Further to the correspondence on Continental style frames. This is my understanding of how it developed. I should say I am no expert but this is what I have been told over many years of riding. Prior to 1935 it was the British fashion for frames to be built with angles of about 66 to 68 deg. and in order to get the bodyweight more over the bottom bracket and develop a faster riding position (On the rivet) it was necessary to push the saddle further forward. This could only be achieved on frames of this style by using an L-shaped pillar. The continentals adopted a different approach and steeepened the seat tube angle to over 70 deg. thus bringing the saddle further forward without using a special pillar. At the same time the head tube was steepened proportionally and, since the nearer a steering tube is to the vertical the lighter the steering. The result was a better handling machine. Consequently the front wheel came more under the frame, whilst the rear was pushed farther back in effect shortening the wheelbase and gain more comfort from the longer rear triangle. The change in frame styles did get out of hand with some builders in the late 30's making frames with head angles of 80 deg. This led to frame fractures at the head or on the down tube. The "Upright" craze also led to another fad of the ultra short wheelbase machine. There were also over reasons for the continental style frames becoming popular, in the mid 1930's Britain was beginning to come out of the "Great Depression" and people were beginning to spend money again. As a result they were more inclined to replace their old mount with something modern and the Continental style frame fitted their needs. Modern looking, new attractive flamboyant paint finishes, and replicas of those ridden by their massed start heroes in the continental classics. Hetchins, Claud Butler's, Russ, Rensch, Selbach and Carpenters were the leading builders in introducing these Continental type machines.
Best wishes and be lucky. Michael Butler Huntingdon UK.