This guy cant be right...can he?
 

Ok so I am looking at this bike online and am gonna go check it out on friday but i just got a email back from him when I asked about the shoe size and the size of the bike....

He said his shoes are 9 1/2 US...cool..thats my size...

Then he says its a 27inch. I have looked at guides to fit bikes and I dont even think there is a 27inch size...the guy must fall over a lot if he is over 6'2 with size 9 shoes...

What could he be measuring?

That's the wheel diameter probably. Older bikes had 27 inch wheels instead of 700c (the current standard). Ask him what the frame size is.

Umm yeah i dunno. I asked him for the frame size and he said it was 27" and said he didnt know how he measured them in Japan.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...highlight=noob

Original post with bike pic

That's a fairly large bike. I'm guessing 58-60cm.

How do you know the guy is 6'2?

Back in the day, people used to talk about bike sizes by their wheel size. So a kid might start out with a 20" , move to a 24". Then an adult one speed bike would typically be a 26" Then "10 speeds" and "english Racers" were 27". Of course it doesn't make much sense to talk about a bike by wheel size, but that was common circa 1970's bike boom.

Merlin's right. I remember that measuring system and refered to it as well in the 70's as a kid!

I agree that it looks like a 58 or maybe 60cm. If I was a betting man, considering the guy is 6'2" and how much saddle is there... I'd put my money on 58cm. If you're 6' or better you should fit it. I'm right around 6' myself and ride a 58, 58.5 and 60cm.

I know a guy who is 6'5" with size 9 shoes...

That's still how you size kids bikes. Even all the "high-end" 16" and 20" Specialized Hotrocks we have hanging around the garage are spec'd with wheel sizes (actually outside diameter of the tire).

This is common for bikes with only one frame size. Hotrocks come in one frame size for each wheel size.

Got a email back from the guys..I guess it was the wheel size cause he is 5'9 with 9 1/2 feet size...basically the exact height and size I am...sooooo It SHOULD fit me ok.

Wish me luck.

Any last thoughts on the buy?

There are some LARGE older Schwinn frames out there. I have a World Sport(bought to build for someone else 6'8") that has a 27" C-C seat tube and a 10" Headtube! Early 70s? The other posters are correct that when you see a 27" size listing it usually is the seller mistaking the wheel size but not in this case.

But if he is 5;9 how could he have been riding a bike for a 6'8 person....doesnt seem possible.

Got it
 

Ok so i went and got it today. At 10,000 yen here its a steal no matter if it fits perfect or not. I think its like a half inch too big. Like when i stand over the bar i can almost touch it. The seat isnt too comfy but I think i just need to adjust it a bit. It came with free shoes, a free lock, a free computer thingy, and extra tubes....Shopping bikes here that are pure crap cost 9000 yen so...I cant really complain.

Thanks for the help!