This tall guy needs a 66cm frame?
 

Howdy all,

I have recently resumed my long-neglected interest in cycling. For many years my only bike was a 1988 Schwinn Impact MTB with 23" Cro-Mo frame (measured from the center of the crank spindle to the top of the seat tube). It is a bit small, I suppose, but has served me well since it was new.

Wanting to get into road riding, in 2006 I bought a Schwinn Varsity 700c at WalMart (I know, I know...). It has an aluminum frame measuring 55.6cm (measured from the center of the crank spindle to the top of the seat tube, which I realize is not the current c-to-c way that road frames are measured). The top tube is about 56cm, c-to-c.
http://birgenheier.com/drb/external/...arsity700c.jpg
While at WalMart, I set the seat post all the way up to maximum safe height, and thought the bike felt like it would be OK. Note that I have never even sat astride a large road bike, so I don't know what I'm missing...

But after some miles on the road, I now realize that it's just WAY too small for me. Since my budget is quite small, I thought my best option would be to find a tall frame on eBay, and swap all my Schwinn's parts over to it. I have no problems working on bikes, so the labor doesn't bother me. I realize that the Schwinn's parts are not exactly great, but they'll do for now, until I can scrounge some better parts as needed and as affordable. I don't know if the aluminum frame and steel fork from the Schwinn will be worth anything on eBay, but I'll give it a shot.

My problem is deciding on what frame size to seek. I am just under 6'6" tall, and my inseam is about 37" with bare feet. I'll have to try the straddling a broomstick method while wearing shoes to nail down my maximum stand over height. It seems that I will need a 66cm frame, perhaps taller, to really fit me well. I don't mind having the top tube quite close to my nethers, if that large frame will make me more comfortable in the saddle. I especially want to keep the handlebar up at a good height without needing a stem riser or goofy tall stem- that has been the biggest "pain" in riding the wee Schwinn- having to lean over so far to reach the drops. I also prefer a fairly long top tube and wheelbase for potential use a long distance tourer. Steel (even mild steel) is just fine with me, as is aluminum. I'm not going to get too exited about a few pounds of frame weight one way or the other, as I weigh 185+.

But in my searches so far, it seems that 66cm and larger road frames are rare on the 'Bay. Any ideas on where else to search? I live in the boonies of upstate NY, so Craig's List is not likely to offer many bikes on high.

Darron
Brantingham, NY

Here's a cool thread for you to look at.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=372847

You can get a tall frame custom made for you, or look at Waterford's http://waterfordbikes.com/now/geos.php?Model=2174

I think there are a few others that are large as well.

I'm 6'3" and ride a 63cm frame.

66cm seems awfully large even at 6'6". The trend in bike fit is toward smaller frames. (I'm 6'1" and my 1989 Paramount is 60cm, but my 2007 Giant is a virtual 57 cm)

I'm guessing that if you can ride a 56cm bike at all, that you could likely get a passable fit on a 62 cm frame which is going to be a heck of a lot easier to find used.

I'm 6'4" with a 34.5" inseam so I feel your pain. I know what you're going through. It's going to be tough. Not impossible, but tough. Eventually you will find something in your size, but unless you're lucky it's going to take a while and require a lot of patience.

I ride a 63 or 62cm so I'm estimating you'll need a 65 or 66cm as you said. Look religiously on eBay, but also check out Craigslist in NYC. There's a ton of bikes down there, many of them big bikes, so if you see something down there you'll just have to take a trip. I don't know where you are (where the heck is Brantingham anyway?) but to find something your size may demand the long trip. Keep an eye open at garage sales come springtime as well. Leave no stone unturned.

Sizing on newer bikes are a bit deceiving. My 1985 Miyata is a 63 cm and my 2005 Lemond is a 59 cm. The Lemond feels big because the top tube is so long. You really have to look at top tube length on the newer compact style frames.

I'm more or less in the same boat(6'5", longish torso, 37" sleeves), and after ballparking my measurements and building a bike using online fit calculators on wrenchscience.com I came up with my current everyday bike which is 62cm c-c with a 61cm tt. I've found though that now that I'm riding greater distances with greater frequency, it's just not comfortable enough.

I was interested to note that after a while and having multiple bikes, the setup I'd arrived at independently on my mountain bike, road bike and rain bike all had nearly the same saddle to bar reach with different dimmensions on all the bikes - I then used these measurements to set up another bike and nearly nailed it first try. I'm certainly not a fit expert, but maybe check out some of the measurements on yr old bike that are based on your setup and not the component dimensions, like your cockpit and reach and stem height/length, stuff like that to come up with some more ways to look at it.

I'd say you could be comfortable on a smaller frame than that....

I'm 6'2" and I'm most comfortable on a 56cm frame...most fit calculators put me on a 58-60cm frame...

I'm mostly torso though...

It really is going to depend on the individual bike. I'm 6'3 and ride a 59cm bike. Calfee make some large frames in stock sizes. I have a 62cm Luna Pro frame in excellent shape if that would work for you. It was too big for me.

Bikes like you're describing are hard to come by now. The two best options are an old frame off ebay, or a bike someone has had built custom.

For example, here's a 64, without a huge top tube
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=019

In general, I'd say don't worry so much about the seat tube measurement, but instead look for a 60+cm bike with a tall head tube.

