small bike frame help & recommendations / (WTB)

[Patch T]

Hey Bunch,

I rebuilt a 19"/48cm 1987 Trek 330 Elance for my partner with 650b wheels and albatrosses. I thought it would fit but it's too big for her. In retrospect, I actually just wanted the frame to fit because I liked it so much, and thought I could make it work. It doesn't. She could use another inch of standover room. I don't think going down one size in a similar road/sport-touring frame would be enough -- not to mention hard to find.

I'm thinking of a mountain bike frame from the 90s for her instead, as shorter standover heights are more common, and I have a good 26" wheelset lying around with no use. Worried, however, about weight...

I'd love any recommendations of specific models, tubing, etc to look for as I hunt; or, if you have something that fits the bill. Just looking for a frame + fork (headsets, BBs and seatposts welcome but not necessary)

Here are her requirements:

• 26" (or 650b converted) 
• <74cm standover height (with 26x1.5-2.0 or 650x38-42b tires, give or take)
• not a mixte or step-through (her demand, not mine!)
• not too heavy, we live up a couple flights of stairs with no elevator - cannot be a tank!
• rim brake, no disc
• under $400 for frame+fork

Her Trek:

Size 19", has a 47.5cm ST and a 74cm SO (frame has a sloping top tube, so it varies) with 650 x 38b tires. 

It's a great frameset with 531 tubing - will be putting it up for sale once I get a replacement for her.

Let me know if I'm forgetting anything. Thanks for reading! 

Patch

BK/NY

[Dave S]

I might have something for you.  PM incoming.

Dave in NJ

[Alex Wirth- Owner, Yellow Haus Bicycles]

If Dave’s bike doesn’t work out I’d float the idea of a Woom 5. If I had a sub 5’ friend looking for a bike 24” wheels are really the size to go with if you want to avoid toe overlap and run fat-r tires. And it has a lot of Rivish accouterments

Good luck! I’ve been down your road before and it took a while to find “the right” something

Alex inn Rochester, NY

[Christopher Roeleveld]

I put together this Parkpre for my partner. Lovely frames with top weld quality. Tange Ultimate Superlight I think? My frame is just over 4lb.

On Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at 11:02:05 AM UTC-4, Patch T wrote:

[Will Ashe]

Bike Insights has a great search function where you can select from many criteria including geometry, tire size, standover, etc. I've searched with some of your criteria and linked the results below. I hope this is helpful to you.

https://bikeinsights.com/search?fit.standover_height.max=740&brake_type=rim&base_build.wheel_bsd=559,584&suspension_type=rigid_non_suspension_corrected&frame_material=steel

Will in Austin

[Patch T]

Thanks everyone! Technically still searching, lots of help on this thread and in email. I appreciate all the insights and recs!

Christopher, that's a beautiful build!

Patch

BK/NY

[Paul Brodek]

So this is kind of a different direction, and I'm not sure how the standover looks, but I was messing around with a Boston-/Terry-design small front wheel Marinoni and could get a 650bx38 in the rear and a 26" Kojak 35 (actual width 32mm on Cronometro wheel/rim) in the front. Decent clearance all-around. The small front wheel bikes are usually pretty cheap when they turn up on craigslist. Generally not as nice as my Marinoni, but probably still lighter frames than you'll see in your average production small-frame ATB or hybrid. Though there certainly were higher-end production small-frame ATB/Hybrids built.

Paul Brodek
Hillsdale, NJ USA