Raleigh SPD frame help and advice....

[LukeFRC]

Hello again - I posted a few times on here about a year back... and since then have just been riding my bike...


But I have a question. I've got a lovely bike, late 80's Raleigh Special products division 531c frame, and then a mix of campeg parts.

(mismatched wheels, due to a pedestrian walking out on me without looking and writing off my back wheel - thankfully the rest of the bike was fine, I broke 3 ribs landing on a car but that's a different story....)

so it's now spring and looking at the bike maintenance time.... I'm getting new quill and possibly bars... and looking at the rest of the bike have questions...

So my frame is too big,
it's 59cm and I'm a 5ft 7 high, with short legs and arms and a long body. So I have the saddle pretty much as low as it can go and I'm fairly stretched out. I find it's quite a nice position, and I can cycle well with it, the long frame compensates a bit for my long body.... but I know it's "wrong", I'm a wee bit less menuverable at slow speeds, and I can't really stand up in the pedals on hills.....

So what should I do? In an ideal world I would have a smaller frame (pref the same frame as it's nice), a more compact chain set and my old back wheel back...
In this world I'm not getting my old wheel back... but what should I do about the frame? Is it worth selling the frame to find a new one? (how much do Raleigh Special Products Division custom braze Frames make? I know they're good frames) or would it make more sense to find a different bike and sell the one I've got now?

Any advice appreciated, I was just about to go out and buy a new quill and then thought that I may as well think about the whole bike. Can't wait to get out on it again! (the ribs have been keeping me to short trips at the mo)

 

[tonyf39]

you could get a much shorter stem if the position as is is a bit too stretched out for you and this would give you a little bit more control and also make standing on the pedals easier as you won't be so far forward.
ATEOTD it depends on what you want to replace it with, SPD bikes are few and far between and finding one in your size in the condition you're after could be very difficult and likely quite expensive.
Saying that, a 59cm frame is fairly desirable I would think but timing and a hefty pinch of luck can make a huge difference in what you might get for yours.
You need to have a serious think because once you've sold it, it's unlikely you'll ever get it back if you can't find exactly what you want to replace it.
I'm having a similar dilemma with my Raleigh Titanium, it fits just fine, but I hardly ever ride it of late..if I sell it though I won't ever find another like it.

 

[LukeFRC]

you could get a much shorter stem if the position as is is a bit too stretched out for you and this would give you a little bit more control and also make standing on the pedals easier as you won't be so far forward.
ATEOTD it depends on what you want to replace it with, SPD bikes are few and far between and finding one in your size in the condition you're after could be very difficult and likely quite expensive.
Saying that, a 59cm frame is fairly desirable I would think but timing and a hefty pinch of luck can make a huge difference in what you might get for yours.
You need to have a serious think because once you've sold it, it's unlikely you'll ever get it back if you can't find exactly what you want to replace it.
I'm having a similar dilemma with my Raleigh Titanium, it fits just fine, but I hardly ever ride it of late..if I sell it though I won't ever find another like it.

cheers for the reply

I think I'm going to take your advice and try a shorter stem and see how that is first. It does kinda fit me, but kinda doesn't. Weather is nicer so want to get out more at the weekend.

I think the other thing is I wouldn't have a clue what I would want to replace it with if I moved it on, something the same and a bit smaller - but like you say I'm not sure that I'ld find that any time soon.

 

[tonyf39]

this might be okay for you..£300 without the chainset and an 853 too
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Raleigh-speci ... 1c4005e976

 

[Matt_wood55]

Re:

For what it's worth, I am 5'8" and ride 53 or 54cm frames.

59 is pretty big for your height. I would bide your time, keep checking the ads and get a smaller frame when one comes around (and one will eventually). Swap everything out and sell yours on. If a complete bike comes up, swap everything, resell your bigger frame with the parts that you didn't want as first choice.

Matt

 

[Deleted member 24574]

Forcing yourself upon the wrong size frame is a poor solution. Buy a frame that suits and switch over the parts.

 

[tonyf39]

Forcing yourself upon the wrong size frame is a poor solution. Buy a frame that suits and switch over the parts.

the only thing not quite right here is the stepover height in reality, he's stated he has a longish body for his height so something like a 70mm stem could make all the difference. It's not as if a 59cm frame is absolutely far too big otherwise he wouldn't have been riding for so long.
People make wrong size frames fit them all the time, it's being going on since bikes were made and will continue to do so unless we can all get made to measure frames..otherwise why bother with anything longer than a 10cm seatpost or a 40mm stem both of which won't effect how much control you have on any given bike so long as it works for you comfort wise..

 

[47p2]

I'm also 5'7" so you should be looking at 56cm maximum possibly even a 54cm frame in traditional sizes. 52cm for modern frames or small depending on the make

I have a 56 traditional which is perfect for me, I bought a 57cm many years ago and it was just too big. I also have a couple of 54cm frames which are a good fit. My modern frames are varied, a 52cm carbon, an XS carbon and a 52cm steel all which fit but some with setback seatposts others with longer stems. You really need to find something that fits properly and work from there

 

[LukeFRC]

Forcing yourself upon the wrong size frame is a poor solution. Buy a frame that suits and switch over the parts.

the only thing not quite right here is the stepover height in reality, he's stated he has a longish body for his height so something like a 70mm stem could make all the difference. It's not as if a 59cm frame is absolutely far too big otherwise he wouldn't have been riding for so long.
People make wrong size frames fit them all the time, it's being going on since bikes were made and will continue to do so unless we can all get made to measure frames..otherwise why bother with anything longer than a 10cm seatpost or a 40mm stem both of which won't effect how much control you have on any given bike so long as it works for you comfort wise..

thanks for the replies. I've been taking tonyf39's view. it is too big, the step over height is too high and that means that I couldn't lower the bars if I wanted too... but I can cycle it with no strain on my body which counts for something!
I'm going to hunt down a 70mm quill stem

 

[Matt_wood55]

Re:

How about this as a donor bike for a new frame?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Raleigh-Reyno ... 6016.l4276