casually sitting on the top tube

[mig]

so i'm a little ahead of myself here but i'm thinking forward to getting the best bike out for spring/summer trundles a velo (as opposed to thrashes through tidal waves and monsoons on the winter hack.)

during stops for pictures, a rest, a pee blah blah is it a no-no to 'sit' on the top tube? i read how the tube's thickness (steel) in the middle is only 1/8th of a gnat's eyebrow etc so is my rump in danger of squishing same?

now i know many do it but i don't know if many consequently dent their frame..........

[pwa]

You won't dent the frame, not if your rump is as padded as mine.

[Brucey]

the most common cause of tip tube damage is the handlebars swinging round. I don't remember seeing anyone stove one in by using their backside....

cheers

[Mick F]

I wouldn't consider it with my 531c frame.
The top tube as a couple of small dents in it from the years of use and the occasional fall. The dents came easily. The tube feels very very thin, so I wouldn't sit on it ............................. or give anyone a "crozzy".

The tube is designed for longitudinal stresses, not horizontal ones.

[pete75]

If it's good enough for him it's good enough for any of us.

[Mick F]

Did he have to buy his own frames?
Was he known for sympathy of his equipment?
As he was a pro racer, he probably treated his equipment like pro sportspeople generally do.

As I said, I wouldn't sit on my frame.
I may sit on yours or someone else's, but I'm not sitting on mine and I wouldn't let anyone else sit on it either.

[pete75]

Did he have to buy his own frames?
Was he known for sympathy of his equipment?
As he was a pro racer, he probably treated his equipment like pro sportspeople generally do.

As I said, I wouldn't sit on my frame.
I may sit on yours or someone else's, but I'm not sitting on mine and I wouldn't let anyone else sit on it either.

Yeah so you think sitting on a crossbar may damage the frame but you don't mind doing it to someone else's bike. Charming.

[Vantage]

I don't doubt the strength of modern frames but I have to admit, I'm with mick on this one.
Years ago "when I were a lad" I had a Giant Peloton 8200. Somewhere near Pendle Hill, out with the club, I stacked it into a banking on a corner at around 20-25mph. Such was the force of impact that the top tube literally ripped itself from the headtube and I swear the tubing there was paper thin. Paper!
You wouldn't catch me sitting on the top tube of any of my bikes.

[mjr]

I've always done it and not yet damaged a frame but TTBOMK none of my bikes have been butted or thin-walled. Gas pipe, airframe and scaffold more often

[Mick F]

Yeah so you think sitting on a crossbar may damage the frame but you don't mind doing it to someone else's bike. Charming.

If you want me to sit down, I'm always obliging. Offer me a seat, and I'm there.

[mattsccm]

In his book, Tony Oliver specifically recommends routing cables off the very top of the top tube just to make the top tube more comfortable for perching his buttock on. If he is happy with that so am I. I doubt you actually put much weight on the tube anyway.

[Mike Sales]

I have been known to ride in pedestrian areas sitting sidesaddle on the top tube. One can quickly revert to walking with no fuss. Often sat on toptube and never felt close to bending one, even the 531C fixed bike.

[Brucey]

I can see the logic for sure (and a top-mounted cable has scuffed up the top tube on lots of bikes I've owned) but is it possible that Tony Oliver's advice is more with touring bikes in mind than lighter-built racing style machines?

BTW most lightweight steel frames have top tubes built lighter than most other tubes IME; thicknesses vary from ~0.6mm down to 0.3mm and 0.5mm is commonplace. Whilst various knocks can easily cause dents, I don't think you are in danger of that 'a la Eddy', not unless you are deficient in the gluteus maximus department (ie. you have a bony buttock... )

It occurs to me that discomfort might be a deterrent to sitting too heavily on a top tube with a cable mounted on the top of it, and that backside damage might be (in apparent contradiction to Tony's book) perhaps less likely with a top mounted cable...?

cheers

[kylecycler]

the most common cause of tip tube damage is the handlebars swinging round. I don't remember seeing anyone stove one in by using their backside....

cheers

Does anyone bother doing this, then?

Illustration from the PDF of 'The Custom Bicycle' - http://www.classicrendezvous.com/public ... icycle.pdf

[CREPELLO]

Tis my favourite place to sit (and be seen ) whilst waiting for the lights to turn green. Horizontal is much superior to compact- sloping for this