Frames with big head tubes "ugly"

[xena]

IMO I do not like the look of frames with big head tubes. I really think it spoils the Aesthetics of any frame. There are some amazing larger size builds on this site that look so fugly and out of proportion.
Is there a way to build larger frames and not have huge head tubes ?

[ChiZ01]

can't you just size down the frame with long stem and seatpost? That is what most pros do. Some pros do have customs geo frames with larger size toptube and smaller size headtube but they gotta be good enough to warrant the cost of the mold.

[BRM]

Frames are designed around size 56. In that size all is in nice proportions.
One size down and one up they still look ok.
But further away they dont look good anymore because only particular parts are sized different where others stay the same. Like wheels and forks are fixed in size. When you would size up every part the proportions would stay the same.

Fit is most important and should be on top of your requirements and personal preferences.
What is a bike worth when it looks good but your headtube is too low??

The average consumer has often a problem with too low headtubes. Results in a spacer tower and a stem in reverse position. Many many examples.

[4ibanez]

I agree with Xena about tall headtubes. I'm 6'3, so don't have much choice. I run a 58 (XL) frame with a slammed -17° 120mm stem. Although it works fine for me - I'm in the drops 90% of the time - if I had a fitting, I suspect I may be told to ride a bigger frame.

If the downtube was angled more to meet nearer the top tube that would have the desired effect, but might affect the ride...

[kulivontot]

There's no real reason that you couldn't do that, I think that morphologically it doesn't fit most people.
there's always the reverse sloping top tubes of the late 90's:

[ChiZ01]

sounds like you guys need custom geo frames

[dadoflam08]

IMO frames with very short headtubes are even less attractive - remember the Trek frames in the late 1990's/early 2000's.

[Marin]

You can put in a longer fork...

[sawyer]

I generally can fit a 54cm or a 56cm type size and given the choice will opt for the former mainly because of the need to get low at the front and the trend to jumbo head tubes

Would like it if manufacturers did what Trek do with their noob fit option and an option with a road bike HT

[jever98]

In a way a very old discussion: the length of head tube should be influenced by your required fit. Some people have short legs, long torsos and are flexible, so need a long top tube and short head tube, relatively. Others are less flexible, or have long legs and a shorter torso. Those need a shorter / higher frame. It's impossible to generalise.

I, for example, am 2m tall (about 6'7") and have a relatively "normal" drop of about 12cm on my road bike, yet still could never fit on a Canyon bike - they are all built for people with longer torsos.

Agreed, though, that big bikes seldomly look good - the bane of my existence

[KB]

Agree with BRM and Dadoflam. I hate huge spacer stacks, so would rather have a longer headtube.

[Zakalwe]

You can put in a longer fork...

With some very long arm brake calipers, presumably.

[RussellS]

I read your thread title and thought you were against all these new fangled frames with 1.5 inch bottom headset bearings. Big headtube! Reading the replies it seems maybe you are against long headtubes and pretty much any frame designed to fit people over 6 feet tall. Good thing you were not on a ride I did last year. We had a guy on a custom Gunnar frame. He was about 6'10" or so. The headtube on his frame was as long as the toptube on many people's bikes. But it seemed to fit him fine. This guy was not heavy or muscular. He looked like a basketball player. So you might have done OK against him in a fight if you upset him by criticizing his bike choice.

[maxxevv]

You can put in a longer fork...

With some very long arm brake calipers, presumably.

Not to mention that you'll most likely end up with a bike that steers like a barge .... unless you've some off the charts rake offset numbers.

[Marin]

You can put in a longer fork...

With some very long arm brake calipers, presumably.

Not to mention that you'll most likely end up with a bike that steers like a barge .... unless you've some off the charts rake offset numbers.

Yes, long drop calipers. My new bike has them

Steers like a barge - only if you _don't_ shorten the head tube, which is what this thread is about?

I realize that a longer fork is not an easy solution for most, but it's one my current build employs and I thought I'd mention it.

Most of the super-long headtubes comes from wanting to avoid spacers, which is stupid if the tradeoff is lengthening the head tube