Writing a reply to Wychy’s earlier comments about frame geometry, I remembered I was going to check www.ribble.co.uk to see if their road frame differed from their Winter/Audax frame (the one I own).
Looking through the table of figures I find the 56cm and work through the values, noticing the top-tube length is 58.. um.. what? 58cm? That’s not.. But.. I.. um.. measured it already and it was 56cm.. err.. wasn’t it?
I remember looking at this table before I bought the bike and thinking “56cm square = cool” but now looking at the table I reckon I’ve read from the wrong column(s)! A1 instead of A and read across to a top-tube of 55.8cm, thinking “fine” when in fact I should have been seeing 58 and thinking “no no no”.
I rush over to the bike with the tape measure, rub my eyes and look.. 58cm.
Frickin’ hell! Fifty EIGHT not Fifty SIX like I thought. No fricking wonder I’ve always felt over-stretched and suffer from sore arms!!
Ribble 7005 Frame Geometry:
A A1 B D a? b?
46 50 53.5 400 75 72
48 52 54 400 75 72
50 54 55 400 74 73
52 56 55.8 400 74 73
54 58 57 400 74 73
56 60 58 400 74 73
58 62 58.8 400 74 73
I guess that means you no longer want your oz bike measured!! At least you should be rid of that soreness now.
Well, not yet. It means I need to:
1) buy complete new bike (nice)
2) buy frame and have a shop swap over parts (maybe, depends on cost)
3) come to terms with being slow and not needing a new bike and just swap out the stem (unlikely)
DOH!!!! I have a yellow sheet of paper (yellow, so I don’t lose it) with my "ideal" bike measurements on it. I tripled measured the luna, then the teschner cos I am paranoid!
But now you know what the issue is, and how to remedy it ;-D So, what bike/frame you thinking of dude???
Just get your arms extended. Much easier.
glennji: I get loads of emails about dick extensions (have they been watching me??) but none relating to arm extension pills or operations. Perhaps you could suggest something?
LunaLass: I have 30 sheets of random paper scattered around England and Australia with the same sort of details on them. I wasn’t really thinking straight about what I’d need/use after my touring. I didn’t think I’d last 12 months here actually.
Freighting over the Pug was an option I considered.
I’ve bought a cheap 90mm stem for now anyway, just to see what it’s like.
As for a replacement bike/frame.. um.. all I can say is ‘shit, not this again!". I hate looking for bikes and it’s worse these days with less time free. I like to be different so unless I find something super nice, I can rule out Trek, Specialized, Giant, etc.
Cervelo have always been high on my list – I even have a brand new SuperProdigy frame awaiting my return in Oz! The Team Soloist would be useful considering the large amount of TT’s run here.
Custom frames are another option that seem more popular over here than Oz.
I reckon to save cash though it’ll just be another ebay effort. I have no loyalties to any UK bike shops so feel no need to buy from them – such a pity.
Could get Mick to sort me out something and have it shipped or bring it back when I visit in Dec. Long time to wait though.
Hmm and double Hmm Hmm
bugger the random bits of paper – send an sms to yourself, or store it in your phonebook on your mobile. But I hear what ya saying Hipshtar.
You might as well have a play around and see how it goes, and how long you can hold out on it, and wait for that standout bike/frame. Let your consumerism run free 🙂
Phones get smashed and lost, so I’d use something online but I understand what you’re saying. I tend to scribble measurements down when changing setup and the paper was then free to wander..
I fitted the 90mm Deda stem last night. I decided to flip it as well so that it points up instead of down and raises the bars.
It looks stupid (audaxers would probably disagree) but it should get the bars closer for an cheap interim solution.
Yep, I’m planning to sell my 58 cm Ribble for the very same reason. I had it fot three years but have always felt it was a bit on the big side. I was told by Ribble that the 58cm would be OK for my height – 6’1". To be honest, it feels more like a 60cm based on stand over height and reach. I reckon I’m just about on the limit.
I moved to Christchurch, NZ last year and commute 200km per week on pan flat roads. So, I’ve decided to go fixed. I’m looking at a few options Spesh Langster; Biachi Pista or Raleigh Rush Hour. To be honest, I’m favouring the Raleigh at the moment just because it’s a ‘steelie’.
I would’ve thought the 56/58 combo would’ve been fine for you. I’m ‘managing’ with it and I’m 5’10".
Fixed is great. London is flat but traffic is hectic. Fixed is my new favourite mode of transport through London although I’m back on the Ribble for a while training up for some long rides (London2Brighton, Etape Anglais, Dunwich Dynamo).
I thought the Bianchi was steel? Maybe only the older ones? Have you considered rebuilding an older frame for something more unique? There’s a few other off-the-peg fixies but I’m not sure if you can get ’em in NZ. Good luck!