Touring bike, small and light?
03-14-19, 08:30 AM
#51
Senior Member
Buying a bike for someone else is plain hard. Small frame makes it harder still.
Just no reason why a well-designed frame has to have the limits we have become used to. Wife's best fitting bike is a '73 Colnago Super. A 51cm (c-t) frame but same 28-1/2 standover as the 19" Cannondale. No toeclip overlap with 165s and 700x27 tires. Or with 700x30 tires. Even bigger tires would fit but too close for comfort at fork crown. With the 27mm tires fenders would be easy on this bike. Seat angle a bit steep at 74.5 but nothing like the 76.7 of the 'dale. Head angle of 71 with a 55mm rake is good and normal handling. Bike also has 52.5 top tube, no long stretch to get the toeclip clearance.
Of course a classic Colnago is not for commuting but the geometry certainly could be. Most of what is generally considered as certain to be compromised on small frames is just sheer laziness on part of designers. If Ernesto could get it right 46 years ago not a lot of excuses for those who can't get it straight yet.
Just no reason why a well-designed frame has to have the limits we have become used to. Wife's best fitting bike is a '73 Colnago Super. A 51cm (c-t) frame but same 28-1/2 standover as the 19" Cannondale. No toeclip overlap with 165s and 700x27 tires. Or with 700x30 tires. Even bigger tires would fit but too close for comfort at fork crown. With the 27mm tires fenders would be easy on this bike. Seat angle a bit steep at 74.5 but nothing like the 76.7 of the 'dale. Head angle of 71 with a 55mm rake is good and normal handling. Bike also has 52.5 top tube, no long stretch to get the toeclip clearance.
Of course a classic Colnago is not for commuting but the geometry certainly could be. Most of what is generally considered as certain to be compromised on small frames is just sheer laziness on part of designers. If Ernesto could get it right 46 years ago not a lot of excuses for those who can't get it straight yet.
03-15-19, 08:06 PM
#52
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Univega Specialissma are they as good as the Miyata 1000?
03-15-19, 08:17 PM
#53
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I'd take the Univega, yes. Might have to dress it up. Whats the frame tubing?
03-15-19, 08:24 PM
#54
Senior Member
Not sure yet. Seller wants $100. trying to get seller down to $75.
04-11-19, 09:06 PM
#56
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Progress!
"Before"
Closer to "after"
Lower placed lock
Gran Cru long setback seat post, + better saddle.
She took that cannonball out for a spin and wanted to be more out over the front wheel, so a longer stem, and set back post so she can unweight her hands. Waiting for her to get home to fit test, but it's coming along slowly.
That lock gives this thing an uncanny center of gravity wheeling it around it feels absolutely identical to not having a lock, super light and flickable. Then you pick it up! Surprise, it's four/five pounds heavier!
"Before"
Closer to "after"
Lower placed lock
Gran Cru long setback seat post, + better saddle.
She took that cannonball out for a spin and wanted to be more out over the front wheel, so a longer stem, and set back post so she can unweight her hands. Waiting for her to get home to fit test, but it's coming along slowly.
That lock gives this thing an uncanny center of gravity wheeling it around it feels absolutely identical to not having a lock, super light and flickable. Then you pick it up! Surprise, it's four/five pounds heavier!
Last edited by Chr0m0ly; 04-11-19 at 09:12 PM.
04-11-19, 09:40 PM
#57
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How does she feel about those bars? With the deep drop and extreme angle of the ramps they wouldn't be my first choice for commuting. If it were me I'd put some bars with a flat ramp and shorter drop. A maes or randonneur bend bar perhaps. Something that makes the ramps and hoods viable hand positions.
04-11-19, 09:52 PM
#58
Senior Member
How does she feel about those bars? With the deep drop and extreme angle of the ramps they wouldn't be my first choice for commuting. If it were me I'd put some bars with a flat ramp and shorter drop. A maes or randonneur bend bar perhaps. Something that makes the ramps and hoods viable hand positions.
04-12-19, 12:28 AM
#59
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We both think they're a bit weird. We just left them on in the interest of incremental changes. I've got a few sets of bars for her to try out.
04-12-19, 02:08 PM
#60
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If you can somehow mount a lock as low as possible on the bike, it will help keep the bike from feeling so heavy on standstill or low speeds. Problem with most lock holders sold by lock companies are they are mounted high up, just under the seat cluster..
I'm thinking, there must be a way to design a holder to install a lock like this......
("Bordo" folding lock, by ABUS)
......under the down tube with one end, just in front of the BB......
I think these folding locks are mostly narrower than 70mm, so they can clear the crankarms.
The lock holder design does have to consider clearing the derailleur cables going past it on the down tube.....
I'm thinking, there must be a way to design a holder to install a lock like this......
("Bordo" folding lock, by ABUS)
......under the down tube with one end, just in front of the BB......
I think these folding locks are mostly narrower than 70mm, so they can clear the crankarms.
The lock holder design does have to consider clearing the derailleur cables going past it on the down tube.....
They come with a holder that is ok, but a water bottle works better for me.
It hangs out in an empty water bottle with tools.
Its in the orange one and the black one.
Last edited by merziac; 04-12-19 at 02:11 PM.
04-12-19, 02:23 PM
#61
Banned
You can go Touring with out a special "touring bike".. so either will do..
a extra wheel is a lighter trailer than a BoB, and it can be fitted with a wheel just like front of the bike
so same spare tires & tubes fit all 3
panniers on trailer rather than bike rear rack..
a extra wheel is a lighter trailer than a BoB, and it can be fitted with a wheel just like front of the bike
so same spare tires & tubes fit all 3
panniers on trailer rather than bike rear rack..
04-14-19, 11:45 AM
#62
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Parts update
1) The saddle is now too far back, and we're swapping to a normal set back post. No problem, I have a box of spares.
2) She LIKES the no reach drops! She can finally reach the hoods comfortably. But the brake reach is a lot for her hand span. Enter...
3)
Short reach brakes with hoods you can ride on.
Along with 4)
Some dual pivots to match, long reach for eventual swap to 700's and some fenders.
Observation:
I am having way to much fun building and fitting someone else. Every change makes the bike better, and showing someone how comfortable a bicycle can get is immensely satisfying.
04-14-19, 12:49 PM
#63
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04-14-19, 01:12 PM
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04-14-19, 01:46 PM
#65
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I bet lighter wheels would help at this point. a 120-pounder shouldn't need 36-spoke wheels with what appear to be straight-gauge spokes!
Consider what I have in mind for my next build: 28-spoke wheels (at least in the front, maybe 32 rear) with Pacenti 650B rims and the lightest butted spokes I think I can get away with. She'd get lighter wheels, a cushier ride, and less toe overlap. Wins all around!
Consider what I have in mind for my next build: 28-spoke wheels (at least in the front, maybe 32 rear) with Pacenti 650B rims and the lightest butted spokes I think I can get away with. She'd get lighter wheels, a cushier ride, and less toe overlap. Wins all around!
04-24-19, 07:34 PM
#66
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She’s digging the new ride
Next to my Trek
We took our bikes out to MI wine country and did some break in miles, she likes it a lot. Just as planted as her Miyata 210, but lighter than her Miyata 710. With the seat all the way back in a conventional post she says she’s comfortable on the bike, and the reach to the bar is half an inch shorter than on the 210 at the flats, and the zero reach drop bar means she can ride on the hoods for the first time. And the modern hoods are big and cushy, plush have the shorter reach so she can use the brakes from the hoods for the first time too. So far it’s a win all around.
