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I've just bought my first road bike to do longer rides on the weekend. I have gone for a 60s men's elswick because I'm quite a tall lady (5'11'') but I have a slight problem, I have child's hands and find reaching the brake levers a bit of a challenge. It seems I'm not the only one on this forum with this issue. I wanted to ask which levers are the best for this problem and if anyone had better luck with different handlebars and stems? I've heard that the nitto drip drop stem is quite good for reach but having trouble sourcing it. Thanks!
This is surely more to do with body proportions/arm & torso length rather than the actual size of your hands.
Brake levers especially modern STI type only come in one size (I think) and even children manage to use them. Handlebars & stems is not really going to effect how your hands fit around the levers. Even for use in the hooks of your bars, the brake levers can be adjusted for closer reach.
If your talking stems & bar changing. Your really talking about a frame being too long for you. Try getting your stem higher, stack more spacers and use a riser stem.
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Emma Pooley 5' 2" - 26" wheels on the bike
Are you quite sure??
Also I by no means certain but it is quite possible that the women above have had custom frames build by the manufacturers as the are sponsored pro atheletes and therefore may not be the best examples to use.
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This is surely more to do with body proportions/arm & torso length rather than the actual size of your hands.
Brake levers especially modern STI type only come in one size (I think) and even children manage to use them. Handlebars & stems is not really going to effect how your hands fit around the levers. Even for use in the hooks of your bars, the brake levers can be adjusted for closer reach.
If your talking stems & bar changing. Your really talking about a frame being too long for you. Try getting your stem higher, stack more spacers and use a riser stem.
Your assuming that mantrap is using STI's when chances are that on her 1960's bike will not have these.
My advice to mantrap would be if she lives in London got to one of the shops that is known to give trusted advice to women or to head to on of the compass drinks when Nhatt is at souths or longandwinding is at wests as both have very different but very good experience/advice on bikefit for women.
If not in london try your local IBD for advice as you know what they are not all staffed by sexist, condacending men who belittle women customers. -
I've got a few bikes but my condor lavoro feels like it was made for me, I find the reach perfect for the mainly leg composition of my body.
I do find I need to tip the nose of the saddle down more than is average whatever bike I'm on though... everyone's a different shape but it took me a while to work out that was best for me. -
Are you quite sure??
Also I by no means certain but it is quite possible that the women above have had custom frames build by the manufacturers as the are sponsored pro atheletes and therefore may not be the best examples to use.
Found it on the cycling weekly website, a sort of "pro bike check" it looks like 700's to me, but it said 26" wheels.
I realise that some of the stuff might not be OTP. But I thought it would be good to be able to visual the proportions of bikes setup for shortish women (or men of similar proportions).
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Hi there
Just been reading this thread and felt it appropriate to add a reply- I agree with the comments regarding Pashley -old , boring and heavy. We have just introduced Bella Ciao. an Italian handmade range of classic city bikes designed for modern day use. Ladies options include handmade classic step through bike in SS, and Shimano Nexus 3 speed. Also handbuilt columbus tubed city step through and cross bar versions with SS, 2,3 and 8 speed options. Couple of pics here - if this works !! If anyone wants more info just let me know.Peter
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Don't worry, Balki is Balki ...
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I'm 5'1.5" and ride an old 19.5" Viking tourer with 700c wheels. It's geared though, I'm too lazy for single speed let alone fixed!
19.5" is too big for me really but I'm used to it. Plus I like as much height as I can get in the traffic.
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Can you ride the drops on that betty?
I can, though I only really use them going into a headwind. I'm not a racer, just a commuter.
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I've got a few bikes!
This is my about-town hybrid with shimano nexus 8 speed hub
My new mountain bike :)
Alright, this one IS a Carrera but it was also second hand and very cheap!
My little old lady bike
I also have a brompton!
All I need now is a single speed and a BMX. And maybe a better road bike.....
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/09/cooper-t250-aintree-bicycle-review
the ' fixie fashion victim' comment irritated the shit out of me
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I've just sold my old Raleigh racer after a very brief affair with her; seen here:
But it was really uncomfortable for me and unsuitable for polo, so she was ebayed.
I've just purchase an SE Draft Lite 54cm off CRC, i'll see how that goes.
My main bike is a 2009 Marin Northside trail with 130mm travel forks (120 std), pretty standard apart from that, the seat is forward a fair bit, i'm 5ft 5" with longish 32" legs.
We muck about together
I also ride a bike whos make and model I forget but it was from a random shop about 15 years ago, it's heavy, pretty crap but is excellent for polo with its wheel of Au :)
DFP
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About
Ladies Bikes - What are you riding?
Posted by
@Shoosh
Surprised to see tha lack of womens traditional road bike setups here with drop bars and a stem of decent length.
Do all women/shorties just put up with the long TT/Short ST that most small frame have? And also the dodgy handling (and aesthetics) of short stems?
Im surprised there isn't more frames around, old, new, custom & OTP that have long seat tubes/headtubes and short top tubes to suit the typical proportions of most women and some men (like myself).