Help! What can I do with a bike that's too tall? - The Chainlink2024-03-29T14:35:58Zhttps://thechainlink.org/forum/topics/help-what-can-i-do-with-a?feed=yes&xn_auth=noIm finally riding my bike. On…tag:thechainlink.org,2016-11-06:2211490:Comment:10262042016-11-06T21:18:59.192ZMarsha Gordonhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/MarshaGordon
<p>Im finally riding my bike. Only down side cant go far due to fitness haha. I just had to force myself to start peddling and off I went. Few false starts and need to learn the gear change uphill. But Im all good. The videos helped alot. </p>
<p>Im finally riding my bike. Only down side cant go far due to fitness haha. I just had to force myself to start peddling and off I went. Few false starts and need to learn the gear change uphill. But Im all good. The videos helped alot. </p> Thank you Tom this is very he…tag:thechainlink.org,2016-09-29:2211490:Comment:10182112016-09-29T01:03:30.352ZMarsha Gordonhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/MarshaGordon
<p>Thank you Tom this is very helpful to me. Riding tips is everything I wanted to know about. Funny how things change when your older. When your young you just go haha. Funny.</p>
<p>Thank you Tom this is very helpful to me. Riding tips is everything I wanted to know about. Funny how things change when your older. When your young you just go haha. Funny.</p> This is so awesome Lisa. I a…tag:thechainlink.org,2016-09-29:2211490:Comment:10183182016-09-29T00:55:47.389ZMarsha Gordonhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/MarshaGordon
<p>This is so awesome Lisa. I am in my forties. How encouraging. I am doing biking for fitness. I am 5'2". I also have arthritis and an old knee injury so I need to be a bit careful. - But i have courage.</p>
<p>This is so awesome Lisa. I am in my forties. How encouraging. I am doing biking for fitness. I am 5'2". I also have arthritis and an old knee injury so I need to be a bit careful. - But i have courage.</p> Marsha, my bikes all fit me a…tag:thechainlink.org,2016-09-28:2211490:Comment:10183142016-09-28T23:54:44.628ZLisa Curciohttps://thechainlink.org/profile/LisaCurcio
<p>Marsha, my bikes all fit me and I cannot touch the ground while sitting on the saddle no matter what. (I am 4'11"). All of my bikes have Brooks saddles. You are right that you just need to get comfortable riding again. </p>
<p>I started riding again at the tender age of 56. It took a while and a lot of practice, but now I NEVER come to a stop without getting off the saddle and putting a foot down.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Marsha, my bikes all fit me and I cannot touch the ground while sitting on the saddle no matter what. (I am 4'11"). All of my bikes have Brooks saddles. You are right that you just need to get comfortable riding again. </p>
<p>I started riding again at the tender age of 56. It took a while and a lot of practice, but now I NEVER come to a stop without getting off the saddle and putting a foot down.</p>
<p></p> http://www.bikeleague.org/con…tag:thechainlink.org,2016-09-28:2211490:Comment:10181222016-09-28T23:11:56.997ZTom A.K.https://thechainlink.org/profile/TomKrystyn
<a href="http://www.bikeleague.org/content/fitting-and-adjusting-your-bike" target="_blank">http://www.bikeleague.org/content/fitting-and-adjusting-your-bike</a><br />
<br />
Marsha, this video might be helpful to you.
