Steel Frame Sizing

[joshuabalmer]

Hi all

I'm looking to get my first road bike. Rather than buy new I want to pick up an older steel frame, preferably in decent nick but that needs some work doing (polishing etc.). I've had a look through sites on the web and I've sized myself up for a modern bike but I'm unsure whether these apply to an older steel frame. My measurements are as follows (gave estimates on my welcome thread and was well off!) ;
Total Height 72"
Inseam 34"
Trunk 22"
Forearm 14"
Arm 28"
Thigh 22"
Lower Leg 22"
Sternal Notch 58"

I think this brings me out around 23"-24". Does this sound right to any of the vintage steel fans on here? Don't wanna buy a bike then find its a poor fit.

Cheers

Josh

 

[KneesUp]

23" will be fine IMHO. I am 71.5 inches and my 1990 road bike was a good fit at that size.

EDIT - and in all my time on this earth, I've never measured my thigh length, trunk, or lower leg - and I'm about to google 'sternal notch' and hope it's safe for work (and at 58" it had better be)

 

[Apollonius]

Agree. 23 or 23 and a half.
24 might be OK, but the extra length of the steerer tube makes it look a bit over-sized. 22 and a Half might be OK, but probably a bit cramped.

 

[joshuabalmer]

Haha @KneesUp I thought the same. It was a swish website that told me to measure these, then failed to actually give me a size?! 23" seems a go'er then. Cheers guys

 

[raleighnut]

You'll be ok with a 23- 23-1/2 frame but don't rule out the bigger ones, I just have standover clearance on a 25" frame and my height/inner leg is the same as yours but that bike is a 531c Worksop built Raleigh. Bigger frames tend to be less expensive because average (31-32 inside leg) people can't get on em

 

[Sharky]

My rule of thumb - height in inches divided by 3, so this would give a 24" frame.
Keith

 

[biggs682]

another vote for 23 - 24" size here

 

[compo]

Another vintage rule of thumb inside leg less 10 inches, which would equate to a 24" frame for the OP.

It doesn't always work though. I am a 29" inside leg but a 19" frame is way too small for me. @Sharky seems to have a rule of thumb nearer for me.