Have I made a terrible mistake?

[Dave Davenport]

Do a quick spray job, put on some coloured wheels & chopped off straight bars, don't bother about brakes and flog it to a lanky hipster for 500 quid.

 

[Dave Davenport]

I thought I had better check the frame size before doing any work at all.

Based on using 700c wheels I wanted to check that I could clear the crossbar, so I tried to hold the frame with what would be the rear axel 350mm off the ground. Well at least I tried to. The highest I could lift the frame without doing myself a genital discourtesy was 320mm.

So... would anyone like to buy a frame?

View attachment 22107

Wear some high heels and it'll be fine.

 

[swee'pea99]

Further to my earlier message, I just gave my Dawes her wash 'n brush up (I wash her every year whether she needs it or not) and took the time to see how it compares with yours. For the record, if I straddle the frame wearing trainers, it just gently rubs the old undercarriage, which is probably not Best Practice, but it's never worried me, and certainly doesn't stop it being a very enjoyable ride. Do note, tho', how low the saddle is, and also the minimal front-extension on the handlebar stem - it's the shortest I could get.

Mind you, I would just add that from your description, I personally would be tempted to chuck that one back in the water (or, to put it another way, put it back on ebay with a slightly OTT description featuring key phrases like 'fixie' and 'steel is real' - you might get more than you paid for it) and look out for/bide my time awaiting something a bit nicer. A tatty-but-serviceable 531, eg.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Thanks for coming back to me on this. I did cast the Dawes back into the pond and it was snapped up by another tall cyclist here on CycleChat.

So I bought this wonderful frame, which arrived this morning.

 

[swee'pea99]

Snap!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Snap!

It's also the same colour as my geared bike!

 

[uphillstruggler]

Thanks for coming back to me on this. I did cast the Dawes back into the pond and it was snapped up by another tall cyclist here on CycleChat.

So I bought this wonderful frame, which arrived this morning.

View attachment 22314

this looks like it could be interesting, progress pictures with the project?

 

[Andrew_Culture]

this looks like it could be interesting, progress pictures with the project?

Naturally

 

[swee'pea99]

Yes indeed...that's exactly the kind of thing I had in mind. Should make a nice beastie.