Classic & Vintage - Monster tall Panasonic!

I didn't know bikes were made this big!
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/bik/2323787869.html

One of the tallest ball-busters I've seen yet.

Wow! I thought this bike was tall.
http://columbia.craigslist.org/bik/2266560188.html

I'd say that's pretty rare. I knew a guy who stood 6'7" tall who had to have a bike custom built to what looked like that size. Thicker walled tubing had to be used because of his weight (he wasn't fat, just a large guy) and he frequently fractured BB shells on large production frames. The frame geometry also had to accommodate his size 17 shoes as toe overlap was a common problem for him.

Yikes! I had picked up a super huge DX2000 a few years ago for the Ideale saddle and few other parts that were on it. It was in the same league as that bike. If I remember the stand over height to the clear the top bar was somewhere between 37 and 38 inches.

One of the tallest ball-busters I've seen yet.

Only if you are a short guy.:)

I love these tall bike threads, it gives me another chance to post a picture of my 69cm Bridgestone 400.

http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad157/matketze/bikes006.jpg

The problem with tall bikes is that they rarely come in the nicer steel and usually only single butted.

One of the tallest ball-busters I've seen yet.

You must never have seen a Brigitte Nielson movie . . . .

I wonder if they have to have special cables made for the rear brake and shifter. Having bar-end shifters on my moderately tall, ~60CM, bikes leaves me with little spare cable to work with. That Bridgestone in particular. Also, its hard to picture someone with long enough arms to reach those DT shifters on that Panasonic without struggling.

This
http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad157/matketze/bikes006.jpg

Isn't too far removed from this:
http://velospace.org/files/tallbike_a1.jpg

;)

This Saturday's century is Mt. Laguna in San Diego. Bill Walton is master of ceremonies and rides it. Can't wait to get a picture of my 48cm bike next to his!!!

I didn't know bikes were made this big!
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/bik/2323787869.html

I remember being in a bike shop in the early '80's, and seeing one of those in the showroom.
It was the *only* production bike I've ever tried that was so tall I could not put both feet flat on the ground.
IIRC, it was advertised as a 27" frame.
(I'm only 6'2", but my legs are out of proportion for my height.)

"Are you a total thyroid case? Then we have the bike for you! Come on down to Gigantic Hal's Enormous Bike and Clown Shoe Emporium!"

Truth be told, I may end up meeting that bike in person. One of the other mechanincs is a flipper, and he's always on the lookout for yoooge Fujis. He's 6'5" and rides a frame that size.

Here's a tall one that parked in front of our office for some time.....
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/BeckVFR/ATT282100.jpg
Seems like the owner needed an even taller frame by the looks of the seatpost and stem position. Haven't seen in lately, maybe the owner moved on to another job....:rolleyes:........Yup, the fork looks to be bent.......and I think its been drewed too:(

Chombi

I sold a Panny that size to forum member a few years back....next my 'M' (54cm-ish) Klein

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e317/jim2527/bikes/DSC00231.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/3nb3ka3l45Y25T55Z3b4dc412dcd1200a1e9e.jpg

That is a beast.

I've got a 69cm Shogun & a 271/2" Raleigh, I'm 6'5", can straddle both with room to spare (though not enough to walk up a curb) but that just dwarfs them.
Wonder if the top tube is the usual 22"
KOBE, what's the top tube on the Bridgesone?

I used to have one. It was a 28 inch.

I wonder if they have to have special cables made for the rear brake and shifter. Having bar-end shifters on my moderately tall, ~60CM, bikes leaves me with little spare cable to work with. That Bridgestone in particular.

To run the bar end shifters aero style I had to use a tandem derailleur cable. They are only about 50 cents more than standard cables.

The top tube on my Bridgestone is 63cm, most taller frames are not proportionate to the seat tube and usually end up being 60cm.

I have never seen one of those big Panasonics in person. Their catalogs list both a 26" and 28" frame, I wonder how they measure their seat tubes.

Isn't too far removed from this:
http://velospace.org/files/tallbike_a1.jpg

;)


There is a club in Mpls. that I see riding these all the time.

My project 68cm Raleigh, I'm actually a bit concerned that it'll be too tall for me.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/FORDSVTPARTS/Bikes/DSC04093.jpg

Looks like another opportunity to show off my 68cm Fuji Monterey that I just completed.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/BigPolishJimmy/bicycles/Fuji%20Monterey/fuji_side_almost_done.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/BigPolishJimmy/bicycles/Fuji%20Monterey/fuji_front_almost_done.jpg

It was my first time wrapping bars with proper bar tape and not with old innertubes and hockey tape