Seat angle trend to more slack?

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2006-02-16 2:09 PM

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Subject: Seat angle trend to more slack?
I've bee looking around a bit lately at older tri bikes. It seems to me that in the late 80's early 90's, 80 degree seat angle was pretty common, but maybe this was the extreme, I dunno, I really didn't find too many '80s tri bikes. Then (mid to late '90s), 78* seemed to be the magic number for tri bikes. This was for the QR Kilo, Klein Aelus, Cannondale MS line, Felt B2, and I'm sure more.

Now, it seams that 76* is very popular. The Specialized Transistion, Felt S32, Cervelo Dual (in slack position), even the QR Kilo is now a 76* SA frame. Sure, there are still plent of choices of 78* SA frames, but pre 2000, a 76* SA was just about nowhere to be found (or maybe I just didn't see it).

Anyone have any comments or any seat angle theories?


2006-02-16 2:25 PM
in reply to: #347511

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Subject: RE: Seat angle trend to more slack?

One should buy a bike that fits

Seat angle is only part of the overall fit.

Buying a bike based on one dimension alone is .....one dimensional......

Some folks will achieve best fit on a 74* TT frame, others on an 81* . top tube dimension has a lot to do with the optimal seat angle as well.  The biggest factor in fit is the rider, not the bike.

I am willing to bet that 76* is a pretty good angle for a large number of people. There is also a trend in some tri-frames to go with a slightly longer head tube as well. There are some hardware factors that play into this as well "everyone" wants full carbon forks, the steerer tubes on these forks can only support so many spacers (usually an inch or so). Many triathletes can't get low enough on the front (unlike Bjorn Andersen) to take full advantage of the steep, steep, steep, and low,low,low aero positions.

Prior to  full carbon forks being so widely spec'ed, folks could tewak their positions with spacers and be ok.

There's also fashion, trends and fads flash through the bike industry and last a few years before fading out (BioPace is coming back, as are hite-rites, it's probably only a matter of time until neon and splatter paint jobs resurface)

 

 

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