Aesthetics of dropped seat stays

[vinuneuro]

Most of the bikes discussed in this forum are raced in uci world tour so the frame manufacturers pursue all the incremental gains and they ride and handle better for it.

But when I recently considered changing my bike for something racier the looks definitely played a roll and I gravitate towards bikes with traditional seat stay position eg. Canyon. Even BMC which arguably makes the best looking bikes with dropped stays, doesn't look as good person.

They're certainly more aero and probably help with compliance too, but are they worth the sacrifice in aesthetics for those of us not racing for a living? Do bike aesthetics factor into your decisions?

[Calnago]

Of course bike aesthetics factor in to my decision making process. And you’ve just reminded me of another talking point for my C64 thread. Thank you.

[Shrike]

Think they look better. Consider the new Tarmac and Allez, even the lower end models which have dropped the seat stays look fantastic to my eye. Fresh, modern, sporty.

Traditional looking frame designs are so common place (we've been living with them since all of us have been born, in some cases that means over 50 years of the same old seat stay design) that you would have to be badly stuck in the mud in terms of aesthetic appreciation to not suffer diminishing returns. The only way I can enjoy a completely traditional frame shape now is if it's done with a touch of extravagance and luxury. The C60 is a great example.

[gewichtweenie]

They're horrifically ugly and even if I raced, I don't buy into performance claims

[pdlpsher1]

I like the looks too but I hope this is just an isolated incident

[Kaboom]

Ugly as all FCUK.
In my opinion of course.

Aesthetics plays a huge role in my bike-related choices. After all if the thing looks ugly it's gonna be a lot less enticing to get on it and ride the wheels off the thing.

I also just like looking at them.

[wheelbuilder]

Aesthetics and particularly paint plays a big role in my cycling satisfaction. I like traditional shaped frames, but I do prefer sloping top tubes, and 27.2 posts. I am not fond of dropped stay frames.

[morganb]

I like them, especially on dramatically shaped aero bikes. It reminds me of a low slung formula car, even on more traditional bikes I think it looks good. If I was building something steel or Ti would go with traditional stays though.

[IrrelevantD]

Who cares about ascetics, they are shorter, so less material, so they are lighter, right? This is weight weenies after all. On top of that, they're more aero.... right? So lighter, and more aero. Win win.

[bilwit]

Aesthetics should always be your #1 factor unless you're sponsored or really digging in for saved watts for a TT or something. If you're not happy with how it looks, why spend thousands of dollars to own it? IMO it can look pretty bad but there's no denying that it's modern and has become standard for a reason. There are still plenty of new bikes out there with traditional seatstays (Orbea Orca, Trek Emonda, etc). Ride what you like.

[pdlpsher1]

Who cares about ascetics, they are shorter, so less material, so they are lighter, right? This is weight weenies after all. On top of that, they're more aero.... right? So lighter, and more aero. Win win.

I don't know for sure if there's really less materials. When you drop the stays the stresses on those members increase significantly. So more materials are needed to compensate. The question is whether it's a net increase or decrease in materials, and hence weight. The lowered stays also increase the stresses on the upper part of the seat tube above the seatstays.

[IrrelevantD]

I don't know for sure if there's really less materials. When you drop the stays the stresses on those members increase significantly. So more materials are needed to compensate. The question is whether it's a net increase or decrease in materials, and hence weight. The lowered stays also increase the stresses on the upper part of the seat tube above the seatstays.

I was being facetious/cynical/sarcastic about the weight/aero. I truly don't notice it on the aesthetics though. As long as it rides well, I'm cool with it. Now those wavy looking Pinarello forks, I hate those things.

[robertbb]

Can look great, can look shit. I think it depends on the size of the frame, the tube shapes, the amount of seatpost showing, and the paint job.

As was said above, I'm a fan of a sloping top tube, 27.2 posts, and more traditional round(ish) tube shapes.

[Stickman]

Personally, a sloping top tube and dropped seat stays are super sexy. A flat top tube on a non-aero bike looks boring to me.

[Ghibliultra]

I think aesthetics is always top priority when I choose my bike. If I saw new bike lines that has dropped seat stay and brand said it helps you go faster, look fancier I get it. That’s totally reasonable. As long as looking cool I don’t care it’s dropped or not but I’m a bit of a fan of traditional frame shape.