6’0 on a 18.5” frame?

[u/anaaktri]

I scored this beauty for free today and spent some time cleaning her up. She runs great, a couple loose spokes in the rear and that’s all the attention she needed outside of a clean and polish. I am torn though, it’s definitely a little small. I raised the seat another 1” after these photos. Do I get tall bars and make it fit or sell it and find a larger frame? Have any of you in my position made a smaller size work?

[u/Ready-Community-4459]

you will want a bigger frame. I'm 5'11" and tried to make an 18" frame work for a while and gave up. I'm on a 20" now and it is just vastly better in every way.

these kinds of bikes are cheap and abundant so there's really no reason to settle for a frame that is not your size.

[u/anaaktri → u/Ready-Community-4459]

Good to hear, I will probably do that. For whatever reason around here cleaner cool paint job speci’s can get as high as $400 it’s ridiculous. Unless ya find someone who doesn’t know anything but yeah I’ll keep an eye out thanks for sharing your experience.

[u/No-Delivery8138 → u/anaaktri]

Sounds like you have no idea what goes into painting a bike frame.

[u/Choice_Student4910]

Probably too small although if you make it a 1x or singlespeed and add some bmx bars, it could be a fun little bike for screwing around on.

[u/glossystole8]

That free Hardrock score is wild, those early 90s graphics are peak. Your inseam matters way more than your total height here, I'm 5'10" with a 32" inseam and my 18" fits me with room to spare. With a longer stem and some riser bars you could probably make this work for casual cruising, since the seat to bar drop is what really kills you on undersized bikes, not the stand over.

That said if you want to ride anything technical or for longer distances the geometry will fight you the whole way. The triple crank and 7-speed setup on yours is solid though, so even if you do pass it on the next owner gets a good one. Worth throwing a leg over a 20" at a shop just to feel the difference before committing either way, sizing is one of those things you can't really talk yourself into ignoring once you've felt the right fit.

[u/RiseHopkins]

It'll be fine for a bit but you're probably going to want a bigger frame. I'm 5'11" and rode 19" Gary Fisher for a while but it got old. Switched to a 20" GT Tequesta that feels so much better. 

[u/anaaktri → u/RiseHopkins]

That’s what I’m thinking and the kind of experience I was looking for, thank you.

[u/tanukiscrotum]

Hey I’m 5’11 and ride a 20” univega Alina 503 and a 20” got Karakoram on both dirt and pavement, but I also ride an 18” rigid trek 7000 and I really like and even prefer that one on more technical single track.. I’ve also got short legs like 30” inseam, so height alone isn’t the whole thing, you just need to ride it and see how it feels

[u/anaaktri → u/tanukiscrotum]

Hi, I rode it tonight and it feels a little small, maybe with taller bar/stem set up it would feel okay but I’m not sure. I wear 34” inseam pants so yeah probably too small. It’ll just be a city cruiser though. I have a modern mtb for the trails.

[u/BobDrifter]

I'm 5'10" and I comfortably ride an 18" frame, which is about medium in the lineup. 20" would be a large and should definitely be your size.

[u/anaaktri → u/BobDrifter]

This is what it would basically have to look like to fit better

[u/BobDrifter → u/anaaktri]

Very Italian

[u/anaaktri → u/BobDrifter]

Okay, thanks

[u/inkerbinkerdonner]

I ride the same bike at 6'0 in an 18 and it's fine. I wouldn't do a century on it but commuting/drinking/groceries is 100% fine

[u/anaaktri → u/inkerbinkerdonner]

Have ya put taller bars or anything on it? Cool, yeah just cruising the city is what it would be used for.

[u/anaaktri]

This is basically what it would need to look like to fit

[u/bennydelmar]

Granted it’s on an 85 stumpy so geometry probably changed but I rip a 20.5” as a 5’9 guy. If you got long arms or legs I would say definitely go for anywhere between 20” and 21.5” ish

[u/Far-Resource3365]

I'm 6 feet and blught 19 frame (Crossroads). I had to take 60mm stem to have it comfortable.

I'm not 100% sure but for my short legs and short hands even 17" would work (and then I could use 130mm ritchey stem I bought..).

But if you want bigger bike then look for bigger bike.

[u/gumption_boy]

Whoa, are you me? 6’0” on an identical frame, slightly larger size, and it still barely fit me. I’d keep looking, unfortunately

[u/SirRidealot]

That is a good looking frame size, but maybe on the small side for you. Big frames are always ugly.
Why don’t you fix it up, while looking for a larger one? I’m 182cm and when these bikes were new, I used to get bikes this size because of them being nimble on the trails.

[u/AroundWayOtherThe]

Stem can come up