I never really gave Fuji a second thought... I always assumed they were just another open mold frame that Performance specs to Fredly delight, but I've been pleasantly surprised while researching the Altamira and SST. I'm having trouble deciding between the two, though. I'm pretty flexible, but I don't want a handlebar drop that maxes me out before I've even reached the drops, which was my concern for the SST or Felt F-series frames.

On the other hand, I keep reading things about the Altamira's "long" headtube, but the M frame has the same HT and TT length as a CAAD10 in the same size, and a lower stack over all. Same as the Venge, Tarmac, and Foil in the same sizes as well.

So there it is. I'm having trouble deciding, and a test ride at the shop doesn't tell you much without having the stock stem swapped out and dropped/flipped, etc.

Any thoughts WWs?

I just built up a (2012) Altamira frameset... gotta say I love it. I have an XS and the headtube is just as short as a TCRs. I really love the way the bike handles, isn't noodly/smooth in the rear etc. Definitely feels snappy when accelerating and climbing out of the saddle with that massive BB. I've read some people say that the SST is way too stiff and makes it feel a bit dead but I suppose that's really a matter of personal preference.

I do wish my headtube was a wee bit shorter (it's 12cm) but I just threw a -17 stem on it and I'm happy. The only thing I will say is that the cone spacer/bearing cover that comes with the headset, a rebranded FSA orbit C40, is rather tall ~1.5cm so keep that in mind if you want some serious drop but most of those aftermarket "slam that stem"/veloflyte/etc bearing cover-spacer-things will work fine on the frame or you can just slam it on the bearings which is what I do. I'm planning on taking a dremel to mine some time later this week and seeing if i can shave off some height though because I dont like the idea of exposing that to the elements.

Thanks, I was actually admiring yours! How tall are you/how long is your torso for the XS? I'd definitely prefer to slam my stem. As it is now, my bike has a 14cm HT with the stem on the bearings but the top tube is waaay too long. I'm 5'9" with a 31-32" cycling inseam. I'm trying to measure my position now and figure out if t'd fit better on the small or medium frame. I'd kinda prefer a fit without the saddle slammed back and a 140mm stem, so whichever size does that for me is what I'd lean towards. But I don't want to have my saddle slammed forward with 100mm stem either.

I'm scarred from having been on an ill-fitting bike for so long.

11235 Has it right. The altamira is a superb handling bike. Having trained on it all winter, I've finally gotten down to putting some race miles on it, and all I can say is that the faster you go, the more its handling seems to be just right! And then, the day after a circuit race with high speed pack corners, I spent 4 hours doing multiple super-steep out of the saddle climbs... Again, revelation of it stiffness going up, and pure joy in its handling coming down.

I can only speak personally for the altamira, but eight of my team mates are on the SST, and they have nothing but praise as well.

What specifically are you looking for in deciding between the two?

At first it just came down to "do I want a sprinter's bike or an all-rounder's bike", but then I got hung up on the geometry. They're nearly identical except for the HT length. The problem is I'm really quite flexible and quite adamant about minimizing spacers, but at the same I don't know if the SST might position me too low for my stature.

I'm a pretty small guy and basically just went for the shortest TT i could (51.5).
These are my measurements (in):
Inseam: 30
Trunk: 23.375
Forearm: 12.25
Arm: 23.375
Thigh: 21.75
Lower Leg: 19.5
Sternal Notch: 53.75
Total Body Height: 66

Well... I'd actually say they are quite different in geometry.

The Stack and Reach figures tell the story. The SST is longer, in every size. (SST/ALT Reach = 380/363, 375/370, 386/370, 396/379, 405/389, 418/397 ) The Altamira is quite different there. However, the stack figures are very similar. (SST/ALT Stack = 513/517, 523/528, 535/540, 555/560, 574/580, 580/600) So, its not so much about getting the drop right as getting your preferred stem length and reach.

Also, the headtube angle and fork rake differ significantly as well. This effects trail and the handling of the bike. The SST is shallower in every size, and also has less fork rake... Both of which slow down steering and make the "sprinter" bike hold its line with more resistance to change. This also effects turn in, or "flickability" The SST needs a bit more of a heavy hand, but at 40+ mph, throwing the bike around, this is a good thing. Depends on what you're looking for.

Stack and reach is the way to go, as far as fitting these frames goes. And don't forget about the 15mm headset cone spacer, which bumps up the stack and decreases the reach a bit.

The cone spacer should be easy to swap at any bike shop, I'd think. That's what I did with my Fuji SL/1. It has exceptionally long trail, which requires an active counter-steer to corner. It's great for an established line, like a descent with sweeping corners, but less responsive on more technical descents. But that's primarily small (my size) and XS. I'm curious as well about how the Altamira compares. I have no doubt the Fuji SL/1 is a first class frame: I really like mine.

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Fuji SL/1
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Coming from an SL1, the Altamira feels a lot "twitchier" if you will... the Sl1 seemed to take some time to get it to commit to a turn but held it well once committed, whereas the alta feels like a snappy bitch on crack and can't wait to dive into the turn (still feels great in the turn though). FWIW I rode a M-sized SL1 with a very short stem which one would think would make it very responsive to steering input.

Well, I was able to test ride an SST today, stem flipped and slammed on the cone spacer. I tried the S/M and it fit almost perfectly. I was actually surprised how comfortable I was, save for needing maybe another ~20mm of stem. It was definitely smooth, hardly intolerable over rough road in a pair of shorts, but that was just a mile or two behind the shop. Maybe tire pressure helped. I could definitely feel how it picks up speed the faster you go. I'm going to try the Altamira later this week or next and compare. In the S/M size frame, the Altamira's stack and reach are within +5mm and -5mm of the SST respectively, so I may not be as frustrated with fit as I initially thought. I love and hate bike buying!

This is weight weenies, remember. The Altamira will be lighter, and allow you a very light seatpost.

Please let us know what you think after your next test. Back to back is always fun and instructive!

Bike ordered!

I went with the M frame, 50c-t. The shop was kind enough to flip and lower the stems on both a 50 and 53 for me and let me crank out 15 minutes on each. Now I have to buy a damned scale just to show it off in the gallery

awesome, can't wait to see some pictures!

You'll love it....I love mine, and I almost have it to 14.5lbs with Ultegra! Mine is a size 56/57 so you should be able to get a very light build. Excited to see the photos and build!

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2012 Fuji Altamira SE - 6.42kg

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@btompkins0112 your bike is sexy as hell... I have more or less the same blacked out look but the extra small frame size proportions look sort of off