Originally Posted by Dfrost

Welcome! If you sign up as a paid member, you’ll have access to the Classic & Vintage sales sub forum, and as a bonus, you won’t get any ads! You could then start a WTB post. You might want to post a few “Hello” messages to get your post count up to permit PM’s. And ask lots of questions. We like to think of ourselves as a friendly, helpful bunch, especially when we are spending some else’s money!

You mentioned living in Poland. Let us know what would be similar to our Craigslist, and areas that you would consider useful/accessible to include in helping with your search.

As to tubing, Reynolds, Columbus, Tange and Ishiwata are manufacturers of great bicycle tubing found on many excellent vintage bikes. Miyata/Koga Miyata started making their own in 1981 (I believe) that was comparable. Their Splined Triple Butted tubing was similar in concept to Columbus SLX.

For your goal, don’t use bike weight as a major criteria, especially as someone who would benefit from a big frame. They will always weigh more! A really good bike weighs what it needs to weigh! However, as others’ noted, pure touring bikes are often made from heavier gauge tubes that can decrease responsiveness when they are unloaded.

I ride big (62-63cm) frames and they are quite comfortable, and I’m similar weight at 175. As you’ve already surmised, the ability to take fat (32-42mm) tires, makes a significant improvement in comfort, although my Tange-framed 1979 Miyata (pre-STB) on 28’s is almost as good as the SLX-tubed Marinoni that uses either 700-32’s or 650B-38’s. What is more noticeable is that the Marinoni has a special feel, hard to describe - lively and responsive come close - that enhances every ride.

The differences between dimensionally similar bikes have more to do with the geometry subtleties and construction details of the frame. Frame tubing wall thickness chosen by the maker probably is the biggest contributor. At one time I had three nearly identical in design concept (all sports touring) bikes, set up very similarly. Their feel differences were noticeably different, even with the same wheels and tires. I’ve also had two racing bikes, both 70’s Masi Gran Criteriums, that were dramatically different in their stability characteristics.

Originally Posted by repechage

there are not bigger frames over the border in Germany?