Team Raleigh top tube lengths - help?

[Leatherseat]

I've recently got fixated on getting my boyhood dream of a Raleigh Team (replica), preferably in 531.

I know that times change, but I'm looking for a top tube length of 58cm or greater (on a seat tube of 60cm cc preferably, assuming a 73 deg seat tube angle). In the ideal world, I want a bike set up to the same dimensions as my main bikes. I don't think I've found a frame with a top tube greater than 57cm (with any length seat tube).

Should I keep looking, biding my time, for a longer top tubed frame, or should I accept that the older geometry had shorter top tubes and 'make do' with a 57cm top tube.

Thoughts, advice, welcomed.

Thanks in advance,
David

 

[andy162]

Hi David,

I fulfilled my boyhood dream a few years ago with the purchase of a Team Raleigh. It's an SBDU frame so therefore custom built but it does feature quite a short top tube. It's not uncomfortable at all & on the drops feels great.

You could always find a longer stem? It may well be a feature of these frames but I wouldn't let it put you off. I use mine now & again through the summer & enjoy every mile.

Andy.

 

[Leatherseat]

Andy,

Thanks for sharing your experience.
I suspect fashions/ trends (in bike fit) have changed radically over the last thirty years. I'm a little nervous of buying something so radically different from my current bikes. As a long-bodied 6'3'' bloke I am using 130mm stems on my two main bikes (each with 585mm top tubes), so fear there is ltd extra length to gain from longer stems.
In reality, this bike will be an occasional/ pub bike, so perhaps the perfect fit (to the mm) isn't really crucial, but to within a cm or so, will suffice.

Any more thoughts/insights welcome. By the way does anyone have a geometry chart from the late-70's era?

With thanks,

David