I have noticed that at least in the USA, that many of the old road bikes found that are 60s/70s vintage have taller than average frames. I know more than one person of average height who bought new bikes back then with a taller frame size than they needed, to the point where they had to put the seat all the way down. And it seems there were more options for tall frames from popular manufacturers back then too. Frames of 61cm or 63.5cm were very common, and the USA manufacturer Schwinn sold many over the counter bikes with 66+cm frames, I had two examples myself, one of which I put a lot of miles on, with the seat all the way down on the top-tube.
Currently I have a Reynolds 531 framed road-bike which was sold in 1973 by the USA Schwinn company, which was originally 66cm tall and with a very long top-tube. It was an expensive bike when new, called a "Paramount P-13" and sold for road-racing, but I got the frame for $25 because it had a crack in it's seat-tube. I have various other road bikes from the 70s and 80s which have 63.5cm, or 25" tall frames. Often they are given to me for free by people who are too short to ride them.
I am 6'3" tall just about, probably shrinking because I am in my 60s, but I can make practical use of a tall frame, and am glad that a lot of them were made 40 to 60 years ago. Here is a photo of the Reynolds 531 racer that was 66cm originally, but I shortened 1.5cm in repairing damage to it while saving it's original seat-tube. It is still too large to be optimal, notice how I had to move the seat all the way forward and fit the shortest possible stem to make it comfortable to ride. Any other giant bikes out there being ridden or hidden by forum members?
Currently I have a Reynolds 531 framed road-bike which was sold in 1973 by the USA Schwinn company, which was originally 66cm tall and with a very long top-tube. It was an expensive bike when new, called a "Paramount P-13" and sold for road-racing, but I got the frame for $25 because it had a crack in it's seat-tube. I have various other road bikes from the 70s and 80s which have 63.5cm, or 25" tall frames. Often they are given to me for free by people who are too short to ride them.
I am 6'3" tall just about, probably shrinking because I am in my 60s, but I can make practical use of a tall frame, and am glad that a lot of them were made 40 to 60 years ago. Here is a photo of the Reynolds 531 racer that was 66cm originally, but I shortened 1.5cm in repairing damage to it while saving it's original seat-tube. It is still too large to be optimal, notice how I had to move the seat all the way forward and fit the shortest possible stem to make it comfortable to ride. Any other giant bikes out there being ridden or hidden by forum members?
