Bike Size

[Jez Nemeth]

With old stuff -as said by Non-Fixie + Bikeworkshop -Headstock is the give away, and centre BB to top top tube too -just to be sure

Bought an old FW Evans, late 40's/early 50's time capsule -asked the seller to measure -58cm. They'd measured short and the thing had 630/ 27x 11/4 wheels, still used widely -just a few cm's bigger than the standard 700c in common use. Stand over was 62cms as a result, even though the frame was rightish for a 5"8 bloke...was like riding a Penny Farthing.

 

[Yorkshirelad92]

Thanks everyone I’ll keep an eye out see what I can find.

 

[non-fixie]

BTW, what kind of bike are you looking for?

It occurred to me that with your frame size slightly smaller wheels, such as 650B, might be beneficial, as toe overlap is often an issue with smaller frames. Older French touring bikes often came standard with that size, but they can also be retrofitted to many* racing frames.

* because of the smaller rim diameter you'll need brakes with a long enough reach. Will not work on bikes with cantilever brakes.

 

[bikeworkshop]

older (up to the 60s really) British racers were offered in 26x 1&1/4 and tourers 26x 1&3/8,
people were a bit shorter back then.
Nowdays though decent wheels/tyres in these sizes can be rare, so you'd want to get a bike whose wheels and tyres are close to what you want.

 

[Yorkshirelad92]

Hi Guys
I was thinking maybe a Peugeot or a dawes or a Raleigh. I was thinking 700c ?

 

[Jez Nemeth]

There's some really fab top end older 70's/80's machines out there -Eddy Merckx era... Pug PX10, Raleigh Team Banana/RRA -Raleigh Record Ace...TBH I'm outta my depth with anything younger than 1960, want to know about rare pre-war bikes/parts I'm there, so can't really advise here-

Just to say, lots of superb kit out there, and no need to spend huge bucks at all -just coz something cost £60 or so, doesn't always reflect what you'd assume be a low quality bike, far from it -just that the lens of fashion/taste/and performance requirements demanded from machines has moved on.

Find a complete bike you like, do some internet research, and make the deal!

-Remember that changing parts is often the most expensive bit in this -more complete the bike is...generally, beyond service items (tyres/Tubes/Cables/Bearings) they'll be less outlay.

Good luck bud!

 

[bikeworkshop]

Id suggest a British 531 frame - easy to find parts for
- some Peugeots have French headsets or bbs, and there are a lot of Peugeots with classic 80s paint/graphics, but very basic tubing and equipment.

Mass produced bikes are more common obvs, but there are plenty of pearls among the swine, so to speak

 

[Jez Nemeth]

Ribble, Quinn, Argos, Carlton, Bob Jackson, Dawes, Holdsworth, near endless list of superb machines...

Plenty out there, but as Bikeworkshop says, like panning for gold, need to sift a lot of dirt to find those nuggets -but they are there.

As example, don't know yer budget, but up now a Vintage Bob Jackson on Fleabay for £175 complete, 57cm on 700's (bit big possibly -54cm better)- a top British brand, 531 tubed -at a really good price -'Eau de Nil' colour too!! Very nice machine, potential keeper -if a bit too retro maybe, early-mid 70's?

(apologies if you're the advertiser and owner of this bike on E-bay reading this thread, and just discovered I've used yer pic without permission -but before you hit the 'report' button, in a roundabout way I'm doing you a service here, and possibly we should be talking commission, rather than copyright infringement? )

 

[Yorkshirelad92]

Thanks for the help guys some good food for thought. Definitely gonna try get a complete bike and I’ll hold out for a good en.
Thanks
Tom

 

[PhillB]

Just gonna chime in because I am roughly the same size as you @Yorkshirelad92 (5'7" and 29" inseam) In 90's Mountain bikes I ride 18" or 19" frames (GT measure them as Centre BB to Centre Top Tube - so they are 16" or 18".

I have a couple of road bikes from the 70's and 80's and I typically ride a 51cm or 53cm. I do also have a 55cm that I ride occasionally but it is too big really - These are all 700c.

Everyone is different in terms of proportions of course, but thought this might help from someone of a similar size!!

Good luck in your search!