Measuring a Frame
 

I'd post this on the mechanics board, but the repsonses here are always far more interesting.:)

I recently scored (conned into buying) an old Univega frame with the derailleurs, cranks, fork, stem, and chain still attached (hanging) off of it. I really wanted the stem and the derailleurs because they were better (less crappy) than what was on my bikes right now.

The frame itself is built for a freakishly tall person. I didn't measure it but I normally ride a 56 or 58 and when I put a couple of wheels on the bike I couldn't stand over it. And that was without tires.

I'm trying to figure out if the bike is a 27" or a 700c. How do I tell?

The frame is actually very light and in good condition with nice paint. I'd like to sell (unload) it if the circus ever comes to town. It has horizontal drops and takes a normal sized BB. The head tube is for a 1" fork.

I thought the cranks were Sugino, but I'm not sure. They are 110 BCD with what looks like "SR" engraved inside them. But the dust cap over the crank bold clearly said "Sugino." I'm probably going to try using them if I can get a good chainline.

Oh, and it has a Cinelli stem which is fused to the fork. I think my only option is to hacksaw the stem and drill it out.

as far as the wheels; do you have 27"s lying around? Stick them in and see if they fit.
I have a feeling that it was built for 27"s.

SR is Sakae-Ringyo, now a.k.a SunTour. The dustcap is whatever the dustcap says it is.

If the brake shoes line up (or are close) with whatever rims you put on, that's probably the wheel size. Not a great test but probably the best ballpark measure you can get. A 27" wheel is only a few millimeters (approx. 4) bigger than a 700, so if any wheel fits the frame it's more a problem of getting the brake pads to line up and buying the right tires and tubes.

Unscrew the stem binder bolt so it sticks up a little, and whack it with a rubber mallet (or put a block of wood over that and whack it with a hammer). Spraying penetrating oil around the edges of the stem into the tube might help too. If that doesn't get it out, take it to the LBS. Hacksawing off what you can reach will make getting out what you can't reach considerably harder, and you said you wanted the stem anyway, right?

What's the standover height with wheels on?

There's about 1/4" clearance between the fork and a 23mm tire on a 700c rim. A little more on the back. So I think it's 700c.

The standover height with said rims and tires is about 35".

The SR cranks now reside on my fixed gear. I took them for a ride and they feel great. I'd been looking for a cheap way to get 175mm cranks on the bike.