Help a 5ft noob find a bike !

Deb13b

Hi, new to the forum ! 
I've spent the last couple of weeks trawling the Internet and phoning local bike shops but I'm still no further forward. I haven't been on a bike since I was a teenager, 20-odd years ago, and I've been after a bike for a while. Only problem is my height ! I'm a fraction over 5ft, about 5ft and half an inch. Inside leg 28".
I know what I want, a Dutch-style SS, nothing fancy ! But I'm having a hard time finding one for short people. I only have about £250-ish to spend. Different websites say totally different things. One says I need a 13-14" frame. Another says 20" will be ok for upto 5ft 6". Yet another says a 19" is for someone over 5ft 7".
I'm lost ! All the local shops don't stock Dutch-style so I can't go try one for size. I would really appreciate some help, I can't wait to get cycling again.

ETA: I quite like the look of the dutchie chic, don't know if it's any good ? Think it might be too big tho.

Kieran_Burns

Paging Wanda to the thread!

jejv

Here's a couple of ideas:

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Bike_2010
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/giant-cr ... 49087.html

There are probably other suitable hybrid things out there. You might well be able to get a good deal on an old model in an "odd" size.

They aren't really scaled for short people, but I think they can work quite well.

8-gears at the back makes the bike easier & cheaper to alter to suit.


Our 10 YO has had a 15" CRS SE for a few years.

How much do you want to know ?

You'll be able to stand over these. More room with the ladies frame, obviously.

I changed the bike quite a bit early on to make it more suitable:
- Mountain Bike front gears (lower gears), with shortened cranks
- Closer, bigger gears at the back (lower gears again)
- controls moved closer together on the handlebars
- shorter handlebar stem

For the rear light, I think you'll need a rack - if you put one on the seatpost it may be hidden by the back wheel.

It has evolved a bit as he's grown. It's currently got upside down trekking bars and an upside-down stem that put the grips below the headset.

If you like high handlebars, big wheeled bikes are probably fine. Turning the handlebars upside down will lower the grips by an inch-or-so.

Paging CW...

MichaelW

Small wheels make a small frame much easier to design well. If you can find one with 26" MTB type wheels that would be good (using road tyres).
The Pashley Princess is a lovely ride even for a guy. Their 17" may fit. I think this is a bit smaller than a traditional 17" road bike size and it has step-thru design. Pity about the cost.

Dahon make some good city bikes. I use one of their folders as my normal commuter, it never gets folded but rides well.

I think this style is easier to find in 3 speed than single speed.

jejv

Yeah, sorry.

I'm trying to sell you a bike to take you over heather moorland, up steep roads, and even round the odd black mountainbike course- even if your legs aren't that strong, and you're not that fit.

If you have proper low gears, you can do this stuff, without having to get off and walk.

If you're anywhere near Cambridge, University Cycles is the place to go for reasonably priced Dutch Bikes - Colin imports them himself from - umm - Holland.

jejv

MichaelW wrote:

Small wheels make a small frame much easier to design well. If you can find one with 26" MTB type wheels that would be good (using road tyres).

Well, I disagree. I think big wheels on a small frame force a - relatively -long wheelbase relative to the riders height, which is better for comfort, static stability, and high speed stability

I'm 6'2" - I'd like a 1.4m wheelbase. So when I'm going up steep hills I can keep the front wheel on the ground, and when I'm going down steep hills, and I need to brake, I can keep the back wheel on the ground.

I think the main disadvantage of big wheels if you are short is that it can be hard to get the handlebars low enough, with modern fork designs.

jonny_trousers

Sorted!

Deb13b

Lol !

jejv

Is that singlespeed or fixie ?

Our 2YO is looking for something like that. Handlebars are a bit high, though.

Deb13b

It doesn't look like I'm going to find one I like. The one I had my heart set on is a 19" frame with 28" wheels. The measurement from the floor to the top of the seat (at it's lowest position) is 34". I'm 5ft and half an inch with an inside leg 28". Nothing else I've seen has made me want to buy it. Well, nothing I can afford anyway.

jejv

Deb13b wrote:

It doesn't look like I'm going to find one I like. The one I had my heart set on is a 19" frame with 28" wheels.

19" sounds a bit big for you 17" probably OK.

Deb13b wrote:

The measurement from the floor to the top of the seat (at it's lowest position) is 34". I'm 5ft and half an inch with an inside leg 28". Nothing else I've seen has made me want to buy it. Well, nothing I can afford anyway.

