A good reason not to buy a compact frame

[Primal Scream]

Bit of a storm in a tea cup, never even heard of the overlap until I read this thread.

I went for a ride on my new road bike and there it is "overlap" and I never knew it. I found it was almost impossible for it to cause a problem.

 

[raindog]

I went for a ride on my new road bike and there it is "overlap" and I never knew it. I found it was almost impossible for it to cause a problem.

There you are - that just about sums it up.
If overlap was a real problem the pros would be falling off their bikes every few minutes.

 

[jay clock]

It's nothing to do with whether the frame is a compact or not, toe overlap is determined by head-tube geometry and fork rake. I haven't owned a bike without toe overlap for about 45 years

AGREED. The only time it is an issue is at very slow speed. The handlebar/wheel movement to turn when going faster is tiny. The slower you are going the more likely that the overlap becomes apparent. Just need to practise a little at low speeds and be aware

 

[lulubel]

The slower you are going the more likely that the overlap becomes apparent. Just need to practise a little at low speeds and be aware

U-turns are the trickiest. You have to go into them with enough speed to freewheel through the turn, but not so much speed that you can't make the turn in the first place!

 

[gavintc]

Both my bikes have significant toe overlap. I am aware of it and it is not an issue. You concentrate when making slow speed turns, but I have never touched the wheel when riding.

With regard to 'older' bikes. My dad used to race in the early 50's and he tells me that his bikes had toe overlap.

It is nothing new and more importantly is a complete non-issue. If you do not want to / cannot ride with toe overlap, find a longer geometry frame, they do exist, but be aware as soon as you put mudguards on your bike you increase the problem.

 

[Gary E]

....or buy a uni-cycle!

 

[MacB]

For those claiming toe overlap is a non-problem, and I have never had any issues with it personally, why do you think it exists on bikes? and why do you think it's better to have than not have?

 

[gavintc]

For those claiming toe overlap is a non-problem, and I have never had any issues with it personally, why do you think it exists on bikes? and why do you think it's better to have than not have?

A bike with the wheels closer together is more responsive and has a more alive feel to it.

I know this is completely unimportant, but I have a small hanging space to hang the bikes over the boiler and having a shorter geometry makes hanging them easier.

 

[MacB]

A bike with the wheels closer together is more responsive and has a more alive feel to it.

I know this is completely unimportant, but I have a small hanging space to hang the bikes over the boiler and having a shorter geometry makes hanging them easier.

Seems a perfectly reasonable preference to me

 

[gbb]

I respectfully disagree. My old Dawes racer is both comfortable and very responsive - Especially when counter steering significantly.

Almost certainly due to the geometry, but my point is that it is unfair to classify all older racing bikes as handling like a pig.

I made the mistake of generalising, or not being specific...i didnt mean to infer ALL old racers were pigs

That said, take for instance my old 70s raleigh ...look at the rake on the fork..enormous compared to most modern bikes.

TBF, the fork may be more typical of a 'tourer'. Extremely comfortable, it absorbs road buzz beautifully, like riding on super smooth tarmac, but a pig to steer in traffic. Also its impossible to get toe overlap with it.
There's so many variations of fork design, of course they're not all pigs...i really should be more specific.

Sidevalve touches on the point beautifully...basically either buyers dont have a clear idea of what they want or expect, or shops are'nt asking customers what they expect.
I guess you'd be very lucky, or very particular to get a bike, new or old, that 'did it all'.