Yes, exactly... the long top tube tendencies in British lightweights is more a date thing and frankly was on its way out quite early (as in early 1950s) for the top calibre racing and time trial machines. The top tube on my '48 RRA is not even especially long in relation to the seat tube and about the same proportion as my '69 PX-10. The classic British (and inde ed French) racing bike of the 1960s to the early 70s seems to have settled on
72 deg parallel angles. The PX-10 and all her clones had 72. And yes British frames of the mid 1970s could be as tight as you want; someone mentioned the Raleigh Competition GS and that is a short top tube terror that any Italian would like.
If I had to pick the big difference in ride between British and French frames of the same era (mid 1960s to early 70s) and Italian it would be th e fork rake more than the top tube measurement. Here, the Italians clearly
had the edge for handling. My PX-10 can run the socks off my Cinelli on the straight but on curves, she's.. well the lady's not for cornering!
But it's not short or long top tubes that seems to be the issue. It's sh ort inseams! You try finding a 34" inseam on off the peg trousers in England (or Italy)... good luck. But if all those nice British frames I ha d to pass up because they were invariably 22 1/2" were 24", I would haven't room for
them anyway.
Peter Kohler Washington DC USA
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