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  • Compact – Can anyone explain please?
  • will1
    Free Member

    Looking at getting a decent road bike but what is the difference of a Compact frame? Thanks in advance.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    other than it’s smaller, not a lot, maybe less material but not a great deal, slightly stiffer, but it’s mainly asthetic

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Not really “smaller”, shorter seat tube for same size frame (i.e. length of top tube and head tube)

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    theboatman
    Free Member

    quickly edits boring crank post, must read OP properly 😳

    crazy-legs
    Full Member

    Lighter/stiffer frame, longer seatpost adds a bit of flex (and therefore confort), easier to fit size-wise, it looks better. Some of those reasons are more marketing driven than others, take your pick.

    Not many of the big companies do “normal” (ie horizontal top tube) road bikes any more.

    sweep
    Free Member

    quickly edits boring crank post, must read OP properly

    I was with you on that, just to double check, you’re not talking about road bikes labelled ‘Compact versions’ whereas this is actually just to explain that they have ‘compact chainsets’ as against normal ‘doubles’ or ‘triples’ are you Will1 ?? …if not just ignore.

    will1
    Free Member

    It is a genuine request wanting info on road bikes labelled ‘compact versions’. Obviously they are smaller but why? What ride difference is there in a ‘normal bike’ compared to a ‘compact bike’?

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    non really, just as stated above, maybe a little more comfort due to seatpost flex, manufacturors can get away with less models as s/m/l/xl fits most people rather than 43-60cm in 2 cm incrememnts? and a sloping top tube looks more attractive to mountainbikers?, dunno really, i prefer the look of compact/semi compact frames

    metalheart
    Free Member

    Compact raod frame were, I think, an innovation by Giant.

    Struggled back in the day to get a comfy road bike and test road a TCR which felt like a revelation to me as it felt perfect off the peg!

    For me (coming back to the road as a mountain biker) it was perfect and felt kinda like a mnountain bike for the road (if you see what I mean).

    As above compact means greater standover, tighter rear triangle and less weight (as less material…) sloping top tube.

    Just recently bought another and loving it.

    clubber
    Free Member

    “less weight (as less material…)”

    Not usually – more seatpost usually makes up for any difference (at least within a few grammes.

    Anyway, as above, it’s just a more mtb looking frame with a smaller seat tube for the same length effective top tube. Giant pioneered it with the TCR and the truth is that the real reason was financial – with compact frames, Giant could get away with offering three sizes only and then using a range of stems and seatposts to get the fit right.

    Benefits? they’re arguably more aero (more open around the rider’s knees which supposedly allows better air flow, slightly stiffer (smaller triangles) and probably the biggest one, a longer seatpost means more flex and therefore more comfort.

    There’s no conclusive evidence that compact or normal (though few road bikes actually have completely horizontal top tubes now) is actually better so go for whichever you prefer the look/ride of.

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