Marcus Helman (MH)wrote, and I'll respond (HS):
MH: I am not sure if irony is the right word here, but I was looking at a bike on eBay that really was a bit too big to seriously contemplate, and I had this thought: most of the bikes I look at are high end bikes that would have been carefully fitted to the original owners,
HS: I'm not sure I will accept the premise that they were carefully fitted in an era when few bike shops had a lot of pro merchandise to choose from, and there was no internet to make the market more liquid, but let's go on. :-)
MH: but I am willing to consider bikes that are somewhat too big or somewhat too small for me, because there is a limited supply and it that makes the consideration set larger. My first pro bike was a 23" Atala that was definitely too large for me, but was a good deal, and I wanted it. Two years later I was glad to get rid of it in favor of a bike that fit better.
So, a couple of questions:
MH: Do you ever buy bikes with no intention of riding them?
HS: Never. Ever. I can think of a hypothetical exception, such as finding a 50 cm Masi Carlsbad at a garage sale for $20 because it is only a 10 speed, but these things don't often happen to me. Did find a lovely full campy Carlton with neat lugs &c, but I really wanted it for a friend, not me.
MH: Of the bikes you buy with the intent to ride, how far from your nominal frame size do you deviate?
HS: I went down to a 54 cm from my "optimum" 58 to buy a Medici at a swap meet, having persuaded myself that both beloved spouse and I could ride it. She found it stretched, and I couldn't get comfortable, so it went to a new home where it will be loved.
MH:Do you buy bikes that don't fit well with the thought that you can ride it for awhile, until something better comes along?
HS: I have a 73 or so Cinelli SC, better than 63 cm ctt. I can straddle it and bend my knees a bit. Just a bit. I ride it fairly often, and love it. Rode it this year on RAGBRAI, for 490 mi. or so. The trick is that the top tube is only 57 cm, so it fits just like my other road bikes. Would I sell/trade for another slightly smaller? Probably, but in no rush. BTW, two other notes: Every time Larry Black sees me, he asks about the health of my "apparatus," given the high top tube... Getting a good fit required moving back from 175 to 170 cranks, and I use about a 9 cm. stem. I don't think I could ride it well with a tall saddle like a Brooks Pro, but it is just fine with the Cinelli #3 and similar.
HS: What is the range of sizes of your regular riders?
HS: mostly about 57 cm to 60 cm, ctt. But, ALL are short enough (top tube) for comfort. At my age (59) bigger frame --> handlebars that can be about same height as saddle. Not a racing position, but I no longer pretend. Riding is too much fun to try to hurt myself.
harvey sachs mcLean va
As ever,
Huntington Woods, MI
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>CR
>
>Today's Topics:
>
> 1. It's not quite my size, but I think I could ride it
> 2. Re: Damage at Bike Shops (Todd Kuzma)
> 3. Re: Damage at Bike Shops (Morgan Fletcher)
> 4. Need info on 1985 Puch Mistral (Roland Hilgarth)
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 14:34:05 -0400
>From: marcus.e.helman@gm.com
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]It's not quite my size, but I think I could ride it
>Message-ID: <OF2531EA6D.9A6183AA-ON85256F0B.0061113E-85256F0B.0065FF94@mail.gm.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Precedence: list
>Message: 1
>
>I am not sure if irony is the right word here, but I was looking at a bike
>on eBay that really was a bit too big to seriously contemplate, and I had
>this thought: most of the bikes I look at are high end bikes that would
>have been carefully fitted to the original owners, but I am willing to
>consider bikes that are somewhat too big or somewhat too small for me,
>because there is a limited supply and it that makes the consideration set
>larger. My first pro bike was a 23" Atala that was definitely too large
>for me, but was a good deal, and I wanted it. Two years later I was glad
>to get rid of it in favor of a bike that fit better.
>
>So, a couple of questions:
> Do you ever buy bikes with no intention of riding them?
> Of the bikes you buy with the intent to ride, how far from your nominal
> frame size do you deviate?
> Do you buy bikes that don't fit well with the thought that you can ride
> it for awhile, until something better comes along?
> What is the range of sizes of your regular riders?
