Who has switched from a traditional frame to a compact design and how do you like the change? What do you like better? What don't they like? Do you think this is the next generation of road bikes?

Interesting that Slipstream "requested" Felt's compact frames for Tour of California. The pros are slowly coming around. What do you think?

one of my bikes has sloping tt... if your position is the same you prob won't feel much... in theory a smaller frame will be stiffer and perhaps very slightly lighter, but will require a longer (flexy?) seatpost.

Who has switched from a traditional frame to a compact design and how do you like the change? What do you like better? What don't they like? Do you think this is the next generation of road bikes?

Interesting that Slipstream "requested" Felt's compact frames for Tour of California. The pros are slowly coming around. What do you think?


I have one of those Felt carbons- it is my first compact frame, but it is only semi compact. I like the semi- compact, it seems to be the best of both worlds for me. When sprinting, or climbing out of the saddle, the bike seems much smaller and that I can "dominate" more (if that is the word)... yet I don't like compact frames for descending or the aesthetics.


Again, I do love the stand over clearance on the felt...

>>>Who has switched from a traditional frame to a compact design and how do you like the change?<<<

I have 2 "compact"/sloping TT bikes at present. I like them a lot.I wouldn't say that I prefer them.


http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s269/caterham1700/rinotmspics024-1.jpg


>>>What do you like better?<<<
The extra standover comes in handy on occassion.The bikes have a nice "tossable" feel to them.

>>>What don't they like?<<<
In a smaller size frame,there's not much room to gain access to the second water bottle from it's cage.

On fast twisty downhills,I like to stabilize the bike by squeezing the toptube or pressing a knee against it.With the sloping TT lower, it's not quite as secure feeling.Not a big deal tho.

>>> Do you think this is the next generation of road bikes? <<<

It already is. Whether or not it's a passing fad, I can't say. Compact sizing allows the manufacturer to make fewer sizes and get away with it while the dealer has fewer bikes to inventory (ie: more efficient & profitable bottom line). It also gives a different aesthetic that plays well with some customers. Compact design works great if the size range/geometry of the bikes they produce actually fit you. Unfortunately if you fall in between, it's very, very difficult to achieve that "mechanical-extension-of-your-body" fit and handling.

>>>Interesting that Slipstream "requested" Felt's compact frames for Tour of California. The pros are slowly coming around. <<<

The pro's will ride whatever the team ,sponsors or suppliers provide for them for whatever reason. That's what they're hired to do. Sometimes it has absolutely nothing to do with performance, sometimes it does. Not sure that you can make a case for compacts just by who's using what.

The pro's will ride whatever the team ,sponsors or suppliers provide for them for whatever reason. That's what they're hired to do. Sometimes it has absolutely nothing to do with performance, sometimes it does. Not sure that you can make a case for compacts just by who's using what.


I hear this a lot- and it is true.... but when I hear this I always get the impression that manufacturers are not moving forward with their R&D/ products but rather slinging just something else out the door. That might be the case with some new products, but the biking industry in general is making their newest products, stiffer, lighter, moving with less resistance (like ceramic bearings and areo shaped tubes.) I know it is all very small steps, but I do believe it is moving forward...

Caterham, I am not suggesting you were making this argument, but this is just a general statement... :D

In any way that matters, compact geometry is only an aesthetic choice.

It can make a small amount of difference in weight. In either direction, depending on implementation.

It can make a bike vertically stiffer, which doesn't do any good at all and arguably makes the bike less comfortable.

It will make the bike less stiffl laterally, which is not a good thing by anyone's measure. The only way a smaller triangle is stiffer is if the points being supported are closer together. If smaller trianges really were better, the top tube would run between the bottle bosses.

Speaking of, If they are compact enough, reaching water bottles can be less than, as mentioned.

Standover height matters for mountain bikes, for some fairly obvious reasons. It matters for touring bikes and tandems, because it takes both feet squarely on the ground to keep the rubber down at a stop. For a road bike, it matters not-at-all. Not too long ago, if you raced a bike that you could stand flatfooted over, the coaches would have dope-slapped you for having too-small a bike - and most likely they would have been right.

If you like the look, go for it. If you wish to line the pockets of manufacturers that think 'close enough' is an adequate fitting system that allows them to save money on materials and tooling, you're good to go. If you want it because it produces a superior bike - sorry, but in most cases the answer is somewhere between 'not so much you can tell' and 'no, not really.'

