Been searching for a classic canti/700c compatible frame
 

reasonably priced:notamused:
in my size (around 51-53) for my 1st complete build.

Tons around on E-bay and CL you say?
Yes I have found many beautiful frames. But none that
meet all my preferences.

I don't think I'm being to unreasonable. Am I??

Just want a.........
classic,steel,cantilevered,700c wheel compatible frame set.

Have found a few bikes/fames
but not in my size or way out of my budget

Why are classic cantilevered/700c wheeled bikes so rare?

Most are rare because they were touring bikes.
And touring bikes were sold in few numbers.
And those that were bought were either ridden into the ground or kept forever.
And that leaves slim pickings, but they are out there.

Because 700C is originally a French size and cantilevers were also largely a French item until the 70's. By the 70's the Japanese were starting to build cantis and by the late 70's they were moving to 700C wheels. Touring was briefly in fashion in the early 80's and you have a few Japanese makers who built 700C cantilever bikes. But then it was rapidly overcome by the mountain bike craze and you end up with a rarity. So you either need a classic French touring bike (and they did also use 27s...), or one from the early 80's in the Japanese import touring era. Notably in the early 80's Trek produced bikes with this configuration. They are also very nice bikes. That's probably your best shot stateside. Or get lucky on a Univega, Nishiki, or Miyata.

Karl

My sense of it is that cantilever brazeons were first seen in '83 and didn't become common until '84. I worked in a bike shop in the summers of '81, '82, and '83, and never once saw cantilever brakes; and the Trek 720 frame I bought in '83 didn't have them (it was a '82 model). Other forum members have posted '83 720's that did have cantilever brakes, though. At this time, 27" wheels were still standard on touring bikes, but a lot of racing bikes had 700c wheels.

In most cases 700c wheels can be made to fit a bike designed for 27", but you may need to change the brakes.

A Trek 520, 620, or 720 from the mid 80's, or a later 520, or a Miyata 610 or 1000 would definitely fit the bill.

I second rhm's observation of cantilevers only becoming common place by 1984 and that goes for most of the Japanese brands with the exception of Miyata who has them earlier but with 27" wheels which means you can convert them but it is not always optimal. I have 2 such bike (had a 52 at one point) and I am trying to sell the big 'un currently (62)... By the late 1980s they had gone out of fashion and sales were way down and I imagine production dropped off as a result. Still the late 1980s touring bikes can be found but yeah they are not that common.

My 1984 Fuji Touring III has cantis and came with 27" wheels, but I've been able to fit it with 700c wheels. My 1986 Miyata 610 came stock with cantis and 700c wheels. I've bought both of those bikes off of Craig's List in the last 6 months, and both for $125 each. You just have to be patient and then respond quickly when the CL ad shows up.

Neal

If you can live without the cantis, you may have more options. My '77 Fuji S10-S came with 27s, but it will take 700s as well. I've got a set of 700s with 38mm tires on that fit just fine.

I'm trying to be patient. :bang:
One will show up eventually.

I'm obsessed with finding and building,
the perfect bike for me.

Gotta start with the perfect frame set or
it'll irritate me to no end.

Although,lately I've been looking at
Cannondale's aluminum touring bikes.

They have everything I'm looking for,
just not in steel.

They do exist...my 80 something Bianchi frame was an e-bay find.
With its high BB and shorter chain stays, I don't think it was originally a touring bike either.

http://www.chipcom.net/bikes/bianchi_x.jpg

Miyata was doing it at least by 1980, I think earlier. I don't know if they were using 700C wheels yet, though, in 1980. I suspect not.

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/...geViewsIndex=1

Karl

To the OP: why not get one of these nice bikes that use 27s? Nothing wrong with 27s. There is plenty of tire selection these days.

Karl

27" was preferred by many tourists, the logic being you could find tires and tubes in small town shops and dept. stores. That Bianchi may be any early Volpe, saw my first of those in the mid-'80s...and they are still making something similar nowadays, more of a cyclocoss all-rounder than a tourist. Keep looking, they do crop up.