beaverstuff

Folks,
The Beaver is baaaaack!
I'm seeking a 70cm (c-c), or greater, bicycle or frame.
Some Japanese firms refer to them (for US markets) as 28 inch bikes (not wheels)
Last year I got one through the 'Forums, so I know they exist.
Check out my signature under [Univega].
You be asked to go see the details of my 70cm Panasonic.

As always, thanks for stopping by.
da Beaver

icepick_trotsky 

Wow, that Gazelle is a trip. Technically, you need to post all want-to-buy ads in the classifieds section, where you need an upgraded membership. A couple of bucks well spent.

mtnbke

Well 27" bikes (frame size 68.5cm) were common during the bike boom days. Even Cannondale made that size. Never heard of the 28" frame size, nice to know they exist.

I love that frame design. Steel doesn't often make for good BIG bike frames due to how flexy they are combined with how powerful bigger cyclists are. That's a brilliant frame design that should be the default for BIG/TALL frames.

Also keep an eye on this thread. We post BIG/TALL finds 64cm and up in there with some frequency. As they appear available.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...d-64cm-up.html

beaverstuff

I'm going to add a catalog image showing 28" sized options.

Tim_Iowa

In this thread, there's a gentleman selling two 68 cm Rivendells. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!to...ch/eHBpsNUBcik

oddjob2

Schwinn

jetboy 

Kristopher SUPER TALL road bike. 71cm

Not cheap but 71cm.

beaverstuff

That frame style is a cross-frame.

beaverstuff

Asking way too much, but, then, he is a dealer. He doesn't say what king of steel; my guess is that is must be gas-pipe.
Key phrase is, " . . . graduation project from an East Bay frame building school . . ."
Regardless of labor, parts, it's not worth more than $200

I have a 70cm (c-c) bike with triple-butted Cro-Moly that I paid $140 (including shipping); see Univega below.

beaverstuff

No discussion about the frame; probably gas-pipe.
Thanks for the clue.

jpaschall

68cm frame just got posted in the sales subforum for the price of shipping. Not 70, but might be worth a look.

beaverstuff

Asking way too much; I want to ride a bike, not put it in an ivory tower.
Thanks for the lead.

MauriceMoss

I ran across a listing for a Univega Gran Turismo recently that might be the right size (it certainly isn't 58cm). $100.

verktyg 

Albert Eisentraut held classes at his shop in Oakland, CA (East Bay).

It's likely that a better quality type of tubing was used for those classes.

In a frame that large, heavy walled gas pipe tubing is going to be much more appropriate than lighter gage alloy steel tubes.

I built large frames in the 70's. This is a 73cm frame with Columbus SP fork blades and chain stays. The rest of the tubing was appropriate gage 4130 Chrome Moly aircraft tubing.



I started on an 82cm frame for a pro basketball player. He canceled the order when he found out the his contract prohibited him riding bikes or any other activity that might cause an injury.

We imported Andre Bertin bikes during the 70's. They made a batch of large frames to our specs: 66cm all Reynolds 531 and 68cm, 70cm and 72cm frames made with some kind of straight gage main tubes and Durifort forks and stays.

This is one of the frames that Bertin made for us.



We also had Woodrup in the UK make some 66cm all Reynolds 531 frames for us.

Anyone can build a big frame but not all of them rode or handled well. Steep seat tubes and long top tubes moved the rider's center of gravity forward reducing the weight on the rear axles. Head tubes were steeper with longer fork rakes to help compensate to the longer wheelbases.

We learned a lot from selling tandems which have long wheel bases too.


verktyg

Chas.

walksomemore

Try this - it ain't 'vintage, but....:

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/bik/5264726497.html

Kobe 

It probably is a bit over priced for a unknown builder, but I bet the tubes are something more than Hi-ten. Nobody hangs Campy and a Brooks on a low end frame.

I have a 66cm Proteus that I believe was made at one of their classes, and I believe it is 531. If you pay all that money to take a class, the cost of the tubing is insignificant.

I like that this guy was ahead of Rivendell on the double top tubes on larger frames. Although I am not sure if they are needed.

beaverstuff

Wrote the owner an offer - less than asking.
I had a Univega last year - made by Miyata, no braze-ons for water bottle, usually double butted Cro-Moly.
Thanks for the reference.

beaverstuff

The double top tubes reduce frame flexing, which is significant in large frames; cross frames, or larger diameter tubes, get the same result.
To optimize reduced frame flexing, the second tube should have been placed in a different place. See my Gazelle.

beaverstuff

He is not interested in shipping, even if I pay the shipping.

thumpism

The Schwinn Traveler was better than that, lugged hi-ten at least, one of the Xtra Lite series. 1020 steel was better than gaspipe but by no means exotic, and the bike was at the lower end of the lineup.

That one looks like an '80.

Schwinn Traveler

USAZorro

This from the Cincinnati CL. It doesn't state the size, but it looks like it could be close. They're asking $55.00



as I'm looking at it closer though, I have to wonder if it's crashed head-on.

Homebrew01

My first thought .... but pictures can be deceiving

Homebrew01

Wouldn't a double downtube be more beneficial ??

thumpism

The ad's other photos are not helpful in determining more, but the Marathon is pretty low end so probably not worth pursuing even at that price.

USAZorro

If I recall correctly. it is made of Raleigh 501 tubing, which I believe is a seamed Chrome-Moly. I think a frame this size could be sort of flexy, but if Beaverstuff want me to check on it, I could do that - and drop it in Harrisburg a couple weekends from now if he wants it.