I’m trying to figure out what frame to use for my xtracycle conversion, and am not willing to spend much money. Whatever money I do spend I want the fram to be big enough. The 22″ mountain bike that i got from Tom years ago seems to be way too small. I’m sure I could modify it to fit, but I don’t really feel like touring on a mtn bike.
I just wrote a bunch of questions to the guys at Xtracycle:
Hi Peter,
I wanted to follow up to our conversation a while back with some specific questions. I have abandoned my 27″ framed road bike as a conversion option and am looking for a nice inexpensive used canti-tabbed frame to use. So, two basic questions:
1. As a tall man at 6′5″ and 210lb who fits nicely on a 27″ (65+cm)road bike frame, is it reasonable to hunt down a 25″ 80’s or 90’s mountain bike (if they exist) or would a smaller 22″ or 23″ frame work fine with the seat and steering stem all raised properly? I’d like to use the bike for light touring with the family, which is why it seems wrong to get a smaller bike. I know there are also consideration about dealing with all the extra weight.
2. That said, there’s still the issue between 26″ and 700c, and I can’t seem to get the best story on whether the Xtracycle posse prefers one over the other. Again, as a tall guy, wouldn’t 700c be better? With fenders attached, what’s the tire width limit? How about with no fenders?Thanks for all your help, and once I get a frame/bike to start building up, I’m ordering my Free Radical.
Peter wrote back:
Geoff,
In case we didn;t clarify this before, the two sizes of wheel we support are 26″ and 700c. a 35mm tire is the largest tire you can fit in with a 700c rim, while a 3″ tire maxes out a 26″ rim.
The difference in overall diameter between the 700c and the 26″ wheels is pretty minimal. There is only about an inch of difference when you factor in your average skinny road tire versus a fat mountain tire. You will feel a slight difference in steering if you exchange one size for the other, which is usually negligible. The bigger difference is in strength between smaller and larger wheels. A smaller wheel will be stronger than a larger one as a general rule – this is just a rule of thumb, though, and a well-built road wheel can still outperform a cheap 26″ wheel. High spoke counts helps immensely. Average is 32, strong is 36. Tandems can take 40 or so.
So if you’re wanting the strongest setup, I’d recommend a 26″ wheel from a decent manufacturer. You can mix wheels, too, and concentrate your money on a good rear wheel. Fat tires also make the ride smooth and more tolerant. Schwalbe Big Apple tires are our favorites. CST makes a good cruiser tire, too. 2 inches or larger usually feels plush. Hookworms are the ultimate fat tire. A lot of this depends on you r preference more than anything. If you like a road feel, you can probably do fine with 700c X 35mm tires with 36 or 40 spokes and never hear a squawk from the wheels.
I’ll let Rick, our resident tall guy, answer some questions about sizing.
peter
And Rick wrote back:
Hey Geoff,
Rick here (6′6″ and a puny 185lbs). I currently ride a Big Dummy 22″ and a 20.5″ Specialized S-Works mountain bike.
Surprisingly, I fit my Specialized better, although I had to purchase an extra long Thomson seatpost (420mm) to make it work. You’ll get more flex from a taller frame, especially one with weaker welds at the joints.
For town and touring, nothing beats a 700c with the largest tires possible. FYI, some rim manufacturers make slightly larger diameters so don’t be surprised when your 35c don’t fit anymore, just a heads up. It’s rare and I’ve only heard of one person with that issue.
I rocked out 700c’s on a Alfine hub setup and ran Specialized Nimbus tires. The Nimbus are great b/c of their armadillo puncture resistant technology. Thought I’d surely get a pinch flat a few times I ran them at low pressure, but managed to avoid a flat.
So, in recap, you’ll be able to make a smaller frame work and you’ll be better off with less flex on a smaller frame. But, if you happen to find a good quality 25″, do it and don’t look back.
Cheers,
Rick
So, to sum up, I’m looking for a large touring bike with cantilever brakes and either 26″ or 700c wheels. I’m off to look at one from craigslist today, so we’ll see.