"I can kick your 'slammed stem' ass"
-Linus Gerdemann.

"We don't care what you think"
-The Pro Peloton

"Yes, pay for the aesthetics and the pro look. Take out a loan if you have to."
-The Bicycle Industry

"Yes, slam that stem. All the pros are doing it. All of them. You don't want to look like a loser do you?"
-Fat rider at the coffee shop in a pro kit and/or Rapha gear.

"We should make an appointment to take care of the injuries you sustained over time riding that way"
-Your doctors and physical therapists




...in fact, some of the people arguing here sound similar to hipsters arguing over "fixies"



"Riding without brakes on the street is the cool thing to do. Not doing that makes you a total loser and the bike just doesn't look as good with brakes"
-Hipsters with ironic large-rimmed glasses, tight pants, and ironic beard.

"You need to cut down your handlebars to the shortest length possible. So you can ride fast through the busy traffic of the city"
-Hipsters in the suburbs

"I need the largest messenger bag possible to carry all the beer cases"
-Hipster in high school

"I only ride with NJS-stamped equipment, like a pro"
-Hipster walking his/her bike to the coffee shop to work on his/her novel.

"My dream job is to be a bike messenger"
-Hipster in college

_________________
Exp001

I am amazed Mr Horners bike has a pump and spare tube under the saddle , Whats that about?

That picture was taken after a training ride. I guess he likes to be prepared when training.

I don't see anything about "looks" the title Re: Long head tubes , I do not like them

D'OH!.

But really, mis-reading of the thread subject aside (I forgive you for it, we all make mistakes), the real point to me is: is there somehow a LACK of bikes with full-on race geometry - low head tubes, short wheel base, etc? Seriously? We're all somehow being forced onto frames that are too tall and stable handling? Really? You can't find a racy bike frame any more, probably in more abundance than 5 years ago? The new lines of more relaxed frames are coming at the expense of the racing frames? If so, I was not aware of that "fact".

Or is the fact that there are now simply more options for more relaxed, yet high performance, current top of the line componentry and materials bikes ..... in addition to as many or more varieties of racing bikes/frames? That seems to me to be the point the thread was making - that there are somehow fewer (rather than more) options and if you actually read posts, most if not all of the objections to the tall head tubes are more on the basis of looks rather than function.

That's just silly in both respects - in the idea that there are fewer options for racy frames and that somehow there's a standard for looks that trumps function.

Well If You read my first post , It says quite clearly about looks so I forgive your error. My point is that bike companys are catering towards the sportive market as this is where the cash is. If you look at Cervelo or the new Trek Domaine , all have long head tubes. In the case of the RC5A the riders are slamming - 17 degree stems on them and that is the way the market will go, It will not be easy to get a small head tubed bike in a few years if the trend continues .
Not everyone wants to ride a sportive style bike and has I can slam my stem I do not want to ride a bike in my opinion with a ugly looking long head tube . If I spend $1000s on bike I want it to look good what is wrong with that? If you want to ride a bike that fits then thats fine, but I want to ride a bike that fits and looks good to my eye. Not everyone can afford a custom frame and I fear that is the way it's heading, so while there is some choice now in a few years there will not be.

Pretty sure that Cancellara could race circles around anyone on his Domane whether they had a shorter headtube or not........not sure I agree on the looks aspect either. If it reduces the amount of spacers utilized I think a taller headtube would be a positive thing.

_________________
2012 Fuji Altamira SE - 6.42kg

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=111416" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"If it reduces the amount of spacers utilized I think a taller headtube would be a positive thing"
But I do not have any spacers, I slam my stem, and do not want a big ugly head tube . Cancellara's bike has a short head tube which is not for sale to the public. All I am saying is that I fear in the end we will only have a choice of sportive bikes unless you go custom. Cervelo have gone this way .Trek now seem to be heading this way and most bike makers are going to make the big bucks from the sportive market .
On this sight every one makes comments about the way bikes look. It is important, your not being honest if you say you only buy a bike for fit ,this sight proves different. If you want a long head tube ,fine , but some of us can bend down and dont want a long head tube or a -17 stem although it looks ok on the trek ssl.

pors ride with helmets during races because they are required
pros do care how they look on the bike that is why most of them size down on their frames
when specialized sta rted working with saxo the guy doing their fits said something like all the riders had slammed stems, on different sized bikes and different size frames.

Roca, are you a pro?

_________________
Exp001

Welcome to Los Angeles. Fashion is king.

Although, this is coming from a man who owns a fixed gear bike with a front brake, properly sized road bars, no messenger bag, and no NJS stamped parts.

Oh... and I love how casually passing a roadie on my usual Ballona Creek route almost always ends up starting a balls out race, which usually ends with said roadie wondering how he got smoked by some "hipster" on a "fixie." I wear my bibs under my cutoff Dockers and a t-shirt to rub it in even further.

TL;DR: Not all young folks on fixed gear bikes are hipsters.

Nick Legan over on Velonews.com (who used to be a mechanic for Radioshack, for those who may not know) wrote some things along these lines as well in one of his older columns (about the "peer pressure" in pro cycling resulting in people running slammed stems, etc...)

_________________
My Bikes

My Photoblog

your'e not the only person who wants to ride a bike, there's plenty of choices i don't see the problem. would you be as happy if they just made super tiny headtubed bikes that were so small you had to use spacers? and then would you not ride like that or slam it anyway and be really uncomfortable?

Beardking wrote .....your'e not the only person who wants to ride a bike, there's plenty of choices i don't see the problem. would you be as happy if they just made super tiny headtubed bikes that were so small you had to use spacers? and then would you not ride like that or slam it anyway and be really uncomfortable?

Yes

The Domane that Cancellara was riding has a shorter head tube that the publicly available bike.

_________________
Bike Pure

I'm surprised that most of the "slammed stem" discussion is about looks, actually. Riding along in a low position (with proper setback) is totally worth it for the feeling alone, regardless of looks. And it's also worth investing time to work on flexibility beyond just being able to ride aero.

_________________
Bikes: Raceur, Beateur