Bikes have gotten higher since mountainbikes came along, so it's no longer normal to be able to have a sensible seat height for pedalling, and still be able to get a tiptoe on the ground while on the saddle.

So almost everyone with modern bikes gets off the saddle when they stop, and puts the left foot down on the ground, with the right pedal high up, ready to pull away. Unless you're left footed..

Deb13b

The pashley princess sovereign is in my size and ticks all the right boxes, apart from it's 400 quid over my budget ! I can dream ....

biondino

Which is the bike you like, to give us a clue?

I have a friend who's 5'2" with short legs and she's looking for a roadie for under £250, so if I could cheekily piggyback on this thread advice on that would be appreciated too!

Deb13b

The Redy Nostalgia at mybeautifulbike.com
And the dutchie chic at dutchie.co.uk
But I don't know what they're like.

The Rookie

biondino wrote:

I have a friend who's 5'2" with short legs and she's looking for a roadie for under £250, so if I could cheekily piggyback on this thread advice on that would be appreciated too!

650C roadie (usually marketed for teens) as an example http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/adult-child-Giant ... 3cb4de9054

Simon

Deb13b

Been to halfords to try some frames out for size, it's a 17.5 inch frame I need ( at the most ). So I'm pretty gutted. To get the type of bike I want means spending a lot more than I can afford. 2nd hand bikes that come up for sale locally are usually bmx or mtb.

woodford2barbican

How about this?

http://uk.batavus.com/collection/Kids+b ... %3d22.aspx

Deb13b

I can't get that page to load properly. Think I'll just have to put my plans on hold. Gutted. I was sooo looking forward to getting one. I didn't think it would be so hard, I mean, I'm not the only 5ft tall person in the world ! I've got very definite ideas on the style n specs I'm after. But they're more than double what I can afford.

MichelleD

Good morning Deb13b, I have 2 suggestions:

1) A brand new (Halfords) Real Classic Ladies Bicycle - 17" Cat code: 129794-0
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_231005

I am also unable to afford the luxury pricetag of the Pashley Princess Sovereign (PPS) so I went for this alternative. It is extremely comfortable. I am about 5'4" and think I need a slightly larger frame next bike. But it gets me from A-B. 3-speed, easy to maintain and it's very elegant. I far prefer to sit up that crunch down into a bike.

OR

2) Keep an eye on places like GumTree, only a few days ago, someone in Henley was selling their barely used PPS for an amazing £250.....

Good luck!

Cafewanda

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Paging Wanda to the thread!

She's taller than I am!

Deb, as another shortie you have my sympathies and I hope you find what you want. I can't offer any advice even though I have a hybrid* as I'm looking forward to riding my roadbike once it's been 'Whispered'.

*My hybrid is too big but I've gotten used to it now.

Try to add some more money to the bike fund whilst you continue your search and also head over to www.lfgss.co.uk. They have a lively ladies section which you might find useful.

jejv

Cafewanda wrote:

My hybrid is too big but I've gotten used to it now.

You've probably gone through this before, but: In what way ?

I guess reaching the pedals is OK, or you wouldn't be able to ride it.
- Reach too long ?
- Bars too high ?
- Controls too far apart ?

Like I said, our 10YO has been OK on a big wheeled hybrid since he was shorter than you,
but it took a bit of tinkering.

Cafewanda

The main problem has been the reach. It came with flatbars and I eventually changed it to a Raleigh trekking bar with an adjustable stem. It's now more upright which is fine for my commute and weekend shopping trips.

A custom-build would be ideal, but the funds are not there yet. Islabikes would be my 'on the road to custom-build' option.

I bought a roadbike last summer and it has 650 wheels, which I love. Only ridden it 'properly' once and the setup needs tweaking, but I'll get that done in March.

The joys of being a cycling shrimp is not to be underestimated, especially when trying to find a bike that 'fits' :roll:

ETA: When changing to the trekking bar I had to get it trimmed as it was too wide and moved the levers closer together. Much better.

jejv

Cafewanda wrote:

The main problem has been the reach. It came with flatbars and I eventually changed it to a Raleigh trekking bar with an adjustable stem. It's now more upright which is fine for my commute and weekend shopping trips.

Cafewanda wrote:

Then changing to the trekking bar I had to get it trimmed as it was too wide and moved the levers closer together. Much better.

