I Love It When

[potsy]

If you read shufflemelody's post he managed to get mudguards on with the 28's, though its a very tight fit, probably a different make of mudguard to mine, the front is fine its just the back thats the problem.

Just been for a quote for the C2W scheme for this bike, the lbs don't think there will be any problem fitting guards and 28's but that will be left to them anyway.

No Flyers to try but did sit on and ride a Volant, advice seems to be a 54cm would be spot on for me, certainly the Volant was fine in that size, the Flyer comes up ever so slightly more upright.

Top tube length for the Volant is 545 versus 547 for the Flyer, not sure what else I would need to look at?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Just been for a quote for the C2W scheme for this bike, the lbs don't think there will be any problem fitting guards and 28's but that will be left to them anyway.

No Flyers to try but did sit on and ride a Volant, advice seems to be a 54cm would be spot on for me, certainly the Volant was fine in that size, the Flyer comes up ever so slightly more upright.

Top tube length for the Volant is 545 versus 547 for the Flyer, not sure what else I would need to look at?

You're a bit taller than me so I would have thought 54 would suit better, I did read somewhere the height recommendations for a 52cm flier and I was the tallest recommended, in cycle shoes there's a very small amount of space between me and the top tube. These days I tend to pay more attention to top tube length than seat tube length, if the top tube is between 53.5 and 54 it will fit. I've found that compact frames tend to need to be a bit smaller in size anyway, my Verenti is a compact and is slightly to big, its a 53cm, that even though my Pearson is a 54cm and fits. Now I'm in my sixties I do need a riding position thats a bit less aggressive so slightly upright suits me, I've got the flyer set up right on the saddle now and the handle bars are a touch low for me so I'm planning to flip the stem, I do most of my riding in steel toe capped boots so I have the saddle a bit high.

 

[potsy]

According to the size chart I am at the top end of the 54cm, or the bottom end of the 56cm, quite surprised at that.

 

[Hacienda71]

According to the size chart I am at the top end of the 54cm, or the bottom end of the 56cm, quite surprised at that.

Lanky git

 

[Deleted member 1258]

According to the size chart I am at the top end of the 54cm, or the bottom end of the 56cm, quite surprised at that.

In the days when frames were measured in inches my favourite frame size was 21.5", it was the best fit, 21" was good as well and I could just step over some 22" frames, puts my best size at 54.61cm in a range from 53.34cm to 55.88cm, which just shows how much frames have changed over the years, the higher end of the range would be too big on a modern frame, which shows how confusing it must be for a rider coming back to cycling after a long absence.

 

[Old Plodder]

...I do most of my riding in steel toe capped boots....

Now there's a fashion statement.
I too used to ride 21" frames, but it is quite difficult to find a right sized frame these days, too tall over the top tube , too long in the top tube, stems far too long for the stated size of rider, bottom brackets too high, & my biggest bug bear, 175mm cranks!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Now there's a fashion statement.
I too used to ride 21" frames, but it is quite difficult to find a right sized frame these days, too tall over the top tube , too long in the top tube, stems far too long for the stated size of rider, bottom brackets too high, & my biggest bug bear, 175mm cranks!

I think these days its best to actually see and sit on a bike before buying, theres that much variation that it can be a bit of a lottery without trying the bike, thats why I tend to take more notice of the top tube size than seat tube size these days, it seems to give a better chance of getting the fit right.

 

[phantasmagoriana]

I'm 5'7" and my 54cm Flyer is a good fit (not sure whether the geometry's changed between the 2014 and 2015 versions, though). A 52cm would also work with a bit more post showing, but a 56 would be too long in the top tube (I'm running a 90mm stem, and wouldn't really want to go shorter).

 

[potsy]

How are you getting on now you've had it a few weeks @dave r?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

How are you getting on now you've had it a few weeks @dave r?

Very well, I do need to fine tune the setup a little bit, I've just got a seat post mounted rack I'm going to fit at the weekend so I'll tweak the setup whilst doing the fitting, it goes well and handles well, the only thing I'm not overly impressed with are the wheels, they're nice enough and run true but seem a bit basic, cup and cone bearings rather than sealed bearings, I've got the get a nice wheel set itch. I'm finding I'm having to work a little bit harder than on the Pearson but thats likely to be the time of year and my low fitness at the moment, I was out on the geared bike last Sunday and I was working harder than usual on that. No I'm impressed so far, its a lovely bit of kit.

 

[totallyfixed]

Very well, I do need to fine tune the setup a little bit, I've just got a seat post mounted rack I'm going to fit at the weekend so I'll tweak the setup whilst doing the fitting, it goes well and handles well, the only thing I'm not overly impressed with are the wheels, they're nice enough and run true but seem a bit basic, cup and cone bearings rather than sealed bearings, I've got the get a nice wheel set itch. I'm finding I'm having to work a little bit harder than on the Pearson but thats likely to be the time of year and my low fitness at the moment, I was out on the geared bike last Sunday and I was working harder than usual on that. No I'm impressed so far, its a lovely bit of kit.

If you can get hold of them, I recommend the Mavic Open Pros, a very lively wheel to ride, if you buy the rims, hubs and spokes separately it works out quite cheap, I built my front wheel and the rim was less than £40.

 

[totallyfixed]

Or, if the hubs are ok on your present wheels keep them, buy the Mavic rims, correct length spokes and there is someone on here who will build the wheels for free I believe. You get a great pair of wheels for around £100.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Or, if the hubs are ok on your present wheels keep them, buy the Mavic rims, correct length spokes and there is someone on here who will build the wheels for free I believe. You get a great pair of wheels for around £100.

I'm currently looking at these in black.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPPXAL30DTR/planet-x-al30-d-track-wheelset

 

[potsy]

I'm currently looking at these in black.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPPXAL30DTR/planet-x-al30-d-track-wheelset

Don't know much (anything) about wheels for fixed/ss bikes, are there many options out there off the shelf or is it better to go handbuilt?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Don't know much (anything) about wheels for fixed/ss bikes, are there many options out there off the shelf or is it better to go handbuilt?

Generally speaking hand builds should be better, but there are some nice of the shelf wheel sets about.