Old frame fit.

[Chicken Little]

I recently rebuilt a nice little Panasonic 12 speed, steel frame, good shape, 52 cm effective top tube, built around 1988. I have spent all my life on road bike, and I'm having some trouble getting this thing adjusted. It's a more upright, mixte frame, without the true double top tube.

It should fit, but I'm having trouble getting the no-setback seatpost to allow me to position myself far enough back to allow a plumb line to run from my knee to the pedal axle. Is this a valid measurement for this type of bike? 700 wheels, 80 mm quill, etc. Stock seat has standard rails. Nothing special. Were women built differently in 1988?

[spatch]

I have a purple CrMo steel Panasonic mixte that says "city bike" on the top tube, and has the weirdest 15 speed setup I've ever seen and I have the same issue. I put a Brooks B17 saddle on there and wish I could push it back further, but it has short rails. When I had my Terry Butterfly on it it fit well, but the Brooks doesn't work on any of my road bikes and I wanted to use it on this one. Let me know what solution you come up with. I'm going to tilt the nose on the Brooks way up and hope that that helps.

[Chicken Little]

Hmmm, I'm thinking this $40 dollar bike needs a $125 carbon seat post with a setback!

[indysteel]

Hmmm, I'm thinking this $40 dollar bike needs a $125 carbon seat post with a setback!

There are aluminum setback seatposts out there. Salsa makes a couple of inexpensive ones with a very easy-to-adjust seat clamp.

[Chicken Little]

I might give it a try. I rode it to work today, and I am truly "taking it in the shorts!"