KC8QVO

I am not sure if this is the right forum, but I am trying to find bike options for a shorter rider with an inseam of about 67cm.

It looks like the "road" frame size range is 43-46cm and "mountain" is 13-15 inches.

The type of surfaces/purposes the bike would be used with are rail trails, MUP's, and some road, more day trip rides and not "exercise" or "training". So the ability to put at least a rear rack on the bike would be important and multi-position handlebars would be great (as opposed to straight bars). Current bike has drops but the drop positions arent used hardly at all.

Is there a lesser expensive hybrid type bike that would be good to look for? As to price range - under $1000, but we'd rather it have "good" components - not high-end and well above cheap big-box-store imports. Im not sure where that lands in pricing, but hopefully not too expensive?

Bikes in our part of the country are hard to come by/dont exist in the size/price range we're after so it looks like ordering online is what we're up against = cant test ride first.

Folding bikes are an option - Dahon, Tern. The Bike Friday's, Bromptons, and the like are too expensive. For the question in the thread, though, conventional 24-26" wheel bikes are what we're after.

Are there bikes to steer away from?

Thoughts?

fietsbob

Nope , not as cheap as you wish for..

look for used bikes , big wheels on bikes for small people end up wit toe -front wheel overlap issues.

Iride01 

How long at a time and how often per week do you see yourself riding? Are you wanting it for leisurely rides or do you think you'll want to attack some hills and straight-a-ways to see how fast you can be?

AnthonyG

I'm reasonable close to your size and for road bikes I ride a custom built 650c wheel bike.

Inexpensive and off the shelf? You are most definitely looking at juvenile bikes with 24" wheels. You will likely need to modify/accessorise these bikes to be just what you want yet this is the right starting point for you.

I also ride a Giant ARX 24 and I like it a lot. Highly recommended from me yet I have added a longer seatpost, different saddle, added a stem extension and added butterfly bars. I've modified it a bit actually but at it's heart its the right size with the right geometry. Giant have a few other choices as well and there are other manufacturers 24" wheeled bikes to look at as well.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bi...years-24-inch-

What I particularly liked about the Giant ARX24 is its short cranks, relaxed seat tube angle and short reach and wheelbase.

KC8QVO

First off, the bike is for someone else - not me.

As to riding - the longest ride we've tackled together is 30 miles, but I am hoping with the right set up and exercise that can double.

Speed-wise - leisurely rides under 15mph, unless coasting down hill. Most of the time right now we're no more than 10mph on flat ground, but again - with exercise and the right set up that hopefully will be different.

Surfaces would be nearly all paved, but I don't want that to be interpreted as tiny rubber band tire territory - a wider tire is a good thing, no less than 45mm or 1.75" or so. If the bike comes stock with a smaller one the option of upgrading (tire clearance on the frame and the rim width able to accommodate a wider tire) would be important.

Iride01 

For slow leisurely rides on paved surfaces, I'd take a look at one of these that some other member posted recently.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...ownie/c/EB300/
or
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...bikes/c/EB600/

A few years ago, it was hard to find cruiser style frames with multiple gears. But now Trek seems to be making a lot of versions. Haven't noticed others doing that, but haven't looked specifically yet.

To me, it seems a cruiser offers better upright seating comfort and with the swept back bars a better hand/wrist position. But I'll admit, I'm a little biased toward the hybrid bikes. I've never understood them because they are a compromise of everything and not for the good IMO. So cruisers with multi-speeds stand out to me as being what the people that look at hybrids say they want.

The only thing you mention is that you currently both do 30 mile rides. That might be the max range I'd consider for these bikes. But since I haven't tried one specifically I can't say. But I can't imagine going more than that on a hybrid either.

They are fairly inexpensive. And that is another appeal of mine. I can see buying one to get into riding and then when the time comes, I could get another bike to suit my new abilities and ride desires better.

To be more clear, I'm a road bike person from pre teens days. I've never owned a hybrid. I am thinking that a cruiser like these Trek's, might be the thing for my wife as they have everything she describes she wants. I'll probably have to get one too to put me in a relaxed mood for cycling, as getting on a road bike, I just want to go go go!

KC8QVO

The Townie looks fairly promising, 24", just looking at the complete bike. If I am looking at it right it looks like a rack on the back and front/rear fenders are easy to attach. There are mounting holes on both the front and back of the front dropouts if I look close.

The downside is the gearing. With the "upright" position the crank is way forward of the seat post. So that makes mounting a front derailleur how a normal derailleur would mount out of the question an I gather that is why they don't have front derailleurs, just rear cassettes. I would imagine it would be possible to fabricate a mount for a front derailleur, though.

I don't see those bikes offered as a frame/fork kit, and all the order information says is to contact a bike shop for ordering. So I'd be curious what options a bike shop may be able to do (probably not much, but ya never know) with swapping parts around.

