Going to have a custom frame built and hoping to get some help with decision making.

boots2000 wrote:If you post your complete bike position I could mock it up on Bikecad. Playing with front end variables can get tough, especially if reach needs to be short.

I designed a custom bike for myself (I fit and design for a living) with the goal to eliminate toe clip overlap. 
I previously owned some really good gravel bikes (Scott and Open), but both had issues with lots of overlap.
My current bike has a toptube ~2cm longer than the Open and that is offset with a 2cm shorter stem (100mm)- But unlike yourself, I was riding a 120mm stem of the Open and the Scott.

Designing a custom bike and make it work is always extremely difficult. Good for you on this one! Also, I always found the 120mm stem too long for my taste!

owly wrote:Slack sta. 25mm setback. Saddle forward. Cleats slammed: Decent femur length? 

You could always go a bit shorter seat tube length to get more exposed post i.e. make use of a decent flexier/compliant option for gravel/racing. 27.2mm the more suitable diameter for that. 

I think wanting to remove that toe overlap when running fenders and tyres that size, you end up pushing out the ftc quite a bit. Even more so if you still want that steeper hta for racing/feel. Longer top tube/frame reach + shorter stem (+short-reach bar) design like you see in the latest Diverge for example. BMC URS a more extreme example. 

What I don't know is how different these frame designs feel at speed, compared to the more common geo: whether you would be ok with that.  

I'd be looking at a chainstay no longer than the Spooky. Kinked seat tube: you'd be able to go 420mm with a 42mm or so. A bit more bb drop would be nice. Decent tubeset for higher tempo. 

Reading your post made me think a little of this:-  https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=245238 but with longer ftc etc.

You’re absolutely right, 27.mm is the best diameter. However, I do think that 28mm could also do the trick!

ironman3 wrote:

 

You’re absolutely right, 27.mm is the best diameter. However, I do think that 28mm could also do the trick!