Help with find a correct sized bike

JAMES VTI S

HI

I know someone looking to get a bike, we went to a store and tested a bike that look a perfect fit but when she took it out for a cycle her leg was bending well past 90 degrees

No I dont know what to do even the owner of the shop was lost of ideas, she is five feet tall and the only conclusion was to get pedels that were closer to the sprockets.

I dont know how to explain the problem but a normal bike is too tall for her and a small bike her leg bend way too high ....

Any advise would be greatly appreciated

WillyFXP

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

HI

I know someone looking to get a bike, we went to a store and tested a bike that look a perfect fit but when she took it out for a cycle her leg was bending well past 90 degrees

No I dont know what to do even the owner of the shop was lost of ideas, she is five feet tall and the only conclusion was to get pedels that were closer to the sprockets.

I dont know how to explain the problem but a normal bike is too tall for her and a small bike her leg bend way too high ....

Any advise would be greatly appreciated

Is there any adjustment room left to raise the saddle?

JAMES VTI S

She is falling over then trying to get off LOL

It's a very weird scenario indeed

WillyFXP

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

She is falling over then trying to get off LOL

It's a very weird scenario indeed

With a bike seat at the correct height you shouldn't be able to touch the floor whilst sitting on the saddle, very simple way to set the saddle height is straight leg with heel on the pedal at its lowest point. Can she stand over the crossbar when not seated?

JAMES VTI S

I dont understand 'stand over'

WillyFXP

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

I dont understand 'stand over'

Can she stand over the bike when not sitting on the saddle, the bike between her legs.

JAMES VTI S

I can't remember, sorry.

the owner of the shop had no idea what to do except maybe short reach pedals.

WillyFXP

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

I can't remember, sorry.

the owner of the shop had no idea what to do except maybe short reach pedals.

Short reach pedals are like hobby horse sh1te, neither exist.

JAMES VTI S

The last option he offer was electric but thats missing the point ...

WillyFXP

Do what I said about saddle height, she has to get used to getting off the saddle when stopped.

JAMES VTI S

I just asked her there now what the problem was again.

She says when she was on the saddle she could only touch the groud with her toes but her knee was bending way past 90* and when I put the saddle up she couldn't touch the ground at all and was falling over when dismounting.

She thinks she was unable to stand over it either

Thanks for your help, WillyFXP

WillyFXP

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

I just asked her there now what the problem was again.

She says when she was on the saddle she could only touch the groud with her toes but her knee was bending way past 90* and when I put the saddle up she couldn't touch the ground at all and was falling over when dismounting.

She thinks she was unable to stand over it either

Thanks for your help, WillyFXP

By stand over the bike I mean can she stand between the seat and handlebars with the bike between her legs? If she cant, then the bike is too big. She needs to be able to stand over the bike when stopped, as the saddle will be too high for her to put her feet down when seated. Do you have a photo of the bike?

JAMES VTI S

The bike had a womens bar type setup. I'v no pictures :-/

if i get he dimensions

WillyFXP

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

The bike had a womens bar type setup. I'v no pictures :-/

if i get he dimensions

Does the bike have a bar going across between the seat and handlebars, or does it slope away from the handlebars towards the pedals?

endacl

Sounds like she needs a better bike shop...

WillyFXP

endacl wrote: »

Sounds like she needs a better bike shop...

fyp

JAMES VTI S

WillyFXP wrote: »

Does the bike have a bar going across between the seat and handlebars, or does it slope away from the handlebars towards the pedals?

Yes it slope away from the handlebars towards the pedals

WillyFXP

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

Yes it slope away from the handlebars towards the pedals

She can stand over it then. As I said, raise the saddle.

JAMES VTI S

But then she cant dismount properly ?

WillyFXP

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

But then she cant dismount properly ?

She can stand between the saddle and bars, then just step out. If she's not confident doing that she just needs to practice. Thats about all the advice I can give, apart from don't buy a bike from a shop that sells lawnmowers.

JAMES VTI S

I think that's enough WillyFXP, thanks a lot for you help :-)

af_thefragile

I'm a fairly short guy and my knee bends around (or slightly more than) 90deg at the top of the pedal stoke too. It doesn't bother me too much though, well not yet at least... Maybe you could try pedals with shorter crank arms...

JAMES VTI S

That was the option the owner offered alright but they would be very short

af_thefragile

Well 172.5 is like the standard size and 170mm is the smaller size which I doubt how much of a difference 5mm could make. The more expensive cranks go down to 165mm which should be a bigger difference. I think you can get smaller cranks than that but they're not very common.

bedirect

multiply inside leg measurement by .883, the measurement you get should be the distance from the centre of the crank to the top of the saddle. I saw this in cycling weekly last year, otherwise go for a bike fit as this is just a general guideline

Lumen

I don't really understand this.

Emma Pooley is 5ft2 and this is what she looks like on a bike:



Are you saying that this woman's knee is so high on the upstroke that the thigh slopes UP from the saddle?

JAMES VTI S

It was a very short spin but ya the knee is coming passed 90 degrees and is not a usable position.

That womens bike is made for her but we're looking to buy a bike of the floor of a shop you know.

WillyFXP

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

It was a very short spin but ya the knee is coming passed 90 degrees and is not a usable position.

That womens bike is made for her but we're looking to buy a bike of the floor of a shop you know.

It's not made for her, it's a standard off the peg bike, albeit a very high spec one, the difference being is she has the seat at the proper height, you don't, simples.

af_thefragile

Most small sized bikes like size 49-50 come with smaller cranks too like they're either 165 or 170mm as opposed to 172.5mm on larger bikes...

JAMES VTI S

I'll have another look with her and with this information maybe we can get something

Oryx

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

I'll have another look with her and with this information maybe we can get something

And remember that she doesnt have to be able to touch the ground while sitting in the saddle. She might be nervous about that but its just something she needs to get used to. The top of my saddle is about level with the top of my hip when I stand beside the bike.