rack me bar?

Question

why was the man's bike invented so it has a rack me bar?
couldn't the mans and womans not have the rack me bar?
what was the eveloution of the rack me bar?

Answer 1

The rack me bar is what is called the top tube on a bicycle frame. Back in the old days, men wore long pants when riding, so the straight top tube was no big deal. Since women wore skirts & modesty was the thing, the top tube was lowered so that they could get on and off the bike without revealing anything. The closest thing to a men's bike without a rack me bar is a frame using compact geometry. The top tube on a compact frame slants from high in the front of the frame to lower as it goes to the back of the frame. Compact frames are "shirt sized" ie small, medium, large etc. If you're having problems with the top tube, try looking into a smaller frame so you have more stand over height.

Answer 2

It's only a "rack me bar" if your frame is too large or you can't ride.

The twin triangle frame configuration has proven to be the simplest, lightest and strongest for bicycles, and has remained relatively unchanged for over 125 years. There wasn't an evolution, per se, that's just how bicycles started out. It wasn't until much later that the mixte style (or "ladies" frame) was created, mainly to allow women to ride while wearing skirts.

If you can think up something that doesn't "rack" you without sacrificing strength, or adding weight, then have at it. You'll be a millionaire as long as you don't re-create something that has already been done.

Answer 3

It is pretty much simple geometry and physics, but the explanation is long so please bear with me...

Womens frames were invented so that women wouldn't have to lift their leg while wearing dresses. There is no physical reason that stops women from swinging their leg over the top tube.

There is really no such thing as a 'mens' or 'womens' bike. Either sex can ride any bike with impunity provided it is sized correctly, but for the sake of this discussion we will use those names. Most women who choose to ride as a sport choose mens frames.

Looking at a mens frame, you'll note that it is made of 3 triangles- one forming the "main triangle" and to forming the "rear triangle" where the rear wheel is mounted. Triangles are the most rigid object known. By using a rigid shape, less material can be used while strength is maintained and the whole frame lightened.

A womens' frame generally has the rear triangle, but the front of the frame is a parallelogram of sorts. Consider taking a regular cardboard box and cutting off the ends. What happens? It flops over. The only way to correct this is to either increase material mass and rely on the material to structurally hold it in place, or to add gussets (usually in the form of- ahem- triangles) to make the structure more rigid. Either of these will increase weight and still not be as stiff or strong as a mens frame.

As time goes on, manufacturers have been slowly doing away with womens "drop' frames (with the exceptions of beach type bikes and really cheap department store stuff), instead they are taking the structure of mens frames and adjusting geometry to womens proportions (women tend to have longer legs and shorter torsos than men).

Answer 4

Mechanically, the higher bar would be able to support a man's greater weight, but with the materials that bikes are made of these days it doesn't really matter anymore.

Answer 5

Which part is the rack me bar?

Answer 6

The female engineer started it all... she thought that it was a great joke. It caught on - now if you ride a bike without the bar people point and laugh.