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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

232.0. "Wanted: small bike and big ideas" by RICKS::SPEAR (The Culture Penguin) Fri Mar 13 1987 09:29

Wanted: a used 18 inch bike for my girlfriend or a recommendation for a good 
new one.  Laura has short legs and a long torso, which is the opposite of the 
average woman.  Thus the new Terry bikes, which are specifically designed for 
women, won't fit her.  

The following is what I have learned in looking at smaller bikes.  Please feel 
free to add any information you may have, or make any corrections.

According to the sizing chart in the Feb '87 Bicycling, she needs a 19" frame
with a 10 1/2" bottom bracket height.  A quick look through Nashbar's list of
dimensions shows that while a 23" touring bike may have a 10 1/2" BB, all the 
19" bikes have 11" or even 11 1/2" BB.  This is because the height of the top 
tube on smaller bikes is eventually limited by the 27" wheels.  When you 
compare a smaller bike with a larger, the top tube height drops only a little 
while the BB height rises.

She currently has a 35 lb monster with 24" (?) tires that is a hand-me-down
from her younger brother.  This is worse than no bike at all because it rides
so badly.  We've looked at new bikes, but anything smaller than 19" tends to 
be a special order, and that means bucks.  Laura would like to spend around 
$300 as she is just starting.

Thanks in advance for your help.

cbs
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232.1MPGS::DEHAHNFri Mar 13 1987 13:2820
    
    Let's face it, she has a special need. Anything special is just
    going to cost more money. That's the law of economics.
    
    When you drop the frame size below 19" you have to play some tricks
    with the head tube. There are several ways to do it, each is a
    specialized operation which is more expensive to produce than the
    rest of the model run.
    
    So I'd say for $300 she has big ideas. The last decent bike I saw
    of that size was the Fuji Junior, about $300+. It was somewhere
    in the 28-30 lb. range. It also used smaller wheels to reduce the
    overall seat height. It's a nice bike for the money.
    
    But there's no way she'll get a 22 lb. 18" bike for $300. 
    
    Why won't a Terry fit her? Has she tried one yet? Did it have 165's?
    
    CdH
    
232.2SMALL FRAMES SHOULDN'T BE THAT DIFFICULT TO FINDAKOV05::FULLERFri Mar 13 1987 14:107
    Cannondale makes a 19" frame and Trek makes an 18" frame.  If I
    remember correctly, Cannondale had a model with a sloping top tube.
    
    You may wish to check with O'neils bike shop in Worcester, they
    have both.
    
    steve
232.319" <> 19"RICKS::SPEARThe Culture PenguinSun Mar 15 1987 10:4218
There are 19" bikes, and then there are 19" bikes.  When Laura and I first
went looking at bikes, she was shown Univega bikes which did not fit. She
tried my cousin's 19" Motobecane (?) and that too was overly snug. Yesterday
we went to Lincoln Guide and she tried two American bikes, a Cannondale ST-500
and a Trek 400, both which fit!  Now all these bikes have 19" frames, and were
either touring or sport, but I was surprised at the differences. 

The Cannondale looked great, but cost over $500.  The Trek was $379, but
looked so much better than the cheaper bikes she was shown that I sprung for
the difference in price.  A cheap bike that sits in the garage costs more than
an expensive one that is ridden.

The transformation is amazing!  Suddenly Laura is reading my copies of 
Bicycling, thumbing through the Nashbar catalog, and talking about touring 
Nova Scotia.  Of course, all those ads with guys wearing skin tight Lycra 
shorts perk her interest too.  :-)

cbs
232.4Keep on Trekkin'SUSHI::KMACDONALDMacarooned on a Dessert IslandMon Mar 16 1987 17:124
Was just going to mention the Trek - a very diminutive friend of mine 
has one, since she wouldn't fit the 19" bikes available. Loves it! Have 
fun with it!
                                       ken
232.5TrekFERRET::SIMONSTue Mar 17 1987 14:568
    I'm very small - short legs and short torso.  I have a trek (women's
    frame) that fits well and is about 18 pounds.  I bought a Trek at
    Happy Day Cycles in Milford NH and was very impressed because the
    store owner made sure everything was adjusted to fit me.  He wouldn't
    sell me a bike that wasn't going to be right for me... same with
    the Helmet - ended up getting a Child's size Bell helmet.
    
    Lori
232.6Find a normal personAMUN::CRITZWed Mar 25 1987 13:507
    	I told Laura (before she bought the bike) that Chris
    	would be better off to get rid of her and to find
    	someone that was a little more normal (in all areas).
        8-) (-8
    
    	Go Buckeyes,
    	Scott
232.7O-no to O-hi-oRICKS::SPEARThe Culture PenguinWed Mar 25 1987 19:174
Gee, I've grown fond of those stumpy legs!  I kid her that if she starts 
biking, she'll get thighs as big as mine.  Then I duck...

cbs