UKH

Been looking at frames and the current trend seems to be towards having the seatstays posiitoned lower down the seat tube, whereas all my previous frames the seatstays meet at the same point as the top tube.

Anybody know what the benefits of this would be? The only thing I can think of is slightly more flex in the seat tube, but then wouldnt it be better to have a shorter seat tube and more seatpost exposed to flex?

Thanks.

More vertical compliance in the rear triangle (rear wheel can flex up and down a bit more, absorbing bumps and reducing rider fatigue), which is why you see it more on endurance-focused and 'all-road' bikes.

ah there we go, I knew there was a logical reason for it, whether it translates to real life or not it makes sense in theory

It doesn't look like a sensible design to me because that low seat stay would be trying to bend the seat tube forwards but what do I know?

It translates to very ugly.

Here, here.  Whatever the merits or otherwise, dropped seat stays just don't look right.

Can also reduce drag. Get the attachment lower than the top of the wheel. 

Some newer  aero bike also do this.

Edit: clarify 

Aerodynamics. 

It's "hear hear"

Hear, hear

I mean, I wouldn't.

https://www.evanscycles.com/bmc-timemachine-road-01-one-2019-road-bike-EV33...

More your thing.?

https://eu-en.feltbicycles.com/products/b14-triathlon-bike

Eugh. Not only the shape, but the horrid new font. Had two of these, this blue one and a silver 2016 model, but crashed both and both write offs. On a Trek and a Kuota now.

https://www.evanscycles.com/felt-f4-2012-road-bike-EV157823

Good point. Hadn't thought about that.

The main advantage is it gives loads more room to fit flashing red lights in the hope that drivers won't run into the back of you. Doesn't work of course, 'cos you're not car-shaped, but at least you can feel you tried.

I don't like tri bikes to look at either. I'm not even keen on full aero road bikes . Makes me slow.. er I guess.

At least you can tell the rider’s a triathlete rather than a proper cyclist, not that there’s any need because they will tell you anyway...

:-O tribalism!

For the amateur rider aerodynamics matter not a jot beyond making sure you don't wear flappy loose clothes. For a pro, riding at the incredible speeds they achieve, I expect a couple of percent of reduction in drag could make quite a difference when they are all so closely matched.

Well, that's the conventional wisdom. But it probably isn't the whole picture https://road.cc/content/feature/213876-why-riders-you-need-go-aero-wheel-we...

Still no excuse for the inelegance of dropped seat stays though.