Spa Cycles Elan - frame sizing and wheelset options

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truman sparks

Well-Known Member
Having read the various Elan related threads on here/elsewhere and looked at the relevant stack/reach data, I'm considering the above in either a 58 or 60cm frame. I am 6' 3" with a 34" inside leg and looking more for all-day comfort than extreme race oriented body position. At 54, I'm not as flexible as I once was, although my daily commuter is an S bar Brommie!

To give some (admittedly vague!) idea of fit - Just before lockdown I'd downsized my fleet by one third to just my MTB and the above folder, selling an Aravis Super Tourist from now-retired Byercycles: this was an XL frame, compact geometry with - IIRC - 58cm seat tube, although I always felt the stack was a little short on this and I had the steerer left uncut with a wad of spacers under the stem - the bars were still lower than the saddle somehow, but somehow got by on this for years...

I appreciate that nothing will beat a test ride on each size , but a visit to Harrogate for folks living in Scotland is presently out of the question and I'd be interested to hear other thoughts or recommendations, especially from other Elan owners (I did read somewhere that at least one person came away with a frame one size smaller than they had anticipated).

Regarding wheel options - at 90kg I don't like too low a spoke count and have been pretty traditional with my other bikes (36h rear/32h front drillings) and this is my first foray into road discs and potentially tubeless as well (I am likely to go either triple or compact double with TRP Spyres). Not sure if both Spa's suggested upgrade options are available (or necessary?) with 36h rear hub/rims. In the past , I've had my wheels from Al at Wheelcraft (fantastic - but don't ask for black spokes...), but he's a long trip from where I live nowadays...Have emailed Spa, but to date heard nothing, although I gather this is not unusual, particularly in current circumstances.

All comments welcomed, with thanks in advance!
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I think @lane might have an Elan

i considered it but much preferred the finish of the admittedly more expensive Sabbath AR1 which is what I bought. Mine has SRAM Rival and TRP Spyres. I didn’t want Shimano or hydraulics

Spa also built me lovely wheels, they recommended 32h (I was around 95kg, rather shorter than you :blush: ). I went with their recommendation of Kinlin (?) rims and Novatech hubs, preferred the aesthetic vs H Son and they didn’t rate the rims as much

Think probably something like this
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s178p3733/SPA-CYCLES-Handbuilt-Wheelset:-Novatec-A291(28h)-F482(32h)-With-KINLIN-XR270-XR27R

The service was pretty good, I did have a weekend in Harrogate to visit them as I wanted to see the frame in the metal and ride. They’re slow with email so pick up the phone to them

it won’t help but at a bit under 5’10, I would have needed a 54 (my Sabbath is a medium)
 
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Jenkins

Legendary Member
Location
Felixstowe
I'm 5'11" and I have the 56cm frame size Elan. I'm borderline on the 56 size as the sizing charts would put me more in the 54 territory, but I prefer a larger frame than recommended on all my bikes and the larger size has a taller headtube to give a more upright position to go with the lack of flexibility that comes with being a couple of years older than you :laugh:. Given this, I'd think that the 58 would be perfectly OK for you, but I'd certainly wait for a bit and have an overnighter in Harrogate and book a proper test ride when the worst of the current situation is over, especially as you are looking at spending over £2000.

As far as wheels go, I took up the option of the 32 spoke H Plus Son rims and 105 hubs - I'm around 15kgs ligher than you so the high spoke count wasn't really necessary, but a bit of light off roading was part of the intended use at the time.,

Bear in mind that this isn't some large chain of shops, but a one off at the end of an industrial estate and with limited staff numbers, so don't expect immediate replies to any phone calls/emails .

And now for the gratuitous bike shot
Spa Elan.jpg
 
OP
OP
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truman sparks

Well-Known Member
Vickster, Jenkins - thanks for those replies.

The AR-1 is also a possibility - aesthetically more pleasing in photographs, but it all comes down to how they fit and ride... when I’ll ever get the opportunity to try them both is the big question, as we seem to be some way off unlimited travel in Scotland...

Nice bike BTW 👍
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Oh and here’s mine in larger form than my avatar! Now has a pannier rack
 

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I'm 5'11" and I have the 56cm frame size Elan. I'm borderline on the 56 size as the sizing charts would put me more in the 54 territory, but I prefer a larger frame than recommended on all my bikes and the larger size has a taller headtube to give a more upright position to go with the lack of flexibility that comes with being a couple of years older than you :laugh:. Given this, I'd think that the 58 would be perfectly OK for you, but I'd certainly wait for a bit and have an overnighter in Harrogate and book a proper test ride when the worst of the current situation is over, especially as you are looking at spending over £2000.

As far as wheels go, I took up the option of the 32 spoke H Plus Son rims and 105 hubs - I'm around 15kgs ligher than you so the high spoke count wasn't really necessary, but a bit of light off roading was part of the intended use at the time.,

Bear in mind that this isn't some large chain of shops, but a one off at the end of an industrial estate and with limited staff numbers, so don't expect immediate replies to any phone calls/emails .

And now for the gratuitous bike shot
View attachment 524227

Hi Jenkins,

Thanks for this helpful post. Can I ask what your inside leg measurement is, and your BB to saddle-top (along the angle of the seatpost) measurement is? I'm assuming 170mm cranks?

I'm currently considering an Elan, and am the same height as you but with long inside leg (34 anatomical). As I'm hoping for a fairly upright build I came to the conclusion of a 54cm, which roughly matches my 80s 56cm/22 Steel tourer – however, on second analysis it seems a 56 would be better, with my inside leg. You have a lot of seat-tube still on the 56 at 5ft11in...

My main aim is to get seat and bars level, and keep the reach fairly close & leisurely with flat bars.

Very helpful post and photo, thanks!
 

Jenkins

Legendary Member
Location
Felixstowe
Welcome @Salade_Lyonnaise
My inside leg measurement is 33 inches / 84cm and the BB centre to saddle top is 31.5 inches / 80cm. I'm currently using 175mm cranks, but I have a SRAM Rival 1 set-up with 172.5mm cranks waiting to be fitted. Just for information, there's 7 1/8 inches / 180mm distance between the top of the seat tube and the saddle rails to give you an idea of how much post is showing. If you are longer in the leg, but shorter in the body you may have the problem of the top tube being too long and you could be quite stretched out on the 56.

When spending the sum of money involved here (about £2500 now I think) a day trip or even an overnighter in Harrogate and a visit to the shop is money well spent to save buying the wrong size bike.

Why not have another gratuitious bike shot as it is currently set-up (except for being on an 11-32 cassette at the moment)
1675456480041.png
 
Thanks for the welcome @Jenkins ,

This is great! A trip up to Harrogate isn't viable at the moment (as much as it's a beautiful place to visit!), and I'm also looking at the steel Elan frame-only to build up — so I'm trying my best to figure this all out on paper...(famous last words).

The Geo-tables (attached) are saying only a smidgen of difference in reach between my 80s steel and an Elan (4.3mm under or 2.7mm over), so it may all be rectifiable in the stem...perhaps...

Did you cut your steerer down at all?


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Cheers!
 

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Jenkins

Legendary Member
Location
Felixstowe
Good luck with whatever you choose @Salade_Lyonnaise - just to add to the info given above, the stem is the standard 100mm and is flat (or possibly a slight downward angle) so you could flip it to get a slightly higher/upright and closer position. The steerer is as supplied (already cut) with 2 x 15mm spacers below the stem & 1 x 5mm above. You've probably already see it, but if not they do hava a full frame geometry chart for the Elan frames you can compare against your curent bike...
1675544791308.png
 
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