Originally Posted by
oldlugs
For years I rode 23" frames when I was younger, then a bike shop who was more serious about road bikes fitted me to a 25 1/2" frame Raleigh. Since then and for most of my adult life I rode 63-64cm frames As I got older and started to have knee and back issues riding got more and more difficult unless the bike fit me just right.
For what ever reason, one day I took an old Nishiki International 23" frame and did a straight bar conversion with a long seat post and stem. The conversion got me riding more as I got older. I've not lost any overall height but somehow have lost inseam size. I'm still a fraction shy of 6ft 3in tall, but can no longer stand over my old 25.5" Raleigh Pro. Now I notice that even 23" seems like too much to stand over. I struggle to even get on the Raleigh these days and I even sold two vintage 23" frame mountain bikes I had which were just too tall for me now.
As I get older I have pain in my knees, ankles and feet, and lately my elbows and hands when I ride. I find that foam grips help the hands, and making sure I get maximum extension when pedaling. My knees and ankles don't hurt while riding, its when I step off the bike it hits me. I often can barely walk and over the next half hour or so my knees start to really throb. The knees have gotten worse but first bothered me in my 30's but at least then it would subside after a bit of walking but now I'm lucky to make it to somewhere to sit down. I carry a cane for when I have to get off the bike. I quit riding motorcycles for the same reason, I was having trouble coming to a stop and keeping the bike upright at rest. I'd put my foot down and the pain would light me up so bad my knee would buckle. First it was my right knee, now its both, and my ankles.
I picked up an old Peugeot mixte to flip a few months ago but have been riding it myself quite a bit, for some reason the knee issues aren't as bad on that bike, despite it being a good bit heavier and on the small size for me.
I know where you're coming from! I gave up motorcycles because of back and hip pain years ago. I started out on a 23.5" Raleigh Grand Prix when I was 16 and then moved up to a 25" Miyata 310 as I grew another 2 inches, I even had a couple 27's for a brief period. I can still ride my 26" Schwinn Varsity but getting on and off isn't anything too graceful, I foresee it being decommissioned and probably sold VERY cheaply or donated/scrapped by this time next year. I also used to love to take long walks/hikes and by long I mean 10-15 miles average just for the pleasure of it. Those days are long past and I miss it. I acquired a cheap Dahon folding bike last summer mainly to put in the trunk of the car so I can ride it home when I dropped the car off for service. The shop is a half mile from our house and before I'm halfway my knees are killing me. Although it's a single speed I have found it to be a lot of fun to just putz around the neighborhood on. My wife really enjoys it too, in fact she has kind of claimed it as "hers" LOL.
It was so much fun that when a super clean 8 speed Giant Revive pedal forward bike came up for sale CHEAP I picked it up thinking it would be good for the wife as she had expressed a desire for multiple gearing on the folder. I haven't got her to try it yet but I have found getting it set where I'm comfortable with the steering at low speeds is next to impossible, it's very strange to ride. Once you get some speed up it rides smoothly and is very stable but low speed maneuvering is a bit on the spooky side. I suspect once I get her to try it she's not going to like it either and I'll be putting it back on Marketplace, I'll give it a little more time but I'm not optimistic. It's solid, has good components and it's easy to get on and off of but it is heavy and as long as a normal road bike overall making it a PITA to transport and store. You're also stuck with that gawd awful seat and the frame design makes the built in rear rack next to useless except as an attachment point for saddle baskets or panniers. Did I mention it's ugly too? The one saving grace is that I'm in it cheap so I can sell it cheap.
I think I need a matched set of Raleigh 20's....
