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So I just looked at a Recykabike old bike - an old Holdsworth from the few stickers remaining, road tourer with full mudguards, front and rear racks, bar end shifters, 6sp, Brookes saddle etc.
It doesn't have a frame size, and felt a bit short...Is this normal on a road bike?
I think I need to go with my feeling on this one and pass up a great old bike..
If it feels wrong it probably is. Advertised frame sizes are just a starter anyway. If it's for touring I wouldn't expect to be as stretched out as something racier.
It's for a 5 mile commute. Just never been on a road bike before.
If you've never been on a road bike (and i presume you're not wanting to go to a shop, or waste a shop's time with a fitting) then get it. Ride it a while, figure out how it would be more comfortbale. Change bits, change the frame, keep going until you're comfy.
Simple.
Not a bad idea.
Should have a top tube equal to the seat tube for traditional geometry, so it is easy to measure. How tall are you? Old road bikes came in a LOT of sizes, like shoes, and stems were much more of a pain to change. A medium is about 55.5-56.5cm and it will probably be 72 degree parallel.
If it is just for a short commute then it really won't matter.
6' with longish 34" inside leg.
Just measure the seat tube centre to centre. You will need a 57-58 (23"), so if it's an average size, I suspect it was too small.
When bikes fit, you know it. Ride a bike too small (which I did years ago before I knew better) and when you get one that does, the difference is night and day.
An old rule of thumb for general riding was: put your elbow on the nose of the saddle. Your outstreatched fingers should just be touching the straights of the bars where the pass through the stem clamp.
(I think I've remembered that right)