I am about to build a new bike which will be primarily a commuter, but occasional tourer (pulling a bob trailer). For the last 6 or 7 years I have been riding a Bianchi Reparto Corse cross bike, but the frame is getting a little tired (mech hanger bent one too many times) and I live in Vancouver, where it is hilly and it rains. A lot. So I want a steel,700c, disc specific frame, with rack and fender mounts. Rack is required as I commute with a single rear pannier, but tour with the Bob.
So, after many, many hours of surfing I decided I wanted a Salsa Vaya. I can get a frame, and a combination of some parts from the old bike, and some new stuff will work great.
Now the snag. I am tired of drops, and am going to a flat bar. I am getting conflicting info from the local salsa dealers here about fit. Whilst I haven’t had a proper fitting (i know, I know), one shop said just go up a size and it’ll be fine, another said it would be too short and I should get a 29er MTB frame, but I am skeptical as this shop is notoriously opinionated, and he doesn’t have a vaya in stock to sell me.
I put the geometry into CAD (I’m a mech.eng), and it seems like with a 130 downward pointing stem it would be pretty similar to both my bianchi, and an old cove hummer that I usually tour on.
I am 6’2″ with a 34″ inseam (usually 33″ trouser). I fit a 58cm road bike (which was pro fitted), my bianchi is a traditional diamond 60cm and I run a fairly high rise 100mm stem on it. My cove is a 19″, I have had hardtails up to 21″.
So, anyone ever set up a vaya with a flat bar?

Any alternatives for things with a long TT. Even roadrats are only 610 long. The Van Dessel WTF looks cool and is 620TT, but hard to get, $100 more, and stupid EBB. Any other alternatives that don’t cost an arm and a leg?

Cheers,
Paul

Paul,
I’m a similar height to you, you can always use a Thompson, or other seta post with layback.

I’m ridng a short top tube Thorn Raven Tour which is designed for 26″ wheels and drop bars. (There is 55mm different in the top tubes-587 Frame size) I’m using straight bars with a 120mm stem with no problem.

I’ve looked around alot, Singular which make both drop and regular bar versions of 29ers only vary by 24mm (On the XL frames)in the top tube.

I’d say just go for it; play with stem, bars and seat post combinations, you’ll be fine. 🙂

It will be fine. The vaya is quite a long bike.

http://blackmountaincycles.blogspot.com/

Black Mountain Cycles in Point Reyes has a killer deal on a complete bike $1095. Mike may well post to Vancouver. Vancouver BC or Vancouver WA?

Drop bar bikes generally have 3cm shorter top tubes. IIRC the Vaya has a high head tube.

You are going about your decision in the right way, comparing dimensions, tho ultimately it may. Be a Lear of faith!

Have you thought about a salsa fargo the second generation one rides very well on flat bars.

i am on my 2nd surly LHT, which i think are designed to be run with drops for touring.
i ran the 1st one fitted with mary bars and a 120mm stem, i am running my present one with flat bars and a 100mm stem. both have been fine, and give quite a upright position, which i like for town riding and touring.

I had a MK1 XL fargo and the standover was too high for me (6ft3!) and the reach still felt a tad short (prob as bars were so high). Not sure how the Vaya compares but id look at the numbers and see how they compare to what you have/like, just take not of bar height, reach and stand over.

Tho not sure why you would dismiss a 29er? something like the surly Ogre is made for what your asking (even has proper Bob mounts.

Hi.
I’ve had a Vaya as a winter road bike since October and have found it to be excellent. I wanted to mimic the fit of my Merlin (which has non-compact geometry) so I just made sure I got the virtual top-tube length to match. I found the Salsa website’s size / fit recommendations a bit adrift, according to them I should be on a size or two larger. The Vaya does have a tallish head tube, but I just specced a negative rise stem. I’m running a shallow drop bar, not a flat bar, but I’d suggest you just make sure the virtual top-tube length matches that on a flat bar bike that you find comfortable.

Does this help?

Thanks for all the replies. The time difference means I just go to bed and wake up to a full day’s worth of responses!
To answer some of the points:
I agree that the difference between drop and flat bar frames is 20-30mm in the effective top tube. I probably have another 10mm in saddle travel available, or I could get a 40mm offset velo-orange post, but that would put me far back WRT to the pedals.
Fargo geometry is pretty similar, still a 600TT in the XL frame.
Looked at the Ogre, which would be good except it is has been beaten with the ugly stick. Perhaps a paint job would help, but the Vaya is a much more elegant frame.
An inbred 29er might work, but the rear disc is on the seatstay so rack mounting can sometimes be tricky.
Mcmoonter – the one on sale at Black mountain is a 55cm. I’m in BC, so I can bring a frame in from the states with tax but no duty, but there is duty on complete bikes, unless I can smuggle it through. The only place I have found an orange frame in stock is Portland – Salsa is out and the 2012’s are pre-sold.

So, going to talk to the friendlier shop again today.
Thanks all!
Paul