<a href="http://www.bikeleague.org/content/fitting-and-adjusting-your-bike" target="_blank">http://www.bikeleague.org/content/fitting-and-adjusting-your-bike</a><br />
<br />
Marsha, this video might be helpful to you. I am going to buy a smaller s…tag:thechainlink.org,2016-09-28:2211490:Comment:10183782016-09-28T21:13:50.750ZMarsha Gordonhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/MarshaGordon
<p>I am going to buy a smaller seat,rather than use the long nose type, so I can at least jump off comfortably when I stop. The frame is ok I just need to get use to riding again, been years. It is the seat that makes me uneasy. </p>
<p>I am going to buy a smaller seat,rather than use the long nose type, so I can at least jump off comfortably when I stop. The frame is ok I just need to get use to riding again, been years. It is the seat that makes me uneasy. </p> Although standard bikes dont…tag:thechainlink.org,2016-09-28:2211490:Comment:10180822016-09-28T13:31:43.325Zdjmhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/djm
<p>Although standard bikes dont allow you to put a foot down when properly fitted, many <a href="http://www.electrabike.com" target="_blank">Electra</a> bikes use a semi-recumbent geometry ("<a href="http://www.electrabike.com/way-to-roll/flat-foot-technology" target="_blank">Flat foot technology</a>") that allows you to do this.</p>
<p>Although standard bikes dont allow you to put a foot down when properly fitted, many <a href="http://www.electrabike.com" target="_blank">Electra</a> bikes use a semi-recumbent geometry ("<a href="http://www.electrabike.com/way-to-roll/flat-foot-technology" target="_blank">Flat foot technology</a>") that allows you to do this.</p> I have the same problem, my l…tag:thechainlink.org,2016-09-28:2211490:Comment:10179492016-09-28T00:31:54.804ZMarsha Gordonhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/MarshaGordon
<p>I have the same problem, my legs are too short. The bike itself feels good. I feel too high and hard to balance knowing I cant really stop in a hurry. I have to jump off and I think the seat is too long at the front also. Even if I could just tippy toe I would feel safer. I used to be able to jump on bikes and go. </p>
<p>I have the same problem, my legs are too short. The bike itself feels good. I feel too high and hard to balance knowing I cant really stop in a hurry. I have to jump off and I think the seat is too long at the front also. Even if I could just tippy toe I would feel safer. I used to be able to jump on bikes and go. </p> Honestly the best long term s…tag:thechainlink.org,2010-12-28:2211490:Comment:2725122010-12-28T22:27:51.204ZLizhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/Liz657
<p>Honestly the best long term solution is just to convince her that getting off her rear end at stop lights is just how cycling works. Is she willing to read any begineer cyclist articles?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html">http://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html</a></p>
<strong>"Do not try to sit on the saddle while the bike is stopped, this is not usually possible if your</strong> <a href="http://sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html#adjustment"><strong>saddle is properly…</strong></a>
<p>Honestly the best long term solution is just to convince her that getting off her rear end at stop lights is just how cycling works. Is she willing to read any begineer cyclist articles?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html">http://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html</a></p>
<strong>"Do not try to sit on the saddle while the bike is stopped, this is not usually possible if your</strong> <a href="http://sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html#adjustment"><strong>saddle is properly adjusted."</strong></a><br />
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html#adjustment">http://sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html#adjustment</a></p>
<p>"</p>
<p>A common reason for keeping the saddle set too low is that most bicyclists have never learned the proper technique for <a href="http://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html">mounting and dismounting</a>, so they find it convenient to be able to put a foot down to steady the bicycle while they are stopped. With older bicycles, it was sometimes possible to put a toe down at a stop with the saddle properly adjusted, especially for riders with large feet. Due to the higher <a href="http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_bo-z.html#bottom">bottom brackets</a> common on newer bicycles, especially mountain bikes, it is no longer possible to do this. If you ride a mountain bike, and are able to balance it while stopped and seated, it is a sure sign that your saddle is too low. This is also true of most hybrids.</p>
<p>Having the saddle too low makes it harder to carry much of your weight on your legs, so you will sit with more weight on the saddle. This, in itself, is likely to increase saddle discomfort."</p>
<p><br/><cite>Becca said:</cite></p>
<blockquote><div><p>Thanks for the help everyone! I've definitely got some ideas now for how to make the bike work for her. (The biggest one being that it really does fit even though her feet don't touch the ground!)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Here are the answers to some of the questions you guys asked:</p>
<p>@S 19: The saddle doesn't need to be significantly lower. I would say even 1/2 an inch would do a lot to make my girlfriend more comfortable on the bike. I think I'm going to hunt around for a lower profile seat. Those springs do make the seat more comfy, but hopefully I can find something else that will be ok.</p>
<p>@dan brown: I didn't think of getting smaller wheels. But it would be kind of an investment considering the bike is a 3 speed, so I'd have to get a new 3 speed shifting hub too. A bit cost-prohibitive for me.</p>
<p>@Ed: I'll take a closer look at the saddle construction tonight after work and see if there are any changes I can make there. If there's a clamp I can flip to get even a few centimeters, it would help a lot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thanks again everyone!</p>
</div>
</blockquote> Working Bikes Co-op at 2435 S…tag:thechainlink.org,2010-12-28:2211490:Comment:2724692010-12-28T20:25:04.850ZAce Mannhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/AceMann
Working Bikes Co-op at 2435 S. Western open Wed.12-7 Sat. 10-5 has tons of used seats of different sizes and lots of different sized seat clamps. Used seat are about $5-$10 bucks.You might want to stop by and search.
Working Bikes Co-op at 2435 S. Western open Wed.12-7 Sat. 10-5 has tons of used seats of different sizes and lots of different sized seat clamps. Used seat are about $5-$10 bucks.You might want to stop by and search.