# Bike manufacturers that might be known for short top tube but a long seat tube



## Har (Oct 16, 2002)

Anyone know of one of the bike manufacturers that might be known for short top tube but a long seat tube to accommodate a tall rider with a short torso. Ideal top tube fro me would be around 57.5 cm. I ride my saddle at 83 cm.

Thanks,


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## tazdag (Apr 9, 2002)

The length of the seat tube really isn't all that important since you can adjust with a seat post. To determine if a frame will fit you, athe most important things to look at are horizontal top tube measurement, seat tube angle, and head tube length. If the head tube is too short, you'll be forced to have too much steerer tube above the headset. 
Some frames that come to mind that have tall head tube in relation to top tube are:
Felt Z
Look 566
Cervelo RS

I'm sure there are other. Depends on your price range, but this is what I have been looking at for 57.5 TT at 73 degrees and 195-200 HT.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

Har said:


> Anyone know of one of the bike manufacturers that might be known for short top tube but a long seat tube to accommodate a tall rider with a short torso. Ideal top tube fro me would be around 57.5 cm. I ride my saddle at 83 cm.
> 
> Thanks,


In these days of sloping top tube geometries, you might not be asking exactly the right question. IMO, you'll have better luck picturing it as looking for bikes with long head tubes. 

Many brands have 'taller' geometries within their lines. Cervelo has the RS, Trek has recently revised some of their geometries upward, Cannondale's Synapse line (I think) has at least a tall member, if the whole family isn't so...


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## Love Commander (Aug 20, 2009)

Soma seems to run shorter on their top tubes. They also run extended head tubes on some of their models.


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## tdi-rick (Oct 2, 2007)

They are basically my dimensions (827mm saddle height, 187cm tall) so I just ride a 58cm frame (57.5cm actual top tube) with _lots_ of Thomson post showing. Bar drop is around 105mm.

Works for me.


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## bwhite_4 (Aug 29, 2006)

Maybe a better question would be: What manufacturers offer a full run of sizes?

If you are going after a larger sized frame, be careful of the manufactures who offer a handful of sizes and keep the same chainstay length. Might not handle how it was designed (frames are designed for the masses, not the people at the end of the spectrum).


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Both Ridley and Specialized have 20.5cm headtubes in the 58cm TT size. A little too tall for me but might be OK for you.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

Har said:


> Anyone know of one of the bike manufacturers that might be known for short top tube but a long seat tube to accommodate a tall rider with a short torso. Ideal top tube fro me would be around 57.5 cm. I ride my saddle at 83 cm.
> 
> Thanks,


Colnago maybe?


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## tdi-rick (Oct 2, 2007)

FWIW, my effective head tube length is 163mm, OAL seat tube is 607mm (c to c is 560mm) chainstay length 405mm

[edit]and for those wondering, it's a Cannondale CAAD4 frame


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

It'd be easier for us to see what size frame would fit if we had your height and inseam.

That said, if you're convince you need a shorter than common top tube length for your frame size and your experience is you can't find it in a stock frame, then go custom. Gunnar has the best deal going for a custom steel frame with a reasonable turnaround. I'm assuming you haven't considered a custom frame because of price, that's why you're asking about stock frames. If you can afford under $2k, you should easily be able to get a custom steel frame.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

Colnago...I ride a 59cm Colnago with a 56.9cm tt...that's for the traditional geometry.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

you gotta consider STA... knowing nothing else, I'd say look at WSD-type frames


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

Check out the Geometry of the Look 585 Optimum. It's built for riders like you/me. Long-ish legs, short torso.
http://www.lookcycle.com/en/us/route/cadres/585-optimum.html


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## seeborough (Feb 3, 2004)

Dinosaur said:


> Colnago...I ride a 59cm Colnago with a 56.9cm tt...that's for the traditional geometry.


I agree that Colnagos might fit the OP's bill. I ride a 65.5cm MXL Freuler (61 c-t-c) with a 59 cm top tube. It is my understanding that many Italian steel frames have comparatively short top tubes.


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

seeborough said:


> I agree that Colnagos might fit the OP's bill. I ride a 65.5cm MXL Freuler (61 c-t-c) with a 59 cm top tube. It is my understanding that many Italian steel frames have comparatively short top tubes.


Taller frames traditionally have shorter top tubes to maintain the desired 39" wheelbase. They'll have longer stems for appropriate reach. I think OP will find checking the charts, lots of 60 cm frames have 58-59 cm top tubes. Any longer, they'd have to either bring the front wheel back with a steep, twitchy steering head tube angle, or extend the wheelbase.


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## AlexCad5 (Jan 2, 2005)

I've gone with a Specialized Roubaix Pro, which is very close in construction to the SWorks. The head tube is tall, but the down side is it skips sizes.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

seeborough said:


> I agree that Colnagos might fit the OP's bill. I ride a 65.5cm MXL Freuler (61 c-t-c) with a 59 cm top tube. It is my understanding that many Italian steel frames have comparatively short top tubes.


Yeah I ride a 62cm MXL and it has about the same TT. I use a 110 stem.


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## doogiepa (Dec 2, 2008)

Same needs here. Gios comes closest, if you don't mind steel.

The look 585 optimum is also a consideration.

However if you truly need a shorter top tube, you may want to consider custom. That's what I have done....but I ride my saddle at 86 cm and need a 56 TT.


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