Nice find.

I still think a 59cm bike is too small for a 6'4" rider. Jusy my opinion. Not trying to stir things up, just reinforcing that you are sure it fits you right. Maybe other roadies here can prove me wrong. Maybe he is selling to get a bigger size?

http://www.bianchiusa.com/past/2001/sections/bikes/road/talladega/text_g.html

If you see a '85 911 nutmeg brown mettalic euro coupe with a Yak rack on top, it's me.

Nice choice. This bike should last forever.

MRM - while at the bike store, did you talk to them about the Bianchi? What 85eurocarrera says could be true. If you're 6-4, you might want to be measured before you commit to this bike. Just food for thought.

FWIW, I'm 6'1 1/2", recently bought 2 bikes and the shop owner, who has a thing about proper size and fitting rider to bike, put me on 62cm bikes.

Interesting to me, the proper size for a particular rider may vary from bike to bike, depending on several factors, one of which is that how frame size is measured is somewhat variable with different manufacturers.

The new Surly and the '83 Medici I bought are both 62cm, but to look at them next to one another, the casual observer would think they are two obviously two different sizes.

My bike shop stressed to me that proper fit by a knowledgeable person observing you on the bike is of paramount importance. He has a lot of bike traffic past his shop and often comments on riders passing by being on bikes that are too small for them.

That's a good idea. I was going to stop by County Cycle in Roseville with the boys this afternoon on the way to pick up the bike. They sell Bianchis, so I will check that out.

I did ride it, and the fit felt very good. The owner said that when he was getting fit the Bianchi was bigger than a similarly sized bike from other brands, but I will look into the sizing issue more closely. This guy isn't buying a new bike. This one has been collecting dust while he used it as an excuse to prance around in his jock clothes and he's just tired of the charade.

Be aware (I was warned) that what feels comfortable at first might feel terrible after a longer time on the bike.

When I was fit for mine, I was observed pedaling with my heels then pedaling with my toes after which my seat height was adjusted so I had the proper calf to hamstring angle on the downstroke (too great an angle = tiring, too little an angle = knee pain, as I understand it).

I was then observed pedaling with my hands down at the low position on the drop bars and asked whether where the bars pass through the stem was ahead, behind or in line with the front wheel hub when I looked down. When properly fit, the wheel hub should be in line.

Hope this helps.

My two 62cm bikes, superimposed:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1241544281.jpg

Edit: While not apparent in the image, I just measured and the distance from pedals in their lowest position to saddle top is the same on both bikes. 36 1/2" in my case. Apparently my bike shop guy has a real good eye because he didn't measure, just observed me on the bikes - on two different days, a month apart.

Dari - you have different bikes for vastly different uses. The Surly is more of a cruiser-recreational bike, and the Masi (? I can't remember if it's a Masi), is a race bike. Head tube height, handlebar drop and overall positioning will be much different. One you ride upright, the other you ride more "in" than on.

What I've found is any normal man, which usually is comprised of a longer torso and shorter legs (women are the opposite), can fit on three standard frame sizes. To optimize that fit, items like seat post height, stem length and crank length have to be modified.

Of course, there is the custom route - but the time commitment to researching out a builder is fairly intense. Then you have to wait - sometimes 6 mos. - for the frame. And they're very expensive. I've seen regular ol' steel-tubed bikes that were custom made go for $2,600. Really! One can buy a Dura-Ace-loaded Pinarello for that sort of coin. Some builders are cheaper, which is where a lot of research comes in.

Anyway to each their own on that subject.

Yes indeed! All you say is true; the 27 spd, 30 something lb Surly touring is my SUV bike, more upright riding position, strong and comfy for long rides carrying lots of stuff.

The 23 1/2 lb, 12 spd '82 Medici (made by two guys who split off from Masi back when they were in Carlsbad) is my sports bike, back more approaching horizontal riding position, lighter and MUCH livlier!

I like riding them both, but the Medici is really a blast! :D

My regular old non-custom steel frame with steel fork cost 3300. A custom steel frame for 2500 seems like a bargain .

In most cases, I don't think $2500 is a bargain when you can pick up a bike like this:

http://www.bikeman.com/store/graphic...KON-F09HAB.jpg

For under $2K. It has lwt. Dedacci steel and all Ultegra components. It's a pure modern-day steel race bike. Complete.

I think the frame is $900+, but the better deal is to buy the entire bicycle.

In short, unless you've got a strange body, or a wad of cash to blow, or putting down thousands and thousands of kilometers, custom is unnecessary for most riders.

Good news on the sizing issue. I brought it in to the LBS to get fitted with cleats and scheduled a fitting. The mechanic said the bike is big enough, but it needs some adjustment. For the time being he raised the seat far higher than I thought I needed. It was awkward at first, but soon felt better.

I was going to buy a new bike for my 14 year old, but then I took a second look at the bike I had been hiding in my garage - a mid 1980s Raleigh Technium 460 road bike. I Googled it and found out it has a bit of a cult following. It is the right size for junior, so I brought it in for an overhaul and made an appointment to fit it to junior. Total will be just under $200. Cheaper than the Trek 1600 I was thinking of. When he reaches full height I'll get him a new road bike.

The 12 year old is going to get a Trek 7.2. It's a nice, moderately priced bike and the LBS has a buyback program for when he outgrows it.

Here is the only bicycle brand worth owning......

They last forever, inflict enough pain to qualify as a Calvinist machine....I love mine, would have no other.

http://www.gazelle.nl/nl/producten/collectie/gold-line/gold-line-stadsfietsen/saphir.html

Very nice on the bicycle path here in NL....

Dennis