I could not find any geometry specs on the frame, only the wheel size. So all I am going off of is the wheel size, which I would imagine would be in the realm of working OK, but we would like to get some numbers to see and compare first. Might make a few phone calls around town and see.

63rickert

Going to keep the bike recommendation completely mainstream and right in the same ballpark. Take a look at the Trek Loft Stepthrough, 44cm size. It is from the Electra stable, the feet forward feature is far more moderate.

There are a lot of good reasons to use full size normal tires. Starting with you can get them. The Townie 24 is an ISO 507, which is going to be order only, never in stock anywhere. Choices will not exist, you will take what you can get. Small wheels go into holes and don’t come out again. With full size wheels the difference in rolling resistance between 559, 584, 571, 622 is really not much. Go plain small and the rolling resistance is obvious.

Psychologically riding small wheels feels like riding a child’s bike. Lots of shorter riders don’t want that feeling.

OP is asking for wide tires for comfort. Yes, that helps. Tire quality matters just as much. As does correct inflation pressure. Generally OEM tires are not much, good tires are not standard until at nosebleed prices. Put some Schwalbe G-Ones on the Loft and it will be riding on clouds.

For a very small rider on the Loft (or the Townie) you may want to fit a flat and short stem rather than the OEM riser stem. Fortunately we are on normal old fashioned stems here and this is easy. The flat stem will also make the bike look classic and hot.

For very short legs shorter cranks. All these bikes have full size cranks. Means short legs are forced to perform extreme flexion at hips, knees, ankles. On the Townie with the forward cranks this would be real difficult. Inexpensive Origin8 150mm cranks should be a simple straight swap. I have now put two short riders and two medium height riders with very short legs on the shorter cranks, none would ever go back, all ride their bikes a lot more than ever before.

If your riding companion is already doing 30 mile rides they are ready for a good bike. The better the bike the more you will ride together. Loft is a decent place to start. I am really surprised I was able to find something so good so quickly. If you ever want something with a toptube afraid those who said custom only are probably correct.



I would still be happier with the Loft for a short rider if it had 559 (26” MTB) but nothing is perfect.

tangerineowl

https://kidsracing.co.uk/blogs/faqs/...des-kids-bikes

HUP Evo cycloross frameset builds. 1x only though. Somewhere on the site it mentions tyre clearance on that frame, which I think is 700x38 or 650b x 42.
700c or 650b build choices. You'd have to contact them for exact frame 'reach' numbers, to see how suitable a flatbar build option would be for the riders' fit.
(You can specify stem length, crank arm length, and other things, to best suit the rider).

Purchasing as a frame kit is cheaper than them building it up.

Marylander

I got a Jamis Renegade A1 for my daughter. It's 650b with lots of room for fat tires, has rack mounts, drop bar, claris components. Size 44cm. She likes it.

mack_turtle

first, how tall is the rider? bikes are not sized by their standover height. it's certainly nice to have standover clearance, but that's not how the correct frame size is determined.
second, when we talk about standover height, we need ACTUAL inseam, or pubic bone height. I am not sure what 67cm represents, but if that's a pants size measurement, that's not helpful in finding a bike with a comforting standover height.

My wife is 5'1", barely. that's barely 155cm tall. she rides a 15" 29er hardtail and a "kids" road bike built with 26" wheels.

Carbonfiberboy 

My wife also has very short legs. She's riding an old MTB that's fitted with drop bars and brifters, normal road position. Works great. Gearing is a little low, but that's better than too high. We bought it built, didn't build it. Doing the conversion on a used bike, you'd want a 8 or 9 speed bike, get the brifters on ebay.

For compatibility, see: Science Behind the Magic | Drivetrain Compatibility ? Art's SLO Cyclery

You'll want reach to be about right, though because of going to road bars, her stem is very short, maybe 30 mm. Works fine, though. We found some 1" road tires which look fine on the MTB rims of the time. She loves the bike.

linberl

You can pick up Bike Fridays used if you look around. Being a folder designed to be packable, they are easy to ship. They ride like full sized bikes with the advantage of being sized for the individual. Obviously you will have to look for a frame suitable to the person who will ride it. As an example, I purchased a used BF NWT a few years ago for $550 plus $50 shipping from a private party. Bike was in pretty good shape and I had some parts laying around - BF use standard bike parts. I upgraded as things wore out and ended up with a fantastic bike. It took me 3 months of crusing craigslist/ebay to find a frame sized small for me (there is wiggle room since you can adjust reach with the stem a bit). BF also sells used bikes, best to call to see what they have on hand. These bikes are meant for touring so looooong riding days, durability and reliability. Having a bike that is sized properly for you, not just smaller tires, makes a difference in balance and control.
There's a large 24 speed BF for sale on my local craigslist just for pricing fyi @ $750.