I have 4 overhead hoop trellis, one is a hog panel and the others made from 3/8 diameter rebar bent and concrete reinforcing wire fixed between them. Beans nearly always hang down and are easy to find and pick. Sometimes if a vine is tangled, the pod may not be able to grow straight and get bent or twisted between the vines gripping it. Beans prefer to hang down and would only lay flat on top if you made a trellis of something they could not get their beans through, like solid wood or window screen or the like.

Overhead trellis are great for grapes as the bunches are protected and easy to find and pick. I may convert my trellises to grapes next year.

Thanks happyday. Is there a possibility of photo? I am really looking forward to doing 2 or more overhead for 2012. One for beans and the other for cucumber. I've got hog/cattle panel trellis now and hope to use hog/cattle panel in overhead trellis if I can get a good idea of what is working for folks.

Cheers,
DL

Search in this forum for the Show Me Your Trellis thread for more trellis pictures than you can shake a stick at. :)