mm, make!

On second thoughts I wont go there...:rolleyes:

ednwireland

dont think i made my point well (at all?) i'm not particularly flexible (thats what this winters for but i have my handlebers with 3 spacers above and 2 below, so dont think i need a higher head tube and i would class myself as one of the freds they are aiming these bikes at.

just marketing guff it it feels comfortable go for it, but dont be sold a "sportive" bike just because of that

my bikes got SPSS (stable stiffness per size) havent all bikes ?

petethedrummer

Some(maybe most) of them have a shorter reach than the more aggressive bikes, reach is my problem.

For instance the Defy advanced range has a shorter reach than the TCR range. If I wanted a Carbon Giant I couldn't ride a TCR, tried one and the reach was too much, so I'd have to go for a Defy Advanced.

Planet X

niceonetom wrote: »

The facial hair is not optional.

The lights are killing me!

As is the BB clearance. What BB?
OK, under his shoe.........

Just a bit of "give" in the steering?

petethedrummer

Specialized Roubaix:

http://www.specialized.com/gb/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=45821&eid=4951&menuItemId=9336

Lumen

Not the most observant person, I discovered last night than my Planet-X Uncle John actually has Ultegra shifters and front mech. For some reason I thought it had 105. Not too shabby for £900 built/£800 unbuilt.

Whilst it's not exactly light, I'm finding the relaxed geometry (short top tube and long head tube) very enjoyable, and the eyelets, mudguard clearance and 36/46 chainset makes it a decent commuter/winter trainer in addition to the cyclocross capability.

The brakes are fine if properly adjusted for road use.

Maybe a left-field Defy alternative?

JacksonHeightsOwn

talk about digging up an old thread!!

so, has anybodt tried the colnago ace from the first post?