>
>As ever,
>Marcus Helman
>Huntington Woods, MI
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 13:41:53 -0500
>From: Todd Kuzma <tullio@TheRamp.net>
>To: "richardsachs@juno.com" <richardsachs@juno.com>
>Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: Re: [CR]Damage at Bike Shops
>Message-ID: <BD675FA1.58D33%tullio@TheRamp.net>
>In-Reply-To: <20040910.110350.10767.600648@webmail04.nyc.untd.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
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>Message: 2
>
>on 9/10/04 1:03 PM, richardsachs@juno.com at richardsachs@juno.com wrote:
>
>
>
>>then how do you assume the alignment is checked
>>if there are no surfaces to reference?
>>e-RICHIE
>>chester, ct
>>
>>
>
>e-richie,
>
>I think that you greatly overestimate the quality of production
>framebuilding in the world today. I think that most factories employ the
>"close enough" standard of quality control. Of course, I am not talking
>about folks like Waterford, Co-Motion, Seven, etc. but your typical big
>brand bikes.
>
>Todd Kuzma
>Heron Bicycles
>Tullio's Big Dog Cyclery
>LaSalle, IL 815-223-1776
>http://www.heronbicycles.com
>http://www.tullios.com
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 11:42:41 -0700
>From: Morgan Fletcher <morgan@hahaha.org>
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: Re: [CR]Damage at Bike Shops
>Message-ID: <878ybiufry.fsf@fletcher.sonic.net>
>In-Reply-To: <BD675572.58CFE%tullio@TheRamp.net> (Todd Kuzma's message of
> "Fri, 10 Sep 2004 12:58:26 -0500")
>References: <BD675572.58CFE%tullio@TheRamp.net>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Precedence: list
>Message: 3
>
>Sorry for the me-too, but I have to say I will never go to my local
>bikeshop again. Not only have I gotten bad service, but I've also been the
>victim of the steel-punch method of headset removal. I live in an affluent
>little community and I am surprised at the shoddy service and work provided
>by this shop.
>
>It's very important to find good mechanics, let them know you appreciate
>them - tips, praise, thanks and repeat business. I've worked with some good
>mechanics (was a bike shop lackey years ago) and I respect their work. I'm
>also a car nut, and it is appalling at the wage differential for bike
>versus car mechanics. Finally, if you really want it done right, get the
>tools and do it yourself, and expect to make plenty of mistakes as you
>learn.
>
>For bay area people, I can recommend a couple good shops for bike work:
>
>Jitensha Studio - Berkeley
>Missing Link - Berkeley (make sure you get to know the mechanics)
>American Cyclery - SF
>The Bike Nook - SF
>A Bicycle Odyssey - Sausalito
>
>I've been putting off the ~$500 purchase of all the frame-prep and hs/bb
>tools I want for years now. Someday...
>
>Meanwhile my newly-painted Molteni Merckx is at American Cyclery, getting
>prepped for building and the SR headset and bottom brackets installed. I
>will pick it up this weekend and hope to have it built by Marc St. Martin's
>Livermore ride the next weekend...
>
>Morgan Fletcher
>Oakland, CA
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 15:05:46 -0400
>From: Roland Hilgarth <photo1@osmiumtet.com>
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]Need info on 1985 Puch Mistral
>Message-ID: <6C19BD44-035C-11D9-AC53-0050E479275E@osmiumtet.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
>MIME-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v619)
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>Precedence: list
>Message: 4
>
>Hi all,
>
>I realize that this may be potentially off topic so I apologize, but it
>is a lugged steel frame. I recently aquired a 1985 Puch Mistral
>frame and I know it was built by Bianchi and is made of Columbus
>tubing. Can anyone give me any other information as to how
>the Puch's were originally built up. Also, it is stated to be Italian
>threaded. I know that there are Italian thread bottom brackets, but
>is there anything like an Italian threaded head set. Thanks for the
>help.
>
>Roland Hilgarth
>Lexington KY
>
>------------------------------
>
>_______________________________________________
>
>
>End of Classicrendezvous Digest, Vol 21, Issue 41
>*************************************************