Some random ebay frames:
http://cgi.ebay.com/80s-vintage-Spec...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Schwinn-Super-Le...QQcmdZViewItem


Other alternatives would be to find one of the biggest frames of the mainstream (typically a 63cm, or a 61cm compact) and use an upturned stem. Strangely enough, the 2008 tarmac has one of the longest head tubes on the market at 230mm - although that's a big jump from your Schwinn.

You're 6'6" and 185 lbs? :eek:

What are you 1% body fat? I'm 6'2" and 177 lbs and I get heckled a bit for being too thin (not that I am...I want to get to 170).

Why not look at used bikes on craigslist?

I'm 6'6" and I ride a 63 cm Cannondale... link to my bike

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ondale&page=11


I have wondered sometimes if I need a bigger bike...

it's interesting how different everyone is. i'm 5'11" and i ride 58cm. 56 is just too small for me. everytime i've been fitted, they're always amazed that i have such long legs.

Thanks for all the responses.

As much as I'd dearly love to have a new titanium beauty, there's no way even a low-end steel custom frame is within my financial means. I will keep watching Craig's List, but driving to NYC to buy a $100 frame or bike is probably not going to happen, unless I can arrange to do something else on the trip. My nearby cities' CL bike listings are meager at best.

It seems my best bet will be to keep watching eBay like a hawk, and swoop down on any good deals I may see. I'd like to get a frame well before Spring, since I will need some time to get it set up the way I want, and be ready to set out on the path to big bike nirvana. I've been using cycling as a treatment for my depression, and it really seems to help, better than any of the meds i've tried. I've been off the road for weeks since I broke a freewheel hub on my MTB when attempting to remove it. I have a new Nashbar freewheel on the way, after a failed attempt to find any good deals on another 6-sp. 4-prong Suntour freewheel on eBay. My new Nokian carbide-studded MTB tires await their first trial by ice. They were VERY pricy, but necessary once the ice base built up on all the roads in town (no salt is used here). I was doing fine riding on snow-covered roads with my 26x2.125" knobbies, but ice under snow is just too scary, especially when you're WAY up there on a tall bike.

I will probably keep whatever road frame/bike I find for a LONG time. I've had my 23" Schwinn MTB for twenty years now, and have no intention of getting rid of it. So I should hold out for the "right" roadie, and not compromise too much. If my fitness reaches an adequate level, I may even set out on some long road trips.

Darron
In the formerly frozen Adirondacks

I find 6'2" riding a 56 pretty incredible too. Ridiculous is more like it, taking "aero" to the extreme.

I only have a 31" inseam...really I technically should be on a 58...but I've yet to find one whose geometry suits my tastes....

My 56cm Cannondale, however, seems to fit me perfectly...

pic in my sig is pre-fitting btw...I've since dropped a few spacers...

Pffft. I'm 6'4" and about 160 lbs :) (last time I checked...)

Big bikes can be hard to find on ebay but the good thing is you tend to get less bidding going on, so you get the frame cheaper :) Whereas all the 54/56/58cm frames go for crazy prices...

I'd actually recommend asking around at bike shops for used or old stock frames. Often they have weird sized frames lying out back that they can't sell... or they can call up their distributors and find old stock in big sizes. You might get a stellar deal this way.

The height of the handlebars isn't determined by the frame or head tube size, it's the length of the steer tube on threadless set-ups. I know, most bikes come with the steer tube cut already, but you can buy a fork and leave it uncut, then get an angled stem, like the one on your Schwinn, to raise it a little more. You could probably get a fork custom made in any length you want.
I have a 35" inseam and I like the bar an inch below the saddle, or so. I have an uncut Kestrel fork on my 62cm Gunnar and I think it's pretty comfortable.
You're right, most makers don't make a frame big enough for you, but Cannondale has made some big frames in the past. I think they used to go up to 66cm. I have a 2002 CAAD 5 in size 63cm.
I've seen some 65cm Colnagos around, but a lot more money there.

6ft 3in with a 36.5 inseam, and ride a 60 cm

Here's a guy with a fit problem.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...ig_YaoMing.jpg

6'6" and I'm on a sloping 60cm frame (Ridley). If the top tube were extended to parallel, the frame size would be closer to 64cm.

Go find a bike shop and see what they fit you to.

Frames fit so differently...my buddy is 6'5 and rides a 64cm...just need a good fitting.

Man, that guy on the left is SHORT.....



;)

+1 on head tube length. You made your bar height a requirement so therefore your head tube length will be critical.

For compact frames (sloping top tubes) I think the Giant OCR is a more upright frame, ditto the Cannondale Synapse, meaning they have longer head tubes for their size.

Cannondale used to make 66 cm frames, typically available only as a frameset except for one or two models. I know because a teammate owned one (6'6" or 6'7" and all legs). He had a mountain bike post at max height (or slightly over) and his legs were pretty bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke, feet flat. We raced in Belgium together, just the two of us, for three weeks. Made quite a sight - two of us on (at the time) strange Cannondales, one teammate on a 66 cm, the other on a 50 cm. Like Laurel and Hardy, although I wasn't fat at the time. We both sucked compared to the just-below-pro guys so the Cannondales were treated as a joke. Now if only we were like Cipollini...

good luck finding a suitable frame,
cdr

Soma Smoothie ES

http://www.somafab.com/extrasmoothie.html