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How to improve frame appearance

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  • July 6, 2017 at 6:40 pm #27328
    JonPLC

    Hi there,

    Just looking for any possible ways to make this frame look a bit less like a garden gate, ideally by reducing (or reducing the appearance of) the exceptionally long head tube (22cm). Since this pic was taken, I’ve removed the spacers. Anyone think it would be possible to lop a centimetre or so off the top and bottom of the headtube itself, or find a lower stack headset?

    Is it even possible to get someone to remove the top tube, cut down the headtube and replace the top tube at closer to horizontal? Would a fatter fork improve the appearance?

    It’s a half decent, hand built Columbus Life frame, cost me about £1,100.00 but I’ve just never liked the appearance of the long headtube much.

    Any suggestions welcome!

    https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4131/35373895100_aaea9643b3_k.jpg

     

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  • July 11, 2017 at 11:02 am #896833
    0
    JonPLC
    drjohn wrote:
    Nothing wrong with the headtube if you can go up and down again. I’d say the problem is the yawning chasm between the bars and the front wheel that makes it look more like a tourer than a racer. The silver stem / post combo don’t work for me either, I’d go black where possible or get them hi-gloss powdercoated to match the frame colour.

    Assuming that you can easily get into a lower position, get a zero stack headset (e.g. Cane Creek 40 series) and a -17 degree stem to lower the front end and bring the drops back down towards the wheel.

     

    Thanks for this, I had been looking at the Crank Brothers Opium C Reducer headset in black, but it has a total stack height of 20.5mm and weighs 155g, compared to the Cane Creek’s 12mm and 88g! Take your points about the stem and the colours.

    July 11, 2017 at 6:46 am #896831
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    Chris Hayes

    What does it ride like?  If

    What does it ride like?  If  it’s comfortable, why bother?  I think I would only replace stuff to improve the ride quality – anything else is a waste of money IF  you don’t like the frame.  I changed the stem, seatpost and handlebars on my Litespeed (from a Bontrager/ITM/Easton mix) to Thomson: looks better, obviously – but rides much better as the front end is stiffer.  Probably wouldn’t have done it otherwise as its GBP400 to replace stuff I already had….

     

    July 10, 2017 at 10:06 pm #896829
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    drjohn

    Nothing wrong with the

    Nothing wrong with the headtube if you can go up and down again. I’d say the problem is the yawning chasm between the bars and the front wheel that makes it look more like a tourer than a racer. The silver stem / post combo don’t work for me either, I’d go black where possible or get them hi-gloss powdercoated to match the frame colour.

    Assuming that you can easily get into a lower position, get a zero stack headset (e.g. Cane Creek 40 series) and a -17 degree stem to lower the front end and bring the drops back down towards the wheel.

    July 10, 2017 at 7:48 pm #896827
    0
    cyclisto

    One of my complaints from
    One of my complaints from bike manufacturers is that they don’t make many road bikes with tall headtubes, as this is what the majority of riders really need. What I see here is a very smart geometry and a very nice paintjob. Should you mess with the frame you will end up with dubious results in terms of strength and safety and should you mess with multiple color paint schemes you may end up with a clown between your legs. I totally understand the need for a beatiful bike and if you want to achieve that you could change the chainset and the bar tape to something more classic, as a steel bike has to be a little classic. I really like this frame, please don’t destroy it!

    July 10, 2017 at 5:54 pm #896825
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    JonPLC
    fenix wrote:
    Just ride it rather than looking at it from afar.  Presumably it works for you – so who cares what it looks like ?  It’s a bike – not a flower arrangement. 

     

    I was wondering how long it would take for the ‘just ride it’ comment to crop up and grateful that it has taken so long. The fact is, I care what it looks like and I don’t much care for how it looks! I ride it more or less every day despite the fact that the appearance of the head tube has irked me since it was delivered. I just don’t *get* the notion that a bike is a purely utalitarian object about which aesthetic considerations have no value!

    July 10, 2017 at 10:36 am #896823
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    fenix

    Just ride it rather than

    Just ride it rather than looking at it from afar.  Presumably it works for you – so who cares what it looks like ?  It’s a bike – not a flower arrangement. 

    July 10, 2017 at 9:42 am #896821
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    Darkhairedlord

    Melt it down and cut your

    Melt it down and cut your losses.

    July 8, 2017 at 8:56 pm #896819
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    matthewn5

    Show us again when you’ve

    Show us again when you’ve made the changes?

    July 7, 2017 at 4:07 pm #896817
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    alan sherman

    Get a a stem that matches the

    Get a a stem that matches the slope of the top tube.  The angles jar to my eye.

    Also why is your saddle so far forward on the rails?  I reckon a shorter stem is probaly in order too.

    July 7, 2017 at 3:45 pm #896815
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    JonPLC

    Haha, yes, it is a PMP XP

    Haha, yes, it is a PMP XP-Road crankset – a bit of a rarity. It was supposed to ‘match’ the PMP headset and hubs, all of which were acquired a great expense, but I agree, in hindsight the crankset’s not the prettiest (not is the headset but I wanted somethingdfiferent from the standard CHris King)! I agree, the black finishing kit gives the whole thing a more aggressive, racy appearance. Thanks for the picture!

    July 7, 2017 at 3:26 pm #896813
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    matthewn5

    Start with black bar tape and

    Start with black bar tape and some better shaped less angular bars. Or cut your losses and convert to a flat bar hybrid. That might distract from the frame.

    Also, what’s that minging crankset? Throw it away and get some Campag cranks if you’re running campag, you scamp! 😉

    Here’s my suggestion (excuse my woeful photoshop skillz):

    https://img2.brain3.photobox.com/23743082863c3e04d03faea80c11b865352c1c03838a8b01b968f68e91114fc5dcb155dd.jpg

    July 7, 2017 at 11:31 am #896811
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    dottigirl

    Yeah, a full paint job could

    Yeah, a full paint job could help.

    You could experiment with a few strips of electrical tape first though – I was going to suggest stripes – a couple of strips wrapped around the head tube to break the silhouette up. 5 different colours for a quid in Poundland, so get creative!

    Or try a roll of pink with highlights on other parts of the bike e.g. seat tube. 

    July 7, 2017 at 9:40 am #896809
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    JonPLC

    When I briefed the builder, I

    When I briefed the builder, I had both different intentions for the frame, and a pretty low (and it turns out, inaccurate) estimation of my flexibility. However, regarding the paint job, I now see what Cannondale, Giant, etc are doing with their two tone schemes, especially round the headtube area:

     

    July 7, 2017 at 9:14 am #896807
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    pockstone

    I’m in agreement with

    I’m in agreement with madcarew. Black tape and a black stem, maybe even a black seatpost would be a cheap if merely  cosmetic improvement. If it fits, ( and I presume it was custom built for you, not somebody else) then I’d leave the frame well alone.

    July 7, 2017 at 8:16 am #896805
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    Canyon48

    Pretty sure some Dazzle

    Pretty sure some Dazzle camouflage will do the trick

    https://twistedsifter.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/dazzle-painting-ship.jpg?w=674&h=449

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