illusiumd

Link: https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bik/3841638647.html

I'm 6'7" and looking to find the biggest/best frame I can. I know next to nothing about bikes, so this bike will be the bike I learn on. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

old's'cool

Looks to be pretty intact. If it fits you, it's probably a good deal you don't want to pass up. I don't know about pricing in Chi town, but that seems like a reasonable asking price.
To check the fit, make sure you can stand over the top tube comfortably. The saddle height is important, but not a make-or-break for the purchase decision, since it takes some riding to determine the height you are comfortable with. At any rate, if the seatpost is not long enough for you, that's an easy item to replace.
My guess is, that bike will fit you well enough.
Good luck, and welcome to C&V!

illusiumd

Thanks for the advice. The first thing I want to do is to learn how to replace the stem and handlebars and move the shifters up top... any advice on how to begin this would be great. I'm moving from a mountain bike and need a strong city commuter.

I was going to buy a new bike, but a) there are no new/nice bikes in my neighborhood, b) I want to be able to lock this bike up outside from time to time and c) I'm tired of not knowing how to work on a bike so why invest big money when I don't understand the stuff I'm getting anyway.

MRT2

What do you mean? Bar ends or modern brifters?

oddjob2

Stem shifters probably.

The Fuji below already has brifters, integrated brake/shifter.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bik/3820071020.html

Also, this if you have friends in Detroit area.

https://annarbor.craigslist.org/bik/3824564414.html

MRT2

I suppose stem shifters work well enough, but they are kind of ugly.

illusiumd

Hmm, I did ride the Fuji and for some reason didn't dig it, but now I'm wondering why. That 64 would probably be a better fit...

From a purely frame perspective, which one would ride better? I'm 240 lbs, so I've been looking for tough touring bike. I go see the Schwinn here in a couple hours...

Also just ran across this: " Schwinn used an unusual stem size on these bikes (Unusual for the rest of the world, not for Schwinn,) so if you need to adjust the fit, you either have to scrounge a stem, modify a stem, or modify the fork tube." and "The only problem I ran into during this build was the non-standard stem size,"

oddjob2

I have yet to mangle a steel frame at about the same weight as you. The Fuji appears to lack eyelets near the hub for racks, but you can use p-clamps.

Regarding the stem, you'd best sand down a slightly larger one.

Lascauxcaveman 

Wow! Six foot seven is hard to fit properly, without going cu$tom built. I see really huge framed bikes (67cm, 69cm) on craigslist occasionally but not very often. You're probably used to things not quite fitting you, however

Nice thing about those rare, huge old bikes, when you see them, is the market for them is so small the prices are normally quite reasonable. So you might consider picking up that Voyageur (which is at least a decent investment, if it is as well preserved as they say it is) and riding it around while keeping an eye out for a really big bike to eventually replace it with. Then you can fob off the smaller bike to a shrimpy little guy my size (6'0") for about what you paid for it.

Long-term, IMHO, you'll almost certainly be more comfortable on a bigger bike.

SteakKnifeSally

I own a Voyageur 11.8 and commuted on it for several years. It has a fairly short top tube and that short stem, so the riding position is fairly upright. If this is your first road bike, that is a good thing. As I got faster, I wanted a lower and more stretched out upper body position. Only then did the stem size become problematic. (The smaller stem was necessitated by the thicker fork steerer; This is also a good thing for a big guy. Note that the tires on that bikes are 27" which have become somewhat uncommon, but most bike shops still carry a tire or two in that size. The 60cm version I rode had excellent handling, remarkably so at slower speeds; this made it a good bike for picking your way through traffic, pedestrians, or obstruction-strewn areas like the quad of the local university. I recommend the bike highly.

That said, if you carry a lot of height in your torso it could be a more difficult than average fit. When I started going for a lower position, I thought of this bike as the Black Buffalo, because riding in the drops threw a hump into my back. I only mention it because I am about 6'2" and rode a 60cm. You will have a taller seatpost, and while this will move you back, it could also make for a low bar and a cramped cockpit. Tough to fit you anywhere I'd think: coach seats on an airplane, movie theater seats, convertible sports cars.

Good luck, and welcome aboard.

shelbyfv

https://nashville.craigslist.org/bik/3836059208.html Here is a really big bike! Seems way overpriced but it's big....

Velognome 

At 6'7", a 62cm frame is gonna be too small. I'd be looking more at 65cm+ frames. If you start with something too small you'll have twice the work: repairing and tuning the bike & 2 trying to make it work. Start out with a larger frame and you'll be happier in the end.

