thebutterknife

So I know there have been other bottom bracket threads. I'm not here to discuss which is better, high or low etc. Instead, I'm looking for bikes with high bottom brackets. I used to have a 1994 trek 7600. The bottom bracket height on that bike was 12.2 inches, and it was a road/hybrid bike! This is more than an inch higher than any other bike I've been able to find. Anyways, does anyone know any of the following?

Where to find an old trek 7600 (or rare bikes in general) ?
Are there any other road/hybrid bikes that have such a high bb?
How hard/expensive would it be to modify a steel frame to raise the bb?
How expensive is a low end custom frame?


I've scoured the internet looking for hints but I can't find any. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

colombo357

Sorry I can't answer your question, but can I ask why you want the high BB?

Retro Grouch 

I'm thinking that "cyclecross" bikes might have higher bottom brackets.

thebutterknife

No other reason than I'm used to a high bottom bracket. I rode my old trek 7600 every day for the last four years. I guess I got used to being able to lean deep into the corners and pedal through them. On all of the new bikes I've tried I'm getting pedal strike.

Only after hours of research am I realizing how rare 12" bb height is. Maybe I should give up and buy a "normal" bike?

Velo Dog

Grant Petersen at Rivendell (www.rivbike.com) is a fan of high BBs, I think. At least the one on my Atlantis is highter than on my other bikes (though to be honest I never thought of it, and never noticed until I ran out and measured a minute ago). You might check what he's offering in his off-the-rack bikes.

thebutterknife

hmmm.... those are a bit pricey. So far the closest I've found is the kona smoke. It has a listed BB height of 12 inches. Though, thats probably partly due to the 47c tires. If I put on 37c tires I think the height would drop to 11.6 inches. Still more than half an inch lower than my old bike.

The best I can figure is the old bike had 12.2 inch (310mm) bb height, with 38c tires. this translates to roughly a 35 to 40 mm bbdrop.

I've also read that some fixies have higher bbs because the pedals have to keep turning all the time. Is it typically possible to convert fixies to multi-gear bikes? Do the frames allow room for geared tires and cranks?

Thanks again for all the patience and suggestions!

jefferee

Cyclocross bikes generally have higher BBs.

What kind of pedals are you using? Platforms, being wider, are more prone to pedal strike than clipless.

thebutterknife

All the bikes tested have been platforms.

JanMM

The bottom brackets on my RANS recumbents are 25" and 26". Not much chance of a pedal striking the ground on a turn.