In a recent eBay auction, many potential bidders insisted a 23" Raleigh Professional frame was much bigger than it was, because the head tube was so long. I measured several frames I have (including a '74 Pro), and sure enough the Professional head tube was a full inch longer than everything else in the same size.
Discounting other causes, this would seem to mean the bottom bracket is extremely high. While such criterium geometry was common in the 80's, isn't this unusual on a '74? Was this the geometry used in Europe in road races? What is the purpose of this? Wouldn't it make the bike more unstable? Do people ride a smaller size in the Pro to clear the top tube?
Thanks
Louis Schulman
Tampa, Florida, USA