1 foot long seat post

[Uncle Stretch]

Something I have noticed lately is some of these bikes have the seat about a mile up in the air. Now I'm in no way an expert on bike fitment , but if you have to have the seat that high ....You might have a bike frame that is too small. It could be that you are basketball player tall and there is nothing that will fit you. I have run into bikes at the swap meets that you would have to be in the 7' range to ride. With the seat all the way down I couldnt come close to touching the pedals. These old bikes can be stretched and will make a really comfortable ride for a taller person. This last schwinn I stretched is tall for me and the seat is all the way down. I'm 5'9'' ...not a midget , but you wont see me slam dunking anything. If your having a problem and having a hard time finding that 27'' seatpost ...email me and maybe I could whip you something up. :shock:

 

[thatismytruck]

Unfortunately, I am an offender. My Murray was not made for a 6'5" person. So I have a huge seat post and a goose neck that extends forward a lot. It's the price I pay to ride an old bike. It's also one of the reasons I sold you that Westfield that Steve is displaying so proudly now. I just don't fit on it. and could not bring myself to customize that beautiful bike. The bike I'm working on now has a frame very similar to the one you just stretched. It fits me ok, but the seat post will be pretty high on that when I'm done too.

So for me, it's out of necessity and because I don't weld and you live too far away.

 

[Bigcam59]

The problem is that most cheaper cruisers are only made in one frame size, Approx. 18". This is to fit the most people without making multiple sizes, as an 18" frame will fit an average height of between 5"6 and 5"11. At 6'1 I miss the boat without a long seat post.

 

[user 135]

How about some laybacks to fit Schwinns? Laybacks really help with fit on the old bikes.

 

[thatismytruck]

I have a plan to lay back the seat post on my old Murray. I just haven't gotten to it. It will still sit up pretty high though.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Really the stretch I did on the Schwinn is a really simple deal. I could have made it even simpler. It would solve alot of the big guy problems and make for a really comfortable ride. Those large roadbike frames are everywhere and cheap. I didnt want to mess up your Colombia either and that is why when Steve wanted to trade me for the elgin I jumped on it. I knew in my heart I would paint it , and that would have been wrong.

 

[WhiteShadow]

i'm another tall one, so i just try to keep the handlebars high and the seat low and back

 

[user 135]

I have a plan to lay back the seat post on my old Murray. I just haven't gotten to it. It will still sit up pretty high though.

I didn't know I had a plan to lay my seat post back till last night. My brother and I ended up going about a mile on the Chunky Monkey- he stood up and pedaled while I sat on the seat. I guess the seat post didn't like the drop off the curb near the end of the ride.

 

[socal_jack]

Maybe go up and out, guy over on mtbr made what he calls a 52X29 `52 Schwinn 29er klunker(kinda want to build one myself), weld some Paragon silder dropouts on, conversion BB and some nice long cranks at least it won't look so odd as with 26 wheels. Some early Race Inc and PK BMX bikes had 13/16 layback seatposts but pretty hard to find and $$$.

 

[jimw1960]

Somebody could proably make some money producing layback seatposts to fit the older cruisers. I know I would buy about four of them right of the bat. I'm 6'3" and have trouble riding most of my vintage cruiser frames.

 

[deorman]

I'm 6'2", and I find that my old 18"Sting-Ray post, and the cheap Wald version I recently picked up work fine for me, when used w/an appropriate bar and clamp. I ride more on the bar and the pedals though, and my peak weight was 185lbs. Since the economic slowdown that started a couple of years ago, and went nuts this past year, I'm working harder and eating less, I'm down to 160! :shock: Funny, I don't FEEL 20 yrs younger. :roll: :lol:

 

[ish]

I agree with Stretch. You all need to buy Schwinn King Size Americans.

 

[8ball]

I'd like to mount a Brooks saddle on the seat post at the very front of the seat. socal_jack, I "modified" your bike (very nice ride, by the way) to show what I hope to do.

As stated in this thread, finding a 13/16" diameter lay-back seat post isn't easy. They sell an adapter (Wald 940) and was wondering if anyone here has tried that? If so, how does it look?

This builder chopped up a handlebar, but I want a cleaner look - closer to stock (w/o the bulk).

My guess is bending an old seat post by fire would yield a part too weak to sit on.

Help please.
Thanx, 8ball

 

[JamesG]

Check this one out. He must be eight feet tall.

 

[StephenH]

Note that on modern road bikes, the trend is to use a compact frame, which means a lower frame and longer seatpost. So if the offenders you're talking about are on road bikes, that's an intentional change in bike/seat geometry, not a bike that's too small.

 

[Ratfink1962]

Here's the one I made for my cruiser, its just a regular seatpost welded to part of a stem that came off a Raleigh girls bike...

Not hard to make, and is holding up just fine under my 270# of flab :lol:

 

[C.S.]

--but if you have to have the seat that high ....You might have a bike frame that is too small--

Those stand on 28" wheels.

 

[MERK]

Something I have noticed lately is some of these bikes have the seat about a mile up in the air. Now I'm in no way an expert on bike fitment , but if you have to have the seat that high ....You might have a bike frame that is too small. :

Yeah, this really depends on what type of bike you`re talking about, and what kind of riding.

 

[8ball]

Something I have noticed lately is some of these bikes have the seat about a mile up in the air. Now I'm in no way an expert on bike fitment , but if you have to have the seat that high ....You might have a bike frame that is too small. :

Yeah, this really depends on what type of bike you`re talking about, and what kind of riding.

For me personally, I'm doing it (trying to find a 13/16" dia lay-back post) for the look... not any sort of riding efficiency.