When scuffing was a thing...
Helps with modern moves, just not that critical a design as bitd.

Back in the day, those side-pull brakes weren't made for the "front only". They had super high arms that stuck up. So instead of just designing a front brake, they started making frames with clearance.


My first BMX frame that was converted to a freestyle bike had a standard downtube..and I remember my Dad had to take a pair of pliers, grab the top of the brake arm and bend it down just a little so it would clear. The Potts Mod allowed the cable to thread through the fork but the brake was still dinosaur. That was "custom"..Hah.


Take all that and mix it with the fact that you had to take your stem height that you were comfortable with and raise it up an uncomfortable 1.25 - 1.5 inches higher just so the Rotor had some "track" to slide on.


It was an archaic but very fun time...everything was new.


So yeah, they brought the clearance back later because of tricks...but in the beginning, they should have just designed a "front only" brake.