49 cm bike question

Hell and High Water said:

HOW SMALL DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO RIDE A 49 CM BIKE???

I'm 6'5" and I almost NEVER see 61-62 cm bikes for sale on
rec.bicycles.marketplace.

There are a few on ebay, but when I look at all listings, it's like 90
gazillion 49, 51, etc.

There must be a lot of tiny people out there who ride.

Just wondering.

-Bob

At 6'5" you are in the 95th percentile of males in the US (probably
much more). Someone who rides a 49 is probably about 5'4" or so(?). For
males they would be in the 5th percentile. So in theory there are as
many men 5'4" as 6'2", but how many of them choose cycling is a
different story. And if you factor in women, 5'4" is in the 50th
percentile. So all the women's bikes, and the fact that tall men may
choose some other sport seems to be the culprit.

Road bikes at least seem available in large sizes, MTB seems to be much
more limited. I'm only 6'3" and there are few MTB frames I've come
across where I didn't need a crazy long seat post.

Joseph

Quoted message said:

Hell and High Water said:

HOW SMALL DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO RIDE A 49 CM BIKE???

I'm 6'5" and I almost NEVER see 61-62 cm bikes for sale on
rec.bicycles.marketplace.

There are a few on ebay, but when I look at all listings, it's like 90
gazillion 49, 51, etc.

There must be a lot of tiny people out there who ride.

Just wondering.

-Bob

At 6'5" you are in the 95th percentile of males in the US (probably
much more). Someone who rides a 49 is probably about 5'4" or so(?). For
males they would be in the 5th percentile. So in theory there are as
many men 5'4" as 6'2", but how many of them choose cycling is a
different story. And if you factor in women, 5'4" is in the 50th
percentile. So all the women's bikes, and the fact that tall men may
choose some other sport seems to be the culprit.

Road bikes at least seem available in large sizes, MTB seems to be much
more limited. I'm only 6'3" and there are few MTB frames I've come
across where I didn't need a crazy long seat post.

Joseph

I'm 5'4", and usually ride a 50cm, but prefer one about 53cm.

Most 49 cm are ridden by women.

Hell and High Water said:

HOW SMALL DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO RIDE A 49 CM BIKE???

I'm 6'5" and I almost NEVER see 61-62 cm bikes for sale on
rec.bicycles.marketplace.

There are a few on ebay, but when I look at all listings, it's like 90
gazillion 49, 51, etc.

There must be a lot of tiny people out there who ride.

Just wondering.

I am only 6'2" and would be reluctant to sell my old big bike (~61 cm)
since it would be a little more trouble to replace it. XL in a current
model is only 58 cm.

Beach Runner said:

Quoted message said:

Hell and High Water said:

HOW SMALL DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO RIDE A 49 CM BIKE???

I'm 6'5" and I almost NEVER see 61-62 cm bikes for sale on
rec.bicycles.marketplace.

There are a few on ebay, but when I look at all listings, it's like 90
gazillion 49, 51, etc.

There must be a lot of tiny people out there who ride.

Just wondering.

-Bob

At 6'5" you are in the 95th percentile of males in the US (probably
much more). Someone who rides a 49 is probably about 5'4" or so(?). For
males they would be in the 5th percentile. So in theory there are as
many men 5'4" as 6'2", but how many of them choose cycling is a
different story. And if you factor in women, 5'4" is in the 50th
percentile. So all the women's bikes, and the fact that tall men may
choose some other sport seems to be the culprit.

Road bikes at least seem available in large sizes, MTB seems to be much
more limited. I'm only 6'3" and there are few MTB frames I've come
across where I didn't need a crazy long seat post.

Joseph

I'm 5'4", and usually ride a 50cm, but prefer one about 53cm.

Most 49 cm are ridden by women.

I was thinking center-center. But indeed most 49 c-t would be ridden by
women.

Joseph

"Hell and High Water" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

HOW SMALL DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO RIDE A 49 CM BIKE???

