Seeking 70cm frameset
#1
Thread Starter
WoodBadge NE-VI-1
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 386
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From: Baltimore
Bikes: 1983 Sequoia by Specialized; 1989 Panasonic
Seeking 70cm frameset
Hi, Got bored with life; need to work on aother bike.
Am looking for a 70cm (center to center) frameset; I have one - the 70cm Panasonic; see my signature under Univega.
Color doesn't matter; shoudl be Reynolds 531 or similar - 4130 steel alloy works.
Fuji makes a Valite frame - has small percentage of vanadium in the steel alloy.
No carbon fibre or aluminum, thanks, Beaverstuff
Am looking for a 70cm (center to center) frameset; I have one - the 70cm Panasonic; see my signature under Univega.
Color doesn't matter; shoudl be Reynolds 531 or similar - 4130 steel alloy works.
Fuji makes a Valite frame - has small percentage of vanadium in the steel alloy.
No carbon fibre or aluminum, thanks, Beaverstuff
#2
...addicted...


Joined: Apr 2006
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From: East of the River, Washington DC
Bikes: 1985 Alpine, 2007 IRO Rob Roy, 1985 Ross Mt. Whitney, 1991 Diamondback Master TG
Wow, that's tall. You must have to lean really far down to reach the dt shifters on the Schwinn. I don't believe I've seen anything that tall on the local ads recently. Only a couple 64cm frames, and I thought those were tall. Good luck, I know there are some other giants on here.
#3
There is a Bridgestone 400 which has been posted on my local CL for a while. Looks to be in decent shape. I’m under the impression the seller is a flipper as he posts quite often but couldn’t tell you much beyond that. Maybe he’d ship it? I’d be happy to provide the link if you’d like.
#4
Still learning

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#5
Senior Member

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Some of the Japanese manufacturers made 27" (68.5cm) frames, but they were typically for the most popular market segment, which was upper entry level. Hence those VALite Fuji models and others, like the Miyata 110/112 variants. For slightly sportier geomtetry, there was at least one year in the very late 1980s that Miyata offered the 312 in this size. It had a full CrMo frame but a Mangalight fork. IIRC, the down tube was STB (splined, triple butted) which would be a welcome contributor to stiffness on such a tall frame.
#6
There is a really tall Cannondale on Offer Up west PHX for a few hundred I believe. With thick top tube it's is listed as 68ctc 72ctt. Aluminum, but thought I would share as you don't see them that tall often.
#7
aka Tom Reingold




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Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
How light must it be? I have a 4130 frame. I think it's 68cm. But it's low end 4130, and it feels heavy to me. Forgive me, because I think we may have spoken already, but on the off chance we haven't, I'm mentioning it. I have pictures somewhere.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#8
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,176
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From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#9
I wasn’t sure that posting CL links was allowed, but seeing that others are, I’m assuming it’s ok. So here’s that Bridgestone I mentioned above. Seller has it listed as 70cm, but didn’t specify if that is C-C or C-T. 4130 frame if I’m not mistaken.
https://eugene.craigslist.org/bik/d/...635356937.html
https://eugene.craigslist.org/bik/d/...635356937.html
#10
Wow. All are 20-30 years old road bikes with 27 inch wheels. No 700c, 650b, 27.5, 26 inch.
No mountain bikes.
No hybrids.
No fat bikes.
No e-bike.
No recumbents.
No touring bikes.
No cargo bikes.
No In fact no options whatsoever.
That says a lot about the current state of the industry.
My sympathies on your search.
FWIW, & if you can bear the expense, a custom frame can be built. Depending where you live there may be several capable rame makers in your area. Most major cities have a few.
No mountain bikes.
No hybrids.
No fat bikes.
No e-bike.
No recumbents.
No touring bikes.
No cargo bikes.
No In fact no options whatsoever.
That says a lot about the current state of the industry.
My sympathies on your search.
FWIW, & if you can bear the expense, a custom frame can be built. Depending where you live there may be several capable rame makers in your area. Most major cities have a few.
#11
Senior Member


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Keep an eye on the BigBike PSAs thread on The Paceline:
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=107521
Many of the bikes people find turn out to be vintage (or nearly vintage) steel. That's another advantage of steel. The bikes could be built in pretty much any size. I don't think there is any profit in large frames for the carbon fiber types.
Also, you will have to forgive the "little people" who post to the thread thinking 61cm frames are "big."
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=107521
Many of the bikes people find turn out to be vintage (or nearly vintage) steel. That's another advantage of steel. The bikes could be built in pretty much any size. I don't think there is any profit in large frames for the carbon fiber types.
Also, you will have to forgive the "little people" who post to the thread thinking 61cm frames are "big."
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#12
Port




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Bikes: 2022 Soma Fog Cutter, 2021 Calfee Draqonfly 44, 1984 Peter Mooney, 2017 Soma Stanyan, 1990 Fuji Ace, 1990 Bridgestone RB-1, 1995 Independent Fabrications Track, 2003 Calfee Dragonfly Pro
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#13
Master Parts Rearranger

