Re: [CR] Frame "stiffness"

I believe that the vast majority of "comfort" on a bicycle frame comes from the rider's fit to the bicycle. Also, my view has an unexplainable (by me, at least) relationship to the wheelbase of the bike. If I am pressed to put it into words, I'd say that it has to do with where the rider's mass is in relation to the wheelbase.

Of course there are differences among frame material characteristics. Materials that have been used successfully for frames are subject to being made within the narrow parameters that will make a workable bike. I'm really trying to say that the differences are smaller than the flex in the tires and wheels. This doesn't serve the marketplace very well. It needs to have us believe that some frame materials have a quality that is better than others. Even if they do, the rider's position on the bike is where comfort comes from. I don't expect this idea to sit well with some people, so it can be chalked up with my idea that Marketing Driven Folklore makes us ignore some obvious truths.

I don't mean nay disrespect to anyone who doesn't agree with this and I don't say it to make anyone wrong. It is just my idea and a little info to support it.

Chuck Hoefer
Pacific Coast Cycles
Oceanside, Calif.