sj90

Hi all,

Newbie here! I'm looking to buy a new bike, and one that actually fits me. I'm currently riding my dads old bike, and it's a bit small at 58cm. After any decent length ride my lower back is sore. I'm looking for something to take on longer rides, and I'm more concerned with comfort than all out performance.

I've been to a couple local bike shops, but they all stop at 60cm and I don't think I can get an idea of my fit on a bike that size. I also haven't got the feeling of them being all that knowledgeable with road bikes, as most seem more interested in the off road scene. It might just be the shops I'm going to though.

I don't have a ton of cash to spend on this sport, and I'm looking to keep the bike under $500. When I started I was looking for used bikes, but I have yet to find anything near my size in my price range. I'll do my best to list my measurements and expectations below, if I miss anything let me know.

Height: 6'8"
Inseam: 38
Age: 25
Experiance: New
Type of Riding: Looking to ride about 75-100 miles per week, roads and bike paths, flat and steep terrain (Currently at 50-75). Maybe more the better shape I get in. For fun and fitness, no plans to race.

Competitive Cycle Fit Calculator:
The French Fit (cm)
Top Tube Length

57.6 - 58 Cm

Seat Tube Range CC

65.4 - 65.9 Cm

Seat Tube Range CT

67.4 - 67.9 Cm

Stem Length

11.3 - 11.9 Cm

BB Saddle Position

86.7 - 88.7 Cm

Saddle Handlebar

59.6 - 60.2 Cm

Saddle Setback

8.7 - 9.1 Cm

Seatpost Type

Setback

Because of my size and strange proportions (all leg, short torso), I highly doubt I'll find a frame fitting the above dimensions without going custom. If anyone knows of a relatively affordable bike with dimensions even close to these, I'd love to know about it.

So far the only bikes I've found that are close are the MotoBecane Mirage 64cm frames, and I'm looking at the SL with the Claris groupset. The top tube is listed way too long, but I'm hoping I can get where I need by changing stem to a shorter one. Is that a viable option? Or will it ruin the geometry of the bike. I'm also not sure if this geometry is suited for a more casual fit (more upright).

If anyone has any input about this bike for me, or any other that might fit, I would very much appreciate it.

Thanks

Carbonfiberboy 

AFAIK the only real solution is custom. Yes, a shorter stem works. Not optimal, but works fine. Just a matter of getting used to it. My wife rides her road bike with a 35mm stem.

No, with your dimensions a stock frame will give you an stretched out fit, but that's OK. Folks new to riding often think a more upright fit will be more comfortable. That's incorrect. You can also mitigate the long reach somewhat by using short reach or "compact" bars.

Women's specific design frames will have shorter top tubes, but not every manufacturer builds those.

fietsbob

Lennard Zinn Zinn Cycles Custom Bicycles Boulder Colorado, Custom Road Bikes, Custom Mountain Bikes, Cyclocross Bikes, and Travel Bikes | Zinn Cycles website has been a specialist in fitting tall cyclists.


it is a serious investment .. for a new cyclist especially, other than that IDK ebay craig's list all that ..

himespau 

You might have better luck (at least getting close) in a vintage bike.

MRT2

Zinn, Gunnar, or Waterford are all custom options. None are cheap, but it is what you need.

Cheaper alternatives are very tall vintage bikes. Look for a 25" or 27" frame. Often they sit unsold on Craigslist for weeks or months waiting for the right customer. I have a friend 6'5" (also very long legs/short torso) who rides a vintage 27" Panasonic frame. It is the largest bike frame I have ever seen. He wanted to upgrade to something modern, but was not willing to shell out cash for a Zinn or a Gunnar, so he just spent a few hundred modifying his old bike instead.

himespau 

Yeah, that is what I was trying to get at. A number of those vintage steel frames (can't come up with brand/model names off the top of my head), don't scale top tube size with seat tube size after a certain point and I've seen at least 65 cm (and maybe 27") frames with 58-59 cm top tubes if memory serves. That plus an 80 cm stem would probably get you about right.

sj90

The vintage route is a new one. Any chance modern drive equipment could be swapped onto bikes of this vintage? I'm not familiar with bikes, so I don't what is standard sizing and when it might have come into place. I currently ride a vintage bike, and know that I definitely want to get away from all retro equipment. Specifically the gears, I'm pretty much done with having to reach down every time I want to change gears.

On another site someone pointed me in the direction of the Giant Defy 5 XL, which has a stack of 623mm and a reach of 393mm. It's a bit more than I was looking to spend, but it seems closer than anything else I've been able to find. Giants are priced great in Canada (where I live) but the Defy 5 is not available here, so I would need to drive south to buy one. This takes away one of the main reasons for buying from a store vs online, basically I have no service unless I take the bike across the line to them. I might head out to the local dealer to try a Defy 3 for size, but I feel bad using peoples time with no intention to buy from them.

I'm going to spend some time on my bike tonight to see if the BD bike is close enough that I can adjust it to fit.

Mandeville

A 62-64 cm frame would be possible frame sizes.


