Am I dreaming?

Mr.Toad

Senior Retro Guru
Wondering if anybody could give me some good advice on bike fitting.

I'm looking (and really wanting) a beautiful vintage italian bike that is located a few states over. Not being able to check it out in person I have to rely on the seller's bad measurements, in fact all I have is center of crank the top of top tube 23".

I'm 5'10", 31" inseam. If my speculation is correct the 23" measurement would make the frame a 58cm?

I realize top tube length is probabaly a more impotant factor but this is all I have to go on, and a picture of the beautiful bike.

Should I just forget the dream and keep looking for a smaller frame?
 
Everyone is different thats the problem ... I am for example 5ft 9" with 32" inside leg. I ride 54cm and ideally 53cm as my upper body is really short and I struggle with reach on the top tube?

I have been calculated for ideal fit of 57 cm seat tube and 52cm toptube!! :LOL: :LOL:

(Havent really helped have I , but I would of thought 57cm would be too big :? )
 
I'd ask them the stand over height, the measurement from the floor to the top of the crossbar. Ideally you'd want that to be about 31 1/2".

You don't want it to be 30" for obvious reasons :LOL:
 
Thank you, that is helpful.

Problem is the seller is actually a pawn shop so the seller isn't knowledgeable or even motivated.

Bike is a stunner though and I could score it for what I think is a great price, though even the best price isn't going to do me much good if I can't ride it.

I will try and get standover and top tube dimentions.....fingers crossed.
 
Thank you for the link, excellent info and answers my fit questions. Once I receive a TT measurement I will know for sure.

For now it looks like it will fit!
 
have a look at Joop's bike from the 80's TdF, as you can see there's not a lot of seat post showing. as an aside, the left gear lever like that should have the chain on the large ring.

Joop%20Zoetemelk%20KLEIN.jpg


Google for a few pics and they will show it.

In the 70's and early 80's most frames were "square" so not a lot of variation in top tube unless the frame was specialy built.

Shaun
 
The picture is reassuring and i'm hoping to arrange payment today.

Until then here is a picture of the bike.
 

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