Shorter riders

"Jim Boyer" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Is it true that compact frames can accommodate a
smaller rider with the larger 700C wheel? If so, would
it be better to go with the compact frame to have the
larger wheel?

A compact frame gives you more standover clearance, but they
still have the same top tube length as a standard geometry
bike. If you have short legs and a long torso, then compact
geometry is perfect for you. If you have a short torso,
compact geometry isn't going to help. 650 wheels allow for a
shorter top tube.

Jim Boyer said:

Is it true that compact frames can accommodate a smaller
rider with the larger 700C wheel? If so, would it be better
to go with the compact frame to have the larger wheel?

Thanks for any info.

jb

Terry bicycles used 700c wheels on frames targeted to women
about 5'5" and taller and substituted a smaller front wheel
for those that were shorter. These were targeted toward
women, so their frames and wheels were designed aroung lnger
legs/shorter torsos.

My wife rode a Fuji with a smaller front wheel and a Terry
with double 700c and she didn't really see much difference.
We bought tires and tubes for the season and you can make a
regular tube fit fine in a smaller tire (takes a moment to
telescope the tubing down on the side opposite the valve) if
you can't get the smaller tube size - mostly an issue on
road bikes with 20c-25c tubes.

Curtis L. Russell Odenton, MD (USA) Just someone on
two wheels...

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Ken
"Jim Boyer" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Is it true that compact frames can accommodate a
smaller rider with the larger 700C wheel? If so, would
it be better to go with the compact frame to have the
larger wheel?

A compact frame gives you more standover clearance, but they
still have the same top tube length as a standard geometry
bike. If you have short legs and a long torso, then compact
geometry is perfect for you. If you have a short torso,
compact geometry isn't going to help. 650 wheels allow for a
shorter top tube.

There could still be issues with handlebar position for a short person on a compact frame since head tubes can be made only so small. A 650C-wheeled bike can allows the handlebars to be about 2.5cm lower.

Also, toe overlap is much less of an issue with 650C wheels.

Quoted message said:

What is the performance difference with the smaller wheel?

I would have to venture that any performance difference is
too small to be measurable.

650C wheels have been widely used on time trial bikes to
help achieve optimum positioning of the rider.

My wife's bike has 650C wheels and the only disadvantage we
have encountered is the lower top-end gear with conventional
chainrings and cogsets (53T x 12T).

Chris Neary

"Jim Boyer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Shorter riders may sometimes have to compromise and go
with 650C wheels instead of 700C to accommodate the
smaller frame or avoid toe-wheel

contact.

Quoted message said:

What is the performance difference with the smaller wheel?

I'm 5'6 and ride a 50cm Schwinn Peloton. I haven't had any
problem with toe-wheel contact, except when turning
extremely sharp at very low speed. You just learn to keep
your toe away from the wheel. I see that Surly is building
a full-on touring bike, and they're speccing 26 inchers
for every frame size below 56cm, so there may be something
to it.....