Road Bike, Cycling Forums banner

Road Bike w/ a Long Head Tube - Suggestions?

6K views 46 replies 30 participants last post by  gregario 
#1 · (Edited)
I currently own an '04 Trek 1000 that I Iike except for the short head tube. As a result, I have to stack the spacers pretty high in front for a comfortable fit. Any suggestions? I'm not picky about frame materials, name brands, or prices just yet. I just want something that doesn't require too many spacers in front. Thanks.
 
#3 ·
The Spec Allez HT length would be closer to what you have now, so depending on how much of a change you're looking for, it may or may not be an optimal choice. Felt Z series, Giant OCR's, Madone 4.5/ 4.7, and upper end new Madone (performance) models would all have slightly longer HT's than the Allez.
 
#4 ·
Price range?

New or used?

Size...& what do you consider a long Head tube?

How much do you weigh?

Len
 
#7 ·
I love these absolute recommendations without knowing his budget.

Would you change your recommendation if he said his budget was $7,000 for the full bike?

LOL

Len
'
 
#8 ·
Tri Slow Poke said:
I currently own an '04 Trek 1000 that I Iike except for the short head tube. As a result, I have to stack the spacers pretty high in front for a comfortable fit. Any suggestions? I'm not picky about frame materials, name brands, or prices just yet. I just want something that doesn't require too many spacers in front. Thanks.
Is it really the too-short headtube that you dislike, or the too-long top tube relative to the size?

Just sayin', bike fit is a matter of proportion more than absolute size, since there are a range available (unless you are already on their largest / smallest size.)

It might be worthwhile to pay the $100 or so for a professional fit. You'll then be able to find bikes that fit properly underneath you, or know that there's custom in your future.

If you truly aren't concerned about price, the king of long head tubes is Serotta.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Tri Slow Poke said:
I'm fairly certain that the top tube is long enough. I've been fitted and it was confirmed. The issue is definately the head tube length.
Missed my point. Trek's have unusually long TOP {edited 'cause I can't think and type} tubes for their vertical size. If you were buying a different brand of bike, when you got an appropriate TT length, the headtube would likely be longer, as you would be on a bike of a larger nominal size.

Have you really been fitted, or did you spend 15 minutes on a trainer with the salesman that was trying to sell you the bike that he needed to move off the sales floor? There's a world of difference. A quality professional fitting is as much a coaching and education session as it is a measuring exercise.

I'm not saying that you don't need a taller head tube - you probably do. But there are a bunch of ways to get one, and the various ways introduce different compromises depending on your on-bike goals. Point is, you don't 'just' want a taller head tube. Do you want longer stays with it? Will a taller HT present standover concerns? Do you need it because you are leggy, or because you are relatively inflexible?

It's a trivial matter to go to the manufacturer's web sites and find HT lengths. It's a different matter entirely to understand what the numbers mean.
 
#14 ·
I don't get this

Len J said:
I love these absolute recommendations without knowing his budget.

Would you change your recommendation if he said his budget was $7,000 for the full bike?

LOL

Len
'

He stated that he had not set a budget, so we offer responses to help and here you come to poo on everyone responding...

by the way most suggested brands have different levels of trim available at different prices while retaining similar geometries.

and no I would not.
 
#15 ·
I think.........

Tri Slow Poke said:
Please see my answers above.
that you would be crazy to do anything but custom then.

You will get:

- The material you want
- The ride qualities you want
- Made to your weight & riding style
- Designed to your dimensions
- The aestetics you want
- Head tube length/Spacers/slope/no-slope
- Paint/finish
- The options you want
- Pump Peg
- Bottle location
- Brake types
- Etc.

It is basicially a no-comprimise solution.

Anything else may result in a comprimise somewhere. And at the price of high end "Stock" frames, customs, even from the best of the best, are a more than competitive solution.

The only thing you give up is some time. Lead times can be anything from a few months to several years. IMO, that is a small price to pay. YMMV

Len
 
#16 ·
akrafty1 said:
He stated that he had not set a budget, so we offer responses to help and here you come to poo on everyone responding...

by the way most suggested brands have different levels of trim available at different prices while retaining similar geometries.

and no I would not.
Well.....

the nuber of alternatives go up the more money you are willing to spend.

I'm surpised that you think the Madone and/or the Lemond are the pinnacle of choices....especially when you have no idea of his riding style, or any other of his biases other than head tube length....& even that you have no idea of how many spacers he is trying to eliminate.

I stand by my original post.