This Trek Bike has a 62 and a 64cm frame size. But both are above your budget.

Émonda ALR 4 - Trek Bicycle

This has a 62 cm has its largest.

1.1 - Trek Bicycle

With your torso to leg length issue custom might be your only option. But if so getting a custom on that budget might be a challenge.

I'm 6'5" but my inseam is on the short side and my torso is longer than average which is the opposite of your situation. I ride a 62 cm with a stem a bit longer than stock.

Good luck to you.

himespau 

Sometimes it might mean respacing the rear triangle, but other times it's as simple as bolting on a modern drive train instead of the vintage stuff. There's a massive thread on the Classic and Vintage forums of people doing just that. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...i-s-ergos.html

a3inverter

Miyata (and others) made some big frames back in the day. I just measured up a 1981 68cm Miyata 210 I have - 68cm ST and 58cm TT. Built this up a few years ago with modern components. On a side note, these frames (when converted to 700c) make great all-rounders. I ran some 700x42 knobbies with this frame and did a 115k gravel ride with it.

a3inverter

In terms of more modern rides, check out the Soma ES. They make them in a 64cm and 66cm - top tube might be a bit long for you. The framesets are just a bit under your budget, but you might be able to swap parts from something else as most of the dimensions are standard (seat post size, bottom bracket, etc.)

I strongly considered the ES, but chose the Double Cross as the ES would have been a functional near duplicate of some other road bikes I have.

Deal4Fuji

A vintage bike with a tall frame is IMO a good way to go starting out. With a minimal investment you'll have a bike that fits you and you can upgrade components or move to a newer bike over time. I'm 6'5'' (mostly legs) and the 27" Fuji I've had since '82 is almost too tall for me, and I could go up higher with the saddle. I paid $150 for the 66cm Raleigh and it's a better fit. I am amazed how well these old bikes with old components do in my group of all CF or AL frame newer bikes. Both bikes shift and coast quietly and I seem to have more "roll" than most of my group on level ground, where my 250 lbs is not helping me. I like stem shifters, I'm always curious why down tube and barcons seem to be the more respected shifting style. I'm still evolving so 6 months from now I may have a completely different opinion as I did with clipless pedals, but I like my cheap entry level steel bikes ....and welcome to BF

sj90

I really appreciate all the posts on here; I will keep looking at the locale used bike market. The only ones I found so far in my height are asking for between $300-400 for an original vintage bike. That seems steep for a bike that needs a fair bit of work before it would usable for me. I feel the local used market might just be too small to find a vintage bike that fits, and leave enough budget to retrofit some modern equipment onto.

I went to a local bike shop last night to see if they had anything near my size. I tried out a flatbar Trek in 63.5cm, which I was able to raise the seat high enough, but I couldn’t tell much else because of the bars. Next I tried a 60.5 cm Norco with drops, and could tell it was miles better than my current bike but still small. The reach felt close, but my legs felt a little cramped. It had a stack of 62.6cm and a reach of 40.0cm, which is large for a 60.5cm bike

They were pointing me towards a Trek Émonda ALR 4 64 cm, which is way out of my price range. This is disappointing because it has the closest fit specs I’ve come across at 65.4cm stack and 40.1 cm reach. I just need about $800 to close the gap to my range.

I’m away this weekend, but next I’m going to head out to one of the biggest bike stores in the area to see if they offer anything close to my needs.

estasnyc

A Top Tube Length of 56 - 56.4 cm is a bit short for someone of your height. My vintage Bottecchia has a seat tube with 61cm c-to-c length and a top tube with 58.5cm length.

If your top tube has to be as short as you claim, you may already have the frame that you need but will need a much longer stem and seat post to compensate for your height. Have you measured your top tube length?

I'm presuming that your dad's old bike is a vintage bike that comes with a quill stem. (A picture of the bike would quickly confirm this.) If so, the only choice you will have is to get a Nitto Technomic stem. Maybe. This will let you to raise your handlebar height a lot but maybe not enough for you.

Long seat posts are more common but be sure to get one with the exact same diameter as the current one.

himespau 

If it's got a quill stem a Soma High Rider (used to be called High Rise) stem adapter will get him even taller than a Nitto Technomic and allow a wider variety of stem lengths because you can put whatever 1 1/8 threadless stem you want on it. Of course going that tall will shorten the top tube a lot as the stem comes back toward you, so that will need to be taken into account when deciding on the stem length.

https://www.somafab.com/archives/prod...apter-28-622-2

McBTC

The angle of the seat tube is a big factor. But, that effects the length of the 'effective' top tube, depending on the angle of the headtube. So, to keep the top tube as short as possible, you also need a slack head tube angle --e.g., both tubes as close to 72° or less as possible instead of 73 or more.

The slacker seat tube enables you to get you knees back if you don't want them in front of the pedal spindles. A 61 c-c frame is about the biggest you'll see in new bikes. You'll want a flat top bar as a sloping top tube only accentuates the amount of seatpost rise and you won't need to worry about standover height.