One exception is in frames for very large individuals. The inherent limitations in materials sizes and properties makes the increased vertical stiffness a good thing, and some materials simply aren't available in the diameters and thicknesses required by a large-size, fully dimensioned frame. Plus, it makes a big bike look a little more 'on' it's wheels, where a straight top tube on 64+ sizes begins to look like a clown bike.

BTW, I'm not a Luddite, and one bike I currently lust after happens to be a compact. But that's not why I want it, and I won't attempt to justify it as superior.

Who has switched from a traditional frame to a compact design and how do you like the change? What do you like better? What don't they like? Do you think this is the next generation of road bikes?

Interesting that Slipstream "requested" Felt's compact frames for Tour of California. The pros are slowly coming around. What do you think?

I have bikes of both styles and honestly the only thing I get out of a compact (or even a slightly sloping design) is the ability to clamp the seat tube in my stand without moving the saddle up and down. If I spec a custom, I always ask for a bit of slope.

As far as I am concerned, it's all about looks and whatever might be gained for a person with short legs or someone wanting a longer head tube.

I don't think the pros are "coming around", I think the MFGRs are looking at the success of bikes like Giant sells and deciding that they need to have those products in the marketplace.

Are you still trying to convince yourself that you'll be happy with a 10-% slope?

Who has switched from a traditional frame to a compact design and how do you like the change? What do you like better? What don't they like? Do you think this is the next generation of road bikes?

Interesting that Slipstream "requested" Felt's compact frames for Tour of California. The pros are slowly coming around. What do you think?

IMO, IME

I have a semi-compact Time Edge and a traditional Trek Madone 5.9. The only advantage of a compact and semi-compact geometry over traditional, IMO, is more control of stand-over height in a compact and ability on a semi-compact/compact frame to have a much taller/longer head tube so you don't need as many spacers or a flipped-up stem. The taller head tube will provide more stiffness over the exposed steerer tube with 30+mm of spacers on traditional frame. And taller head tube will look better than having a tall stack of spacers too. IMO.

if you don't have stand over issues and not need more than ~20-30mm of spacers on a traditional horizontal tube frame geometry then you can go with either one, depending on the looks/fashion you prefer to follow. Personally, I do not like the looks of full-compact frames such as Giant, BH Bikes, etc. They remind me of bicycle my 10 year old daughter rides. And its pink too. Fine for ladies, I am sure. 8^) But I do like semi-compact, slightly sloping top tube such as on Time, Look, Colnago C50 sloping etc or a traditional horizontal top tube (C50 traditional, Madone etc) from the purely looks stand point. But if you do like full-compact, there is nothing wrong with it - provided it fits you well.

I went from a traditional frame to a sloping TT frame. My sloping frame has a longer head tube and I wanted to maintain a similar standover height as the traditional, so I went with the sloping design. Like Terry_B mentioned, it also gave me the needed seatpost clamping area for my bike stand.

i would say to just get the compact if you like the look, and dont get it if you dont like the look. any compact frame larger than a 50-52 will be large enough to hold two water bottles.

It is just aesthetics. No difference in feel. I switched from a traditional geometry Litespeed to a sloping TT custom Seven and its just looks.

I have always had classic European road race geometry frames.

Until last year, when I got a smoking deal on a Serotta. Now, I have one non-sloping and one sloping bike, both 58cm (one virtual).

Like JayTee said, I can't feel a difference in handling, "flickability" or riding. The only differences are in the materials and geometry (rake/trail, angles, TT length, etc).

The sloping bike is extremely stable on descents, but I attribute that more to being a Serotta than a compact.

the difference you'll feel will be the same difference you'd feel by switching to a different brand of the same size. not just because it's compact.
IMO, the most important aspect of any bike is the overall reach to the handlebars, and how much of that reach is stem legnth. If too much stem, i feel the balance and handling is compromised.
I have a compact frameset from an old oclv trek, and it helped me reduce the overall reach, and the newer fork is way more stoudt, and confidence inspiring. I feel like i can go around any corner, at any speed, while peddling. Not so on the trek.
Semi Sloping tt's produce a graceful and elegant look that full compacts, just don't have. But that's aesthetics. and opinion.