I'm 5'6 with shoes on, so most frames have one three problems for me (1) top tube and reach is slightly too long even with a short stem, (2) they just say 'fuck it' and give a short top tube that results in toe-overlap, no fun when riding fixed, (3) they make a frame with a stupidly steep seat tube that gives you bad positioning for pedaling and then a super slack head tube. Marinoni was able to do a full custom job with Columbus Zona Megatube including a carbon fork and headset for under a grand, so went down that road and gave them my own geometry specs for a 650c build. From the start, this bike was function before style, though I figured it couldn't look too bad with chromed stays and the "eclipse" paint color. The sloping top tube gives me the stack height I need while keeping the standover pretty low (around 29.5" / 748mm). Effective top tube: 508mm Seat tube: 460mm C-C or 490mm C-T STA: 74.5 HTA: 73.3 Head tube: 153mm Chainstays: 365mm Wheelbase: 910mm Trail: 62mm with the supplied 30mm rake track fork, but 57mm using the 35mm rake Litespeed fork pictured. So on the faster-handling side. No toe-over lap, no goofy geometry, feels great, and the tiny wheelbase seems able to cut very tight turns with pretty little input (smaller turning radius)
Frame:
Custom 650c Marinoni Pista
Fork/Headset:
Litespeed 650c / FSA Orbit X
Crankset/Bottom Bracket:
Sugino 75 / Phil Wood 110.5mm ISO
Pedals:
Wellgo V12 Copy
Drivetrain/Cog/Chainring/Chain:
Phil Wood 15T & 14T / 44RN 47T / Izumi V
Derailleurs/Shifters:
N/A
Saddle/Seatpost:
Selle San Marco Zoncolan / Uno carbon 25mm setback
Brakes:
N/A
Front Wheel/Hub/Tire:
Velocity A23 / DT Swiss 240 / Vittoria Rubino Pro
Rear Wheel/Hub/Tire:
Velocity A23 / Phil Wood Double-Sided High Flange Track / Vittoria Rubino Pro
Accessories:
N/A
Bike History
Click a link below to see past stages of this bike.
Added by skylarg. Last updated almost 9 years ago.
6 Comments
Cool custom work, I understand how you feel since im around 5' 6" as well, but I manage.
Posted about 9 years ago
I managed with a 51cm Soma Rush for two years pretty happily. I'm just leaving Montreal soon though and realized Marinoni (Montreal-based) is one of the least expensive custom builders anywhere and took the plunge. No regrets.
Posted about 9 years ago
... always wanted a marinoni steel frame but you can't get one of those in europe with reasonable pricing... lucky you...
Posted about 9 years ago
Funny, everyone on this side of the pond wants European bikes. Dosnoventa and such are blowing up.
Posted about 9 years ago
... always about the stuff you can't have, right..^^ ... no, really, i just like the steel pista with it's oversized tubing...
Posted about 9 years ago
Cold-as-Steel says:
Very cool! We're lucky to have Marinoni here.
Posted almost 3 years ago