Have some new parts on hand but need new frame - frame swap reasonable? or sell and purchase new bike?
Well, it depends…

Would you be happier cleaning a bunch of stuff out and getting a shiny new bike that reflects all you've learned? One that will "just work," or

Would it be a fun project to build up a bike from scratch? Would it feel good to know that you'd "built it yourself?" Do you have the time for the project? Is it ok with you to get stuck and make some mistakes – probably "wasting" some time and/or money?

If you decide to build, there are likely to be some unexpected "gotchas" along the way. So it is worth doing some reading and searching to see if others have run into similar problems. Sheldon Brown has a good piece on Upgrading Older Road Bicycles that may help you start thinking about the possible problems. Overtime the morass of bicycle standards has sorted itself out (a bit) so some of the problems that he mentions may not be issues. If you're looking at a frame you may find that the builder/seller publishes the key specs so that you can buy the correct parts. The specs will help you identify where the problems may lie. Some of the ones that come immediately to mind are:


Frame size and stem type, this decides if you can use your existing stem and the length of the stem you'll need.
Rear dropout spacing. This will decide how easy it is to use your old wheels.
Seat tube diameter (affects seatpost size and the front derailer clamp size).
Brake type and reach (distance from the mounting bolt to the rims, this is mostly an issue for caliper brakes).
Tire clearance.
The bottom bracket. It used to be that frame builders were tending towards 68 mm wide bottom brackets with British threads, but now there is a whole new generation of bottom bracket designs, so you may find that you'll either need to pick a frame to match your old one, or get a new one.


I tend to lean towards the build side, but that's partly because I can't afford the bike I really want…