Clearance question

[Johnsqual]

Just a quick technical question: can someone explain to me what the advantage of tight clearences between wheels and fork crown and wheels and brake bridges is?

My own thoughts are:

1) Does it help with aerodynamics?

2) Does it somehow strengthen or stiffen the frame?

3) Is is merely aesthetic?

Any thoughts welcome,

Cheers,

Johnny

 

[hamster]

I guess that there is a tiny aerodynamic advantage (but nothing compared to the 70kgs of meat in the top of the bike).
It's slightly stiffer, the wheelbase can be shorter, giving faster turning response, but above all it looks cool and says 'my bike cannot take mudguards so must be fast'. :roll:

 

[fiks]

Apart from appearance, and there's less room to fit mudguards and/or bigger tyres, the main difference is your brakes will feel firmer, as the distance between the pivot and the brake blocks will be shorter, so you'll have a bit more mechanical advantage.

 

[doctor-bond]

Edit - just read the OP properly, so my reply re wheelbase length was irrelevant. :roll:

re fork clearance though, I've got a bike with a fork with too much clearance and this affects the handling: bigger the gap, taller the fork, slacker the headangle, slower the steering.

 

[Johnsqual]

Hello,

Thanks for all the answers. I did notice that the brakes felt firmer on a bike
I just got that has tight clearences.

Johnny

 

[Lazarus]

Hi Johnny Tight clearances also mean you have to watch your turning angles ie: be on the up stroke - down stroke, not the mid way point. Turn sharp with your feet at mid way and expect to catch your toes and crash as the wheel hits your toeclip / toes / right foot.

Still catches me out from time to time, never crashed, but certainly came close. It tends to happen when some jerk driver does something to make you swerve hard. I also find that tight bikes make for more speed on the off. They just seem zippier to me out the blocks. Later buddy, yours Laz.