Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - really, Really, REALLY BIG FRAME

Yesterday a co-worker of mine gave me a blue '81 Schwinn Traveler 10-speed with a seat tube length of 68cm (!) center-to-top. He actually bought it for me at a garage sale for $5. The frame is in very good condition and ridable but the steel rims are hopelessly rusted (which I was going to toss out anyway and replace with aluminum).

I'm not a clydesdale but I am a former LBS wrench who likes to fix up old bikes. Are there any real tall people here who would be interested in a bike like this and would it be actually too big to unload? I was thinking of doing a complete strip down and overhauling it and/or maybe modernizing, "Rivendell-izing", or fix/SS it for today's style of riding. It's obviously too big for me to ride but I thought it would be an interesting project and I would be giving it a well-deserved second life.

*disclaimer* this bike is actually NOT for sale at the present time. I'm just trying to get some ideas on what to do with it. I might post some pics on the C&V forum.

I ride a bike that tall. Riders who need that much frame under them are relatively rare, but they are certainly out there. And speaking for my people, we have a LOT of trouble finding such bikes.

If this was a very special bike, it would lower what you could expect to get for it, say on Ebay. But since it is not, it will actually hold some value to someone. I bet if you advertise it on CL, you will get a healthy number of calls. If you were closer, I might be interested even though I have no particular need for it right now. But all those months and years of searching have sort of conditioned me to consider buying anything just to stockpile it.

jim

There are a couple of really tall Clydes here on the forum, just a hint!

That size frame was probably sold originally as a 27" frame. When I bought my 1980 Raleigh the available frame sizes were (as I recall) 21", 23", and 25" (corresponding roughly to 53, 58, and 63 cm, respectively), and you could also special-order a 27" frame. At 6' 5", the 27" frame was actually a pretty good fit for me, but I ended up getting the 25" frame and putting a little longer seat tube on, both to save a little weight, and also to not have such an unusual-looking bike. But anyone who is more like 6'6" or taller could probably use your frame.

I ride a 25" Trek with 8" of seatpost sticking out...you do the math.

I ride a 25" Trek with 8" of seatpost sticking out...you do the math.

Sounds like you need a 65CM or even a bit bigger. Exactly how tall are you?:eek:

I ride a 25" Trek with 8" of seatpost sticking out...you do the math.

33"

Do I win?

33"

Do I win?

43. oh wait that's a different question

Hey,

I'd be very interested in your frame. I'm 6'-9"/230lb/38" inseam, and need a tall frame for a single-speed project. I have three bikes, a 25.5" mtb, a 27" hybrid, and a 29" roadie. I did three centuries last season, and am locally known as "the tall guy on the bike". Your frame would have a good home!

2tall

I'd think it would be pretty easy to sell, though it probably wouldn't go the first day. I'm 6'4" and ride a 64cm frame (actually I could probably use a 65, but try to find one), and when I looked for used bikes in my size a few years ago for a project, they were really hard to find. My brother's 6'7", and he wobbled around for years with a foot of seatpost sticking out before he got rich enough to have a custom frame built.
Anybody 6'6" or taller could probably ride your bike, and those guys aren't that rare anymore. I talked to a high school class the other day, and I was surprised how many kids taller than I am were walking around the halls. Forty years ago, I was the tallest kid in my high school class by a couple of inches.