The bike you SHOULD be riding......
- Thread starter Tootyred
- Start date
HTFU then
There's such a variety of Norba geometry frames and materials out there.
For example, the Pace RC100 was a pure race grade frame, stiff, machined within a 1/32" of it's life, notions and the importance of aero dynamics considered, intended to be raced hard for the duration of a race (about 2 hrs max?). I found it brutal even with some fitness and would never pull it out thinking it would be any good for an all day ride.
Going into steel and Ti helps a lot for comfort. I think if you can't tweak your position within the boundaries of the frame, it's simply time to abandon it and move on. What is a bit weird though is the geometries offered by many manufactures didn't change that much or at all for stuff with rack mounts and eyelets and the race grade - you would have expected some tweaking of the top-tube length at least - but no doubt this was cost cutting to keep up with the volume.
Personally, the Norba geometry offers something very versatile, and let's be honest the race courses back then were not that vicious, so pretty much well suited to a wide variety of "normal" off-road and road with a change of tyres.
Sorry to say fellas, I look at some of these klunkers and cringe. Poor stand-over height, geometry so relaxed I fall asleep just looking at them, too lardy to be responsive.
What is this "problem with stand over height" you mention???
That's very much part of my issue... @Woz is correct that those frames are pretty versatile.....if your short.....because you can always go a size up and plug in some risers.
But tbh, thats not really the point if the thread.....
Its more the concept of starting with a blank page, where do you go.....rather than adapting or trying to live with an essentially unsuitable bike......which i think a lot of us are guilty of for one reason or another.
And of course keeping it retro.
That's very much part of my issue... @Woz is correct that those frames are pretty versatile.....if your short.....because you can always go a size up and plug in some risers.
But tbh, thats not really the point if the thread.....
Its more the concept of starting with a blank page, where do you go.....rather than adapting or trying to live with an essentially unsuitable bike......which i think a lot of us are guilty of for one reason or another.
And of course keeping it retro.
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As for old bikes and slack angles....whilst i agree the 80s bikes were slacker than the early 90s......last time i rode a modern 29er it felt like i was on one of those childrens trikes with the pedals on the front wheel.....pretty much recumbent and the steering speed of an international oil tanker!
But lets not pervert the thread with that old chestnut!
But lets not pervert the thread with that old chestnut!
Whadya mean that's a throne of a true rider, fuel storage right underneath. 30 bottle case by the looks of it.
Tootyred, If it's blank canvas time, start with listing your requirements. Only you will know that.
I'll throw this in, in part to defend Norba versatile geometry. It is not retro. Probably one of the last decent Norba geometry frames on the market, pretty much Kona geometry with a slightly longer top-tube and wheel base. Depending on my fitness I will swap out the stem for something a tad bit longer or shorter and/or move a headset spacer. Currently set-up 2 x 8 with XT parts, where I'm favouring low gears since my fitness and hills around here don't give me much choice. Only venturing on gravel or hard-pack at the moment to build some strength, so the 420mm a-c rigid stays on, otherwise for rougher stuff it gets swapped out with 80mm - 100mm travel SID suspension fork. Out of fashion cut-down 25.4mm flat bars and bar ends for some varied hand positions. It does have rack mounts and will take smaller rear panniers for light touring. It's been set-up as 2 x 9 with much higher gears and semi-slicks before now for faster all day road riding. It had a phase of SS with a magic gear and an home made eccentric rear axel at one point. Wheel choice is Crossmax ceramic rims.
In fairness I do have monkey long arms, so this is a perfect fit for me, it's light, comfortable and responsive. If I had to choose only one frame this would be it; despite having one with disk tabs and a specific SS frame which is sublime and drop bar CX bikes. Price wise these are dead reasonable now since there is nothing trendy about them.
I'll throw this in, in part to defend Norba versatile geometry. It is not retro. Probably one of the last decent Norba geometry frames on the market, pretty much Kona geometry with a slightly longer top-tube and wheel base. Depending on my fitness I will swap out the stem for something a tad bit longer or shorter and/or move a headset spacer. Currently set-up 2 x 8 with XT parts, where I'm favouring low gears since my fitness and hills around here don't give me much choice. Only venturing on gravel or hard-pack at the moment to build some strength, so the 420mm a-c rigid stays on, otherwise for rougher stuff it gets swapped out with 80mm - 100mm travel SID suspension fork. Out of fashion cut-down 25.4mm flat bars and bar ends for some varied hand positions. It does have rack mounts and will take smaller rear panniers for light touring. It's been set-up as 2 x 9 with much higher gears and semi-slicks before now for faster all day road riding. It had a phase of SS with a magic gear and an home made eccentric rear axel at one point. Wheel choice is Crossmax ceramic rims.
In fairness I do have monkey long arms, so this is a perfect fit for me, it's light, comfortable and responsive. If I had to choose only one frame this would be it; despite having one with disk tabs and a specific SS frame which is sublime and drop bar CX bikes. Price wise these are dead reasonable now since there is nothing trendy about them.