Ciufalon

Here's a couple that already have stem shifters in a size 67 cm https://lansing.craigslist.org/bid/3785941523.html, https://nashville.en.craigslist.org/bik/3832774199.html, https://memphis.en.craigslist.org/bik/3838202261.html. Not sure what shipping would be, but the easiest and cheapest for a bike this size woud probably be by train. And here are a couple in size 68 cm https://santabarbara.en.craigslist.or...836328281.html, https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/bik/3846901920.html, https://raleigh.en.craigslist.org/bik/3819817072.html. 70 cm https://springfield.craigslist.org/bik/3805293284.html

Scooper

The Voyageur 11.8 came in 21" (53.3 cm), 23" (58.4cm), and 25" (63.5cm) center-to-top frame sizes. The bike in the craigslist ad looks like the 25" frame to me, but I agree that's likely too small for the OP.

They're very nice bikes, BTW, especially the all chrome version. They were made by National/Panasonic (Japan) for Schwinn.

illusiumd

WOW! Thanks for all the wonderful advice! Those saying that this bike is nice and I should pick it up are totally right on and those saying this bike isn't gonna fit me are right too. Just rode the bike. It's beautiful, but just too small.

We adjusted the seat post to the max height line and positioned the seat all the way back. He also raised the stem up. It still felt crammed. The position I felt most comfortable: my tail was hanging a bit off the back of the seat - also my knees where way back and not over the pedals.

At this point though, I'm wondering if I should just go for it or hold out for some larger frame. I'm so indecisive! It's a great bike - near mint condition - and for 350 this is a bike I could learn on. But I do have bad knees and everything I've read says knees over pedals/plumb line and all that. I'm thinking at this point just got to hold out for a big-ass frame.

Yes, I wonder if that's the problem. Before we moved the seat as back as far as it would go, it seemed like the bike wanted me to be more upright - but it seemed like when I tried to approximate where I'd be pretty comfortable - my hands were always settling just above where the handlebar is - even after we raised the stem. And I've also read other places where the stem on this bike is hard to mess with... (I don't know if any of that made sense) ... then the other side of my brain says "Stop being so freaking picky"

Yes, that's interesting. I want this first bike to be something I can work and learn on.

No doubt. Thanks again for the advice!

illusiumd

Dude! Sweet info and pic!

Thanks for the links Ciufalon!

Gravity Aided

I'm 6'4" and the 25" works out perfectly, but just. I might add that this is a fine riding bike. But not if it's too small for you. You might try looking for a Fuji Sports 12, another light bike that came in a 27" frame, about the same year (1981?) Great riding bike also, maybe a little lighter..

oddjob2

Indianapolis

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mens...item3f25f1897e

Not the most exciting, but Chicago area

https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bik/3830531612.html

Trek 620 in Madison, not BBC

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-65-cm-t...item3a80ac04a5

Flint - Cheap Vintage Fuji @ $80

https://flint.craigslist.org/bid/3826260339.html

big chainring 

Here ya go. Just listed.
https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bik/3830531612.html

Scooper

That's a 1985 World (Hi Ten frame).

illusiumd

Thanks folks. I'm looking at this bike soon, Fuji Absolute @$325
https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/bik/3855050619.html

Opinions? Yeah it's hard to see so many lower end bikes out there after witnessing that beautiful Voyageur. But I'm just going to wait it out till I find the right bike. Nice thing about Chitown = lots of bikes.

wrk101

That Fuji is overpriced, but local and convenient. Fuji catalogs are all on line.

The Absolute that year was next to the VERY bottom of the Fuji bike product line.

Still, not very many 27 inch frame sized bikes were built. Could take a while for a better one to show up locally (the good news is if one does show up, there are few customers for it).


And if you try to get one that is not local, shipping a 27 inch frame bike is expensive. I had a 27 inch Fuji, 38 inch standover as I recall. The model I had was five models up the product line, so pretty decent.

big chainring 

Another one just popped up. Great condition. Cool bike.
https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bik/3807174676.html

Gravity Aided

If I had seen that earlier this afternoon, I'd be in Schaumburg now. But I really don't need another N+1XL.

SteakKnifeSally

A wee bit more money, but I was looking for an 83 Raleigh Prestige and this popped up:
https://annarbor.craigslist.org/bar/3792104979.html

To Raleigh experts, I thought the Prestige had 531 tubing?