Well, if you like the bars quite high, that's one problem down.
I was expecting you to complain about not being able to get the bars low enough!

We've got three bikes with those Raleigh Trekking bars, including our 10YO's. But we've got them upside down.

One handy thing about them, is that the outer bends are unusually close together,
so the controls can move in to something more like shoulder width - as you say.
I never bothered trimming the bars - just put long foam grips on them.

Our then 7YO originally had a Thorn 30mm Stem (bike is a 15" Giant CRS), and some (right-way-up) riser bars with the controls moved inwards. I wouldn't have done it like that, but he said he wanted high bars. - So he had a much more laid-back position than on his 20" wheel bike.

There seem to be a few very short stems arround now, for Downhill MTB and such.

He's now got an upside-down high-rise stem that points well below the horizontal, and the upside-down trekking bars, but the grips are still a couple of inches above the saddle, even though the grips are below the headset.

The chainset was more interesting. I thought he had to have a 22Tooth granny, and short cranks. Smaller wheels would have helped with the gearing, but not with the crank length. Ended up getting an Shimano Alivio 42-32-22 175mm MTB chainset cut down to 155mm.

If I had to come up with something similar again, I think I'd do much the same thing - rather than getting a more expensive Islabike.
I'd expect to have to tinker with one of them a bit anyway.

Cafewanda wrote:

A custom-build would be ideal, but the funds are not there yet. Islabikes would be my 'on the road to custom-build' option.

Cafewanda wrote:

I bought a roadbike last summer and it has 650 wheels, which I love. Only ridden it 'properly' once and the setup needs tweaking, but I'll get that done in March.

The joys of being a cycling shrimp is not to be underestimated, especially when trying to find a bike that 'fits' :roll:

Deb13b

Could someone have a look at this for me regarding size ? It's an 18" frame, 26" wheels.

http://www.capitalcycles.co.uk/bikes-an ... ern-dutch/

garrynolan

Deb, I'm 5' 4" but 27" inside leg. I had a Boardman Team Hybrid (middle of their range) and it was perfect - until it got nicked. Like others have said, look on Gumtree, eBay etc and you might find a Boardman Comp Hybrid. Bottom of the range but still a good bike. Good luck.

EKE_38BPM

Cafewanda wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Paging Wanda to the thread!

She's taller than I am!

Who isn't!? (My shins are gonna pay for my lip)!

Cafewanda wrote:

... also head over to www.lfgss.co.uk. They have a lively ladies section which you might find useful.

To clarify, is it the ladies that are lively or is it just a popular section? There again, it would be popular if the ladies are lively...

suzyb

Cafewanda wrote:

I bought a roadbike last summer and it has 650 wheels, which I love. Only ridden it 'properly' once and the setup needs tweaking, but I'll get that done in March.

I love my little road bike with it's tiny wheels

Cafewanda wrote:

The joys of being a cycling shrimp is not to be underestimated, especially when trying to find a bike that 'fits' :roll:

+1

MichaelW

Deb13b wrote:

Could someone have a look at this for me regarding size ? It's an 18" frame, 26" wheels.

http://www.capitalcycles.co.uk/bikes-an ... ern-dutch/

That is a nice looking bike and in my books, if it looks nice it usually rides nice. The weight is OK for this price range and it comes fully equipped for city life.
You have to judge the bike size by the reach from saddle to handlebars rather than standover height. It may be a smidgin too big but not a lot and it may be OK.

Get yourself to a bike shop and try out bikes for fit, even kids versions, then take a tape-measure to them to see what works for you.

on-oneplus26

Not quite 'dutch' but its getting on that way

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/jam ... uery=jamis

Maybe junk the fork and put a rigid one on to save weight but should still hit budget. FWIW my Mrs is 5.1 and her mountain bike is a 14 inch frame with a 40mm stem. She has a short body and arms but long legs (for her height).

Cafewanda

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Cafewanda wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Paging Wanda to the thread!

She's taller than I am!

Who isn't!? (My shins are gonna pay for my lip)!

Cafewanda wrote:

... also head over to www.lfgss.co.uk. They have a lively ladies section which you might find useful.

To clarify, is it the ladies that are lively or is it just a popular section? There again, it would be popular if the ladies are lively...

Yep. Your shins are most definitely going to pay

The ladies are lively........ and friendly............ and helpful :P

Deb13b

I tried a pps today for size. 26" wheels and a 17.5" frame. It was an absolute perfect fit. Just wish I could afford it !