I'm 6'5" and I almost NEVER see 61-62 cm bikes for sale on
rec.bicycles.marketplace.

There are a few on ebay, but when I look at all listings, it's like 90
gazillion 49, 51, etc.

There must be a lot of tiny people out there who ride.

Just wondering.

-Bob

Bob: there is an obvious reason for this. I saw this in action today when I
rolled by about 100 yard sales on my morning ride.

Before I explain this to you, keep in mind that almost all road bikes sold
are in the size range of 52-58cm, with very few sold at the ends of the
range. So 60cm bikes are rarely sold, as are 48-50cm bikes. It follows a
classic normal distribution. This seemingly deepens the mystery.

The explanation starts out with a guy who is a bike nut. Most guys are
obsessive/compulsive over some very specific and pointless pastime, such as
bass fishing, hang gliding, motorbike restoration, model railroading etc.
Most times these hobbies are expensive and consume fossil fuels. But the
issue here is a guy bike nut.

He's in love with a lady who does not ride (most ladies are in the 48-52cm
bike size range). He buys her a bike so she can "ride along and share his
passion". Problem is that women are not generally wired to become obsessive
about anything (or at least anything that I as a guy can fathom). After a
few frustrating rides, the lady-sized bike gets hung in the garage. In
contrast, like most serious-guy sporting goods gear, the guy bike is totaled
within 5 years because it is smashed into a haybale at the local 'crit, or
is crushed under gravel trucks, is wrapped around a tree, falls off a cliff,
etc. So despite that 56cm bikes outsell 50cm bikes by 10 to 1, the
attrition rate in the man-sized bikes is 100 times higher. With the
clysdales that use the 60cm+ frames, attrition is probably 1000 times
higher.

There is a variation of this theme: the his 'n hers matching bikes. I see
this repeatedly at yard sales. Two 20 year old bikes that have 10 miles on
them. Quite poignant actually.

Fortunately, I ride a 50. Ha!

"Dave Mayer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:HFZrg.136071$Mn5.53293@pd7tw3no...

Quoted message said:

Problem is that women are not generally wired to become obsessive about
anything (or at least anything that I as a guy can fathom).

I think you are right the second time.

Some examples:

My wife's aunt did collector plates (the type that are blue and have a
different model each year). When she sold her collection, they went on a
trip to Italy. For two weeks. With children. With children's spouses. With
older grandchildren. When you visited her house, this isn't something you'd
miss.

My younger daughter, bored at being home with the parents after her freshman
year of college, has been making earrings of her own designs. Since Memorial
Day, she's made 60 pairs, not counting many she's sold or given as gifts.

"Mike Kruger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Dave Mayer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:HFZrg.136071$Mn5.53293@pd7tw3no...

Some examples:

My wife's aunt did collector plates (the type that are blue and have a
different model each year). When she sold her collection, they went on a
trip to Italy. For two weeks. With children. With children's spouses. With
older grandchildren. When you visited her house, this isn't something
you'd miss.

Mike: don't follow you here. Collecting plates, as in plates for eating off
of? You only need one plate. Well, maybe a spare when the other is in that
dishwashing thing, or whatever you call it.

Now on the other hand, spare bikes and parts have a definite utilitarian
value. For example I have 5 spare new Suntour XC Pro Grease Guard bottom
brackets, and I can assure you that every one of them will come to good use
some day.....

Dave Mayer said:

After a
few frustrating rides, the lady-sized bike gets hung in the garage. In
contrast, like most serious-guy sporting goods gear, the guy bike is totaled
within 5 years because it is smashed into a haybale at the local 'crit, or
is crushed under gravel trucks, is wrapped around a tree, falls off a cliff,
etc.

In your first and third examples the bike probably isn't really totaled
but are merely excuses to say, "But honey, I *need* a new bike!".
Nothing wrong with that... ;-)
OTOH, if your bike is crushed under a gravel truck or falls off a cliff
I'd guess that she'll be selling all your stuff, not at a garage sale
but an *estate* sale. <g>

Regards,
Bob Hunt