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Modern 26" steel?

Old 04-19-19, 11:52 AM
  #1  
Korina
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Modern 26" steel?

I just finished having a '92 Rockhopper rebuilt, and at 5' 4" I finally feel comfortable on a bike. Three years ago I bought a '16 Liv Rove with 700c wheels, because that's what you do. The bike fits, but the oversized wheels just never felt quite right. Now I've tasted a properly proportioned bike, and I want more. Does anyone make a modern steel bike with 26" wheels?
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Old 04-19-19, 12:01 PM
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CoMotion, in Eugene , Rodriguez in Seattle .. Georgina Terry (Waterford built frames)

Also in Eugene is bike friday building around 20" wheels and many frame lengths ,
their fit can be dialed in and zero toe - front wheel overlap ..
and with a component menu of your selection ..
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Old 04-19-19, 12:12 PM
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This looks appealing. https://surlybikes.com/bikes/troll

Another forum member has one as seen here. https://www.bikeforums.net/20874414-post2281.html
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Old 04-19-19, 12:13 PM
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Something like Soma, Surly, or All-City would be a good place to start.

I know that the All-City 'SpaceHorse' is a disk-brake steel frame road bike, offered in a 650 wheel size on the smaller frame sizes for just the reasons you're looking for.

These are semi-boutique brands, you can choose off-the -rack, or build to suit.
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Old 04-19-19, 12:24 PM
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Jamis makes the Dragonslayer in a 26+ still if you want a suspension fork. https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/dragonslayer.html

Starting a tread and not including a photo of your bike...
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Old 04-19-19, 03:03 PM
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@katsup, she's still in progress, but I can certainly post a pic of Pretty Purple Princess Penelope from when I first got her.

ETA: She now has a newer, much shorter stem and north road bars, Rustine grips, new wheels, cassette, rear derailleur, shifters, I believe a couple of chainrings, new saddle (may or may not stay), iSSi Thump pedals, gorgeous Tektro Oryx canti brakes, new cables and (pink) cable housing, cushy brown Rubena tires, and a big, loud, beautiful Velo-Orange bell. I can get more specific if anyone wants.


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Old 04-19-19, 03:41 PM
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27.5" is almost the same as 26".
Manufacturers should be able to accommodate smaller people with that.

Some model lines do exactly that where frames of Above M use 29" and frames smaller use 27.5"
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Old 04-19-19, 04:32 PM
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Co-Motion makes a 650 b model for smaller people. https://co-motion.com/bikes/ochoco
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Old 04-19-19, 05:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Korina
I just finished having a '92 Rockhopper rebuilt, and at 5' 4" I finally feel comfortable on a bike. Three years ago I bought a '16 Liv Rove with 700c wheels, because that's what you do. The bike fits, but the oversized wheels just never felt quite right. Now I've tasted a properly proportioned bike, and I want more. Does anyone make a modern steel bike with 26" wheels?
Hmm. Velo Orange's Polyvalent too - you choose 650b or 26. And Rivendell proportions wheels to bike size, the smaller get 26 or 650b and the larger 700c.

I had Soma Buena Vista with 650b, and that was great!
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Old 04-19-19, 05:36 PM
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Originally Posted by FiftySix
This looks appealing. https://surlybikes.com/bikes/troll

Another forum member has one as seen here. https://www.bikeforums.net/20874414-post2281.html
Omigosh, I think that Troll is the bike I've been looking for. Many thanks. Now I just have to figure out how to afford it.
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Old 04-19-19, 11:43 PM
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Originally Posted by jade408
Hmm. Velo Orange's Polyvalent too - you choose 650b or 26. And Rivendell proportions wheels to bike size, the smaller get 26 or 650b and the larger 700c.

I had Soma Buena Vista with 650b, and that was great!
Oooh!

Oh. The smallest Polyvalent is 51 cm, much too tall.
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Old 04-20-19, 12:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Korina
Oooh!

Oh. The smallest Polyvalent is 51 cm, much too tall.
Darn!!!! The lavender is so nice. I saw one in a shop the other day!

My ideal size is about 52 (short torso!) generally, so I definitely have more options. It is so lame brands do not often make smaller than 50.
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Old 04-20-19, 12:02 AM
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Oh one more moden choice: https://www.marinbikes.com/bikes/201...oad-nicasio-rc

The reach was really short on this bike.

Last edited by jade408; 04-20-19 at 12:09 AM.
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Old 04-20-19, 12:27 AM
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Originally Posted by jade408
Oh one more moden choice: https://www.marinbikes.com/bikes/201...oad-nicasio-rc

The reach was really short on this bike.
Nice. Very nice. Not sure it has enough gears; Humboldt Bay is a thin strip of flat surrounded by crazy steep hills. I <3 my granny gear.
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Old 04-20-19, 12:42 AM
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Oooh, and check out the New Albion Drake. Yummy.
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Old 04-20-19, 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Korina
Nice. Very nice. Not sure it has enough gears; Humboldt Bay is a thin strip of flat surrounded by crazy steep hills. I <3 my granny gear.
They also have a drop bar version with derailleur gears/not spec-ed with fenders. Same frame though! Check out the whole line.
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Old 04-20-19, 10:38 AM
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Custom Rodriguez travel bikes with 26” wheels.

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Old 04-20-19, 10:47 AM
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I ride a 23" Hardrock with 26" wheels, and my vertically challenged GF has a 17" Trek with 700C wheels. When the 2 bikes are parked by each other the size differences are noticeable, and the bigger wheels combined with my big feet make it harder for me to ride her bike than the smaller frame.
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