Has the bike industry forgotten smaller riders?
Hello Lee,
I am a new member of the Lee Likes Bikes MTB School but have followed you for a while and read your book probably close to 8-9 years ago. Still have it and review it from time to time.
I am 55, and have been riding for most of my adult life (MTB/Rd/Tri).
I have been wanting to buy a new mountain bike for years, but at 58 inches tall and 95 lbs, I have been challenged and frustrated.
The last bike I purchased, which is my current one, was in 2010 or 2011; a Pivot mach 4 in XS ( yes 26″). I purchased it sight unseen. At the time I felt it was too big, ( compared to my hard tail Mojo – which I LOVED).
In the last 5 years or so, I have attempted to test ride different rigs. Out of the handful I have tried (availability being the primary issue), none feel like they fit. Has the industry forgotten about shorter statured riders, or is there something out there?
I keep looking online at various manufacturer’ sites, but what looks like a possibility on paper, may not always the case.
Would I be able to find a resource on your site that would lead me the right direction?
Not really sure how to start. I appreciate your time,
Marlene
Hi Marlene!
Thanks for reaching out.
The industry, in its sheeplike pursuit of longer and longer geometry, has left smaller riders behind.
I can help in a few ways:
– Check out the bike sizing charts on llbmtb.com (membership is required). They’re not organized by size, so it’ll take some digging. Two bikes I’ve sent smaller riders to are previous-generation Stumpjumper 27.5s and Pivot Trail 429s.
– By running a bit of math, I can tell you the ideal frame reach for you is about 370mm. Finding that will be tough. Get as close as you can.
– If you want help, check out RideLogic consultations. I can spend a bit of time looking for viable options, and I can model stem/bar setups for you.
These days, availability is tough for many bikes. But you need such a small bike, maybe there’s one waiting for you.
What do you think?
Lee
I recently stumbled on your knowledge of bike sizing and fitting and being an engineer what you say makes a lot of sense to me. Can’t believe I had not seen your videos/name before.
I am currently planning to buy a new bike in the next year and I am currently experimenting with my current bike to make sure that the new bike fits very good also. What I would like is help both with the optimization of current bike setup and bike selection for my next bike. Which of your products would be best for this. I see there is the 1) RideLogic bike selection consultation, 2) Ridelogic bike setup consultation and 3) Dial your Bike – Pro. Is it possible to combine options 1 and 2 together for a price?
I think I have noticed is that my current bike is a 2017 Specialized Stumpjumper and it appears now, with the new bikes, that many of the reach/stack numbers are completely out of range for me (165 cm tall with RAD of 760 mm).
Looking forward to hopefully being able to use your services.
Hi Stephen!
Thanks for reaching out. I rode that same Stumpy for years all over the world. Such a great bike. And, yes, the new stuff tends to be longer.
At 165cm tall I expect your RAD to be about 740cm. You either have unusual proportions or, way more likely, you made a mistake in your measurement. At your height, finding the right bike is going to be tricky, but I can help.
For help selecting and dialing in a new bike:
https://www.llbmtb.com/product/bike-selection/
For help dialing in your current bike:
https://www.llbmtb.com/product/ridelogic-bike-setup-consultation/