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 about 10 years ago.
6 Comments
Cool custom work, I understand how you feel since im around 5' 6" as well, but I manage.
Posted over 10 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 over 10 years ago
... always wanted a marinoni steel frame but you can't get one of those in europe with reasonable pricing... lucky you...
Posted over 10 years ago
Funny, everyone on this side of the pond wants European bikes. Dosnoventa and such are blowing up.
Posted over 10 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 over 10 years ago
Cold-as-Steel says:
Very cool! We're lucky to have Marinoni here.
Posted about 4 years ago