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From: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Bikes: 1987 Woodrup Competition - 2025 Trek Checkpoint SL 6 Gen 3 - 1987 Lotus Legend - 2024 Trek Emonda ALR Rim Brake - 1980 Trek 510 - 1988 Cannondale SR500 - 1985 Trek 670 - 1982 Trek 730
I know Bike Works here in Seattle has a ~1984 Panasonic DX2000 in that 70cm size in their 'as is' section ($25 or $50 IIRC). It's complete, but not as minty fresh as your current DX2000. It is all black, though. You'd have your work cut out for you a little bit cleaning and polishing/waxing the paint and applying touch-up, but I'd be optimistic (from what I've seen). I can barely straddle it, but it's probably a real smooth rider. The frame is proportioned well in that the rear wheel isn't massively far away from the seat tube, so that helps overall aesthetic. I can take some pictures tomorrow if you'd like.
#14
Hi, Got bored with life; need to work on aother bike.
Am looking for a 70cm (center to center) frameset; I have one - the 70cm Panasonic; see my signature under Univega.
Color doesn't matter; shoudl be Reynolds 531 or similar - 4130 steel alloy works.
Fuji makes a Valite frame - has small percentage of vanadium in the steel alloy.
No carbon fibre or aluminum, thanks, Beaverstuff
Am looking for a 70cm (center to center) frameset; I have one - the 70cm Panasonic; see my signature under Univega.
Color doesn't matter; shoudl be Reynolds 531 or similar - 4130 steel alloy works.
Fuji makes a Valite frame - has small percentage of vanadium in the steel alloy.
No carbon fibre or aluminum, thanks, Beaverstuff
#16
Thread Starter
WoodBadge NE-VI-1
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 386
Likes: 2
From: Baltimore
Bikes: 1983 Sequoia by Specialized; 1989 Panasonic
Don't want to give unsolicited advice, but just a word on Valite, if you've never used it before... I've heard it has a bit of aluminum in it as well, and my experience is that it's VERY stiff, pretty heavy, and bulletproof. I certainly don't know anything about framebuilding, but I imagine there is a chance a 70cm Valite frame might have some desirable and hard to find attributes.
Inclusions are non-metalic compounds that reduce the alloy's strength.
#17
Thread Starter
WoodBadge NE-VI-1
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 386
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From: Baltimore
Bikes: 1983 Sequoia by Specialized; 1989 Panasonic
#18
Port




Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Boston
Bikes: 2022 Soma Fog Cutter, 2021 Calfee Draqonfly 44, 1984 Peter Mooney, 2017 Soma Stanyan, 1990 Fuji Ace, 1990 Bridgestone RB-1, 1995 Independent Fabrications Track, 2003 Calfee Dragonfly Pro
Nope, not mine. I am only 6'04" and ride 62cm frames.
But I have some experience in finding big bikes as several of my friends are in the 6'07"+ (ie 2m) size. For my other sport (rowing), I am on the smaller side....
I also think it cute when people refer to their 60cm frames as "XL" or "huge"....
But I have some experience in finding big bikes as several of my friends are in the 6'07"+ (ie 2m) size. For my other sport (rowing), I am on the smaller side....
I also think it cute when people refer to their 60cm frames as "XL" or "huge"....
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#19
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Joined: Nov 2004
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While the exact compositions of these tubesets are unknown, they are likely similar. It would not surprise if VALIte was re-branded Magny, given the close relationship between Fuji and Ishiwata, and the fact the gauges for their respective triple and quad butted sets are identical.
#20
Senior Member

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Nope, not mine. I am only 6'04" and ride 62cm frames.
But I have some experience in finding big bikes as several of my friends are in the 6'07"+ (ie 2m) size. For my other sport (rowing), I am on the smaller side....
I also think it cute when people refer to their 60cm frames as "XL" or "huge"....
But I have some experience in finding big bikes as several of my friends are in the 6'07"+ (ie 2m) size. For my other sport (rowing), I am on the smaller side....
I also think it cute when people refer to their 60cm frames as "XL" or "huge"....

#22
Thread Starter
WoodBadge NE-VI-1
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 386
Likes: 2
From: Baltimore
Bikes: 1983 Sequoia by Specialized; 1989 Panasonic
Nope, not mine. I am only 6'04" and ride 62cm frames.
But I have some experience in finding big bikes as several of my friends are in the 6'07"+ (ie 2m) size. For my other sport (rowing), I am on the smaller side....
I also think it cute when people refer to their 60cm frames as "XL" or "huge"....
But I have some experience in finding big bikes as several of my friends are in the 6'07"+ (ie 2m) size. For my other sport (rowing), I am on the smaller side....
I also think it cute when people refer to their 60cm frames as "XL" or "huge"....

#23
Thread Starter
WoodBadge NE-VI-1
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 386
Likes: 2
From: Baltimore
Bikes: 1983 Sequoia by Specialized; 1989 Panasonic
#24
Thrifty Bill

Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Mans of NC & SW UT Desert
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
When I see them, the biggest I ever see is 27 inch frame (68.5 cm), which is almost always seat tube center to TOP, not center to center. I've stopped picking them up, donated the few I had left, never again. Extremely limited market, and based on your sizing request, a 27 inch one is too small. Sold the Fuji 27 incher that I had a few years back, it was center to top.
And many of the tall bikes had shortish top tubes. Bikes that would be square on smaller sizes didn't stay that way on the big ones.
I did have a Clark Kent custom once that was 74 cm center to top. Gave it away.
My guess is your Panasonic and Univega are both 27 inch center to top, at least all of the Panasonics and Univegas I have ever owned were sized in that matter.
And many of the tall bikes had shortish top tubes. Bikes that would be square on smaller sizes didn't stay that way on the big ones.
I did have a Clark Kent custom once that was 74 cm center to top. Gave it away.
My guess is your Panasonic and Univega are both 27 inch center to top, at least all of the Panasonics and Univegas I have ever owned were sized in that matter.
Last edited by wrk101; 07-28-18 at 03:24 PM.
#25
Thread Starter
WoodBadge NE-VI-1
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 386
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From: Baltimore
Bikes: 1983 Sequoia by Specialized; 1989 Panasonic
Since an image of the Bridgestone was posted, I will not be undone: my Panasonic (1989).