Having a taller frame just means you need less seatpost and stem rise. A 61c Lemond (c-c) is the biggest frame I've had since having a 27" Panasonic back in the 70s. But, the Lemond's effective top tube is >60cm (because it has a steep headtube angle) and that's not what you're looking for. And, you definitely will be limited on how high up you can get your handlebars but with your current setup, you probably are already accustomed to a more aggressive riding position.

Looking to vintage and probably easier to find than others, you'd be looking for a --e.g., 25-1/2" Trek 520 tour bike frame as it has the slackest seat- and headtube angles.

estasnyc

Using a threadless stem with a stem adaptor actually will be a better idea unless the OP gets everything right the first time with his measurements and calculations.

I don't know how easy getting a Nitto Technomic stem will be from a nearby LBS. It can be gotten online but what if you get the wrong size (reach)?

A better LBS by the OP should have a variety of threadless stems that can be tried before a best fit can be found.

Later on he can decide whether to keep that or to get a Technomic quill stem if he wanted something that may look more elegant. But that will be about aesthetics and not functionality.

sj90

Someone on another site questioned my measurements, making me go back and triple check them. Some how after measuring everything multiple times, I was off by a good margin on my thigh and arm measurements. I've updated the OP with the new, more realistic numbers.

This is good since it's more inline with the available products, and makes sense compared to the Norco I sat on the other day with a top tube of 595mm.

capnjonny 

I am also a tall guy at 6'5" . I am also 68 yrs old. I have had a 1980 Miyata 610 for years that has a 27" - 68 1/2cm seat tube length. It is to tall for me but still rideable. This last year I have gotten very involved with the local bike co op and have bought 2 bikes from them . The first is a 1980 Raleigh Record Ace at 64 cm and a GT Vantana hybrid bike that is essentially the same height and weight. I don't ride the Miyata currently and have pirated some parts off it for other bikes.

On the Raleigh I changed out the stem to a Techromic with a 5 inch rise and put on mountain bike style bars with a 2" rise and mountain bike brake levers. To finish it off I put on Shimano friction thumb shifters.

The drive train is stock Raleigh (Suntour) with the addition of a "perfect" 6 speed freewheel .

I really like this set up and would not change a thing. Being a tinkerer though I may one day spread the rear and install a Shimano 7 speed hyperglide freewheel and a new 7 speed chain. That, I have heard, is about as good as it gets for friction shifting.

Personally I can't see how you can ride that small bike. I Just finished rebuilding a 56 cm Miyata 210 and my knees are up around my chest when I try to ride it.

I also have aN SR Semi pro at 64 cm with drop bars and it is just not comfortable for me to ride, especially with the down tube shifters.

I am seriously thinking of rebuilding the Big Miyata 610 with upright bars with a 2-4" rise to see how comfortable it would be .

As for the GT, It has 21 speeds, 700 c wheels that can take a wide variety if tire widths, Shimano Acera components, and weighs the same as the Raleigh. I bought it from the bike co op for $50. plus $30 for 2 new tires and tubes.

Both bikes seem o/k with my 280 lb weight and I ride each at least once a week on rides through hilly Saratoga Ca.

I guess my advice is buy a used big frame Steel bike, don't be too concerned about the weight, look for strength and toughness. Buy another donor bike with the components you want or get involved with your local bike co op and build yourself a bike. It isn't hard and you can find instructions to do anything on google and Youtube Ask the local bike shops if they have a big old frame sitting around they don't want. Advertise on craigs list for a frame. I know that I have seen a few monster size bikes advertised on the SF bay Area Craigslist and Our co op has at least two 64 cm bikes in the pile waiting to be rehabbed that they would sell cheap. Lastly, Give some consideration to upright bars. Most riders I have seen on their $4000 carbon bikes spent a lot of time riding up on the flats. Unless you are a racer do you really need to get down low all the time? I know that for me it is painfull .

oddjob2

Bikes for the extra tall are out there.

FUJI 1982 Mens 27" 12 Speed , Pristine Condition Original Owner Manual

XXLHardrock

I'm only 6'3" but have a 38.5" cycling inseam and found much to my surprise that an XL (58.5cm) Giant Defy actually fits quite well. I did fit a Thompson 410mm seat post, mostly because I owned it already.

But did you check out the Flite 747 from KHS? Only comes in 2XL and 3XL AND has really long cranks too.

NormanF

You need to go with a DirtySixer. Its the only bike made for veeery tall riders with appropriate size 36" wheels to match.

At 6'8" everything else is going to feel well... like a kids' bike!

Deal4Fuji

There are good CL buys on more modern large frame bikes if you're patient. I have upgraded to a more modern bike when I saw the like-new 62 cm aluminum Trek at a good price. I'm happy with the smaller frame fit, and a bonus is I'm under the wind a little more. It's a 2012 entry level road bike from Trek, but still much lighter than my C&V steel bikes. I don't plan on selling anything as I like the twins pictured above, just hoping I'll see some benefit from about 10 lbs less weight and easier shifting with brifters.