Len
 
#18 ·
Just a general observation: over the last year or so, more and bikes, including some Treks, have had their head tubes lengthened relative to their nominal size. Up until the 2008 model year, most Trek performance road bikes have had unusually short head tubes relative to their nominal size. So these days, it should be easy for the OP to find a bike his size with a head tube much longer than the one on his '04 Trek.

Providing you can get your preferred reach without resorting to a stubby stem, it may also be useful to re-examine how much standover clearance and saddle-to-bar drop you want or need. For some riders, choosing the largest acceptable frame makes more sense than choosing the smallest acceptable one.
 
#19 ·
For some riders, choosing the largest acceptable frame makes more sense than choosing the smallest acceptable one. Word...... This is also a function of the threadless vs threaded design. With 1" threaded, it'd be a simple matter to put in a long shafted Nitto, and raise the bars up a full 2" or more, without dorky riser stems or steering tube extenders. For everyone except racers, where the weight really does matter, I think 1 and 1/8th threadless is a step backwards. Because I'm relatively inflexible, (6 crumbling verterbrae will do that), my next frame is probably gonna have to be 1" threaded.
 
#20 ·
Roubaix is a very good choice, as is the Felt equivalent (forget the model number) and, the Trek performance fit. All these offer a taller head tube, and a bike that will likely ride as good or better than any $7K bike. Good bikes don't cost that much . Vanity does.
 
#23 ·
danl1 said:
Missed my point. Trek's have unusually long head tubes for their vertical size. If you were buying a different brand of bike, when you got an appropriate TT length, the headtube would likely be longer, as you would be on a bike of a larger nominal size.

Have you really been fitted, or did you spend 15 minutes on a trainer with the salesman that was trying to sell you the bike that he needed to move off the sales floor? There's a world of difference. A quality professional fitting is as much a coaching and education session as it is a measuring exercise.

I'm not saying that you don't need a taller head tube - you probably do. But there are a bunch of ways to get one, and the various ways introduce different compromises depending on your on-bike goals. Point is, you don't 'just' want a taller head tube. Do you want longer stays with it? Will a taller HT present standover concerns? Do you need it because you are leggy, or because you are relatively inflexible?

It's a trivial matter to go to the manufacturer's web sites and find HT lengths. It's a different matter entirely to understand what the numbers mean.
Hello,

You bring up excellent points. To answer your first question, I did get a professional fitting, but I already bought the Trek. The fitter didn't recommend a new bike for me. They knew I was broke at the time so they didn't put the sales pitch on me!

I'm don't think I would have a problem with standover height if I went up a size. However,
I'd be concerned about the reach. I'm all legs and I'm on the inflexible side.
 
#24 ·
Tri Slow Poke said:
I'm don't think I would have a problem with standover height if I went up a size. However,
I'd be concerned about the reach. I'm all legs and I'm on the inflexible side.
Point is, get off the overly long Trek geometry, and you are less likely to have that problem.

If you wouldn't have problem with standover, my original thought has merit - your problem is less that your HT is too short, but that your TT is too long. Find a bike with shorter geometry and choose a taller size. Can't possibly judge if that's the solution from here of course, but it's as fair a bet as any.

This is where the professional fitting comes in handy. Get your documents out, look up your calculated frame (horizontal distance from BB to top of HT) and stack (vertical distance of same) and it's easy to find a bike that fits. Unfortunately, the various brands don't have a common measurement standard, so there's going to be a bit of trig involved in evaluating the various brands / models.

One possibility: Depending on your height, many Italian frames tend to stay relatively shorter (in reach) as they get taller. If you are up in the 58 or larger range, you might find some help there. There are a couple of Merckx models (not all, though) that act this way, too.
 
#26 ·
Doggity said:
For some riders, choosing the largest acceptable frame makes more sense than choosing the smallest acceptable one. Word...... This is also a function of the threadless vs threaded design. With 1" threaded, it'd be a simple matter to put in a long shafted Nitto, and raise the bars up a full 2" or more, without dorky riser stems or steering tube extenders. For everyone except racers, where the weight really does matter, I think 1 and 1/8th threadless is a step backwards. Because I'm relatively inflexible, (6 crumbling verterbrae will do that), my next frame is probably gonna have to be 1" threaded.
I don't fully agree with your position. The OP has the same option that a quill stem would provide him. Spacers. He just doesn't care for the look.

Until the fork is cut, a threadless system offers the same adjustment as a quill. It just seems as though we (me included) have gotten more concerned with looks instead of function.

I see loads of very happy riders on the road with tall spacer stacks.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top