Design Manifesto
Fit, design, and craftsmanship are the trifecta of custom bike building. All 3 facets are interrelated and must coexist in harmony. The following is my overall design philosophy.
Minimal seat stays and oversized chain stays. Bikes built for riding over rough terrain for extended periods of time should have the smoothest ride possible. Increased volume tires certainly help but additional steps can be taken in the frame design. Reducing the diameter of the seat stays is an effective way to reduce the amount of vibration that travels from the rear wheel up through the stays and into the rider without introducing rear triangle side flex or whip. Dropping the connection point between the seat stays and the seat tube also reduces vibration traveling into the seat post. Increasing the size of the chain stays maximizes the power transfer.
Sloping top tube. As frames get smaller, the slope of my top tubes will decrease to provide adequate room for bottles and bags within the frame. Inversely, as frames increase in size, the slope will increase to maximize seat post-exposure and increase stand-over clearance. By increasing the amount of seat post extension, vibration-induced fatigue that travels through the post, through the saddle, and into the rider can be reduced. Some riders will prefer to have the maximum amount of room available within the triangle and I can accommodate that in the design phase.
Taller headtube. Unless you require a very low bar height, my frames tend to have taller headtubes compared to other frames of equal top-tube length. It reduces the number of spacers between the stem and headset, reduces front-triangle twisting, and provides greater support for the carbon-fiber steerer. A longer head tube does increase the frame weight slightly by replacing aluminum headset spacers with a steel tube. I believe the trade-off is well worth it and one that makes a dramatic difference to the overall feel and aesthetic of the completed bicycle.
Lower bottom bracket. Unless you plan on running extra-long cranks (180mm or greater) and pedaling through boulder fields, a lower bottom bracket is the way to go. Stability and additional stand-over clearance can be achieved with zero tradeoffs.
