Morgan
>Or maybe they'd have put me on a 68cm (exaggerating for humor's sake) back
>then, with a finger of seatpost showing.
>
At 6' 2", they would have put you on something bigger than a 60 back then, so much is sure! The 59 top tube sounds right, but they might have put you on a 65 seat tube. The position basically would be the same, and some argue taller frames ride better and absorb shock better...
Is it true that British riders preferred small frames after the war? I have heard that somewhere. I know the French didn't. Looking over racers' bikes in old photos, most rode frames many would consider too big today.
The fact is that in the 1940s and 1950s, there were few Italians and French taller than 6'. Even today, there aren't that many. So finding a classic bike with a classic fit for you is not an easy task.
--
Jan Heine, Seattle
Editor/Publisher
Vintage Bicycle Quarterly
c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles
140 Lakeside Ave, Ste. C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.mindspring.com/