Originally Posted by
Branimir
Sorry for bumping this topic up, but it seems I've found a person that repairs steel bicycles, actually changes tubes, still trying to contact him and appoint for repair, since he's in Slovenia, but luckily, only 80km away from here...
A question for builders/experts:
In this case the top and downtube are damaged, so that means they should be replaced - is it possible to alter the size of the frame while doing this, while keeping the geometry? Actually what I mean - for the repair expert who's replacing the tubes - to also take out the seat tube and shorten all three of them to keep the geometry, just to reduce size. Top tube is now something like 55.5cm, seat tube C-T is 56, and I was wondering, if he's pulling out top and down tube, why now seat tube and then make it 2cm shorter on those measures also (top tube and C-T), the bike would fit me a bitt better
Is this doable/common practice/etc?
Thanks!
Anything is possible, but you're passing the point where a new frame, custom built would be less expensive and simpler. Shortening the seat tube means lowering the seat lug. That means cutting and shortening the 2 seat stays, and angling them a bit lower, so possibly both seatstay/dropout joints would need rework.
Now the only thing left untouched is the bottom bracket/seat tube joint both ends of the two chainstays.
When you figure the extra labor of taking a joint apart, which os often harder than brazing was, you're looking at a big bill.
I'd either leave this alone and ride it as is, or do the minimum necessary. Otherwise talk to the builder in Slovenia about starting fresh, based on this bike as modified for you.