Me again

[Nadeen]

Hi,
Its me again
Really sorry if this is a stupid question but I am totally clueless about bikes.
My bike has 26in wheels, if I wanted to put 24in wheels on the bike could I ?
And if I can will that make my feet nearer to the floor?
We all have to start somewhere and I have never even been on my bike yet but am excited about going out on it.
Thanks for reading xxx Nadeen

 

[TVC]

Hi Nadeen,

The biggest problem with smaller wheels is that if you have rim brakes they won't... sort of... er ... meet the rim - That would be the show stopper.
Can I ask why you want to put smaller wheels on anyway?

 

[Nadeen]

Hi Velvet
Well I can touch the floor on my bike but just on my tip toes, is that ok?
Feels ok when I sit on it, but Im sure I read somewhere that feet need to be flat on the floor.
I was given the bike and its in very nearly new condition so I feel really lucky to have it, I couldnt have afforded it.
Thanks xxx

 

[Arch]

Can I ask why you want to put smaller wheels on anyway?

I'm guessing it might be a height issue, if she (?sorry, I assume sh'es a she) wants her 'feet nearer the floor'. (technically, her feet are wherever she puts them, she wants her bottom (saddle) nearer the floor).

Presumably the saddle is as low as it needs to be? If the frame is the wrong size or geometry, then you might have the saddle at the right height for the pedals, but find it a stretch to get one foot down while in the saddle (due to botton bracket height) I get round this (I have short legs) by always coming forwards off the saddle to stop, having freewheeled/braked to a halt with one pedal down. I can get a toe down, but at such a stretch that I feel insecure and get prone to cramp in the calf. By coming off the saddle, I can get my foot down flat, which is more comfortable.

Anyway, as Velvet said, the main issue is that the rim brakes will not be in the right place - not such a problem if you have disk or hub brakes.

 

[HLaB]

Hi Velvet
Well I can touch the floor on my bike but just on my tip toes, is that ok?
Feels ok when I sit on it, but Im sure I read somewhere that feet need to be flat on the floor.
I was given the bike and its in very nearly new condition so I feel really lucky to have it, I couldnt have afforded it.
Thanks xxx

If you are a beginner to cycling/ very young/ lack balance feet on the floor may be desired but eventually you'll want to raise the saddle eventually this will give you a position where you can just touch the floor with your tip toes but will make peddling easier.

 

[Randochap]

Hi Nadeen. No, your feet don't have to be flat on the ground. If they were, your leg would be far too bent while pedaling and would lead to knee injury.

Search the forums for bike fitting threads.

 

[Arch]

Hi Velvet
Well I can touch the floor on my bike but just on my tip toes, is that ok?
Feels ok when I sit on it, but Im sure I read somewhere that feet need to be flat on the floor.
I was given the bike and its in very nearly new condition so I feel really lucky to have it, I couldnt have afforded it.
Thanks xxx

Ah, you've posted while I typed... Welcome, by the way

Ideally, you should have the saddle at the height so that your leg is very slightly bent when the pedal is at the bottom of the stroke. Ideally, this will then allow you to put one foot down, usually on tiptoe, when you stop. As I said above, if you feel this is stretching you uncomfortably or you feel wobbly, you can always slide forwards off the saddle when you stop, and get a foot right down. You shouldn't need to be able to get both feet down flat while in the saddle - if you did, the saddle height would be wrong for pedalling, as your knees woudl be too bent. Yours sounds just right as it is.
Saddle to pedal height is the critical thing - if your knees are bent the whole time, or you are too stretched, you will find it at least uncomfortable, and at worse, painful.

What sort of bike is it?

 

[Nadeen]

Hi
Thank you for your replies, arch , great help to me thank you
Cant wait to go out on my first bike ride now!!

 

[Nadeen]

Hi Arch
It is a british eagle mountain bike
It has 18 gears
Thats all I know really, looks gorgeous

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i think the idea that your feet have to touch the floor flat comes from the fact that many children are taught this as it helps their confidence when they first start.

the advice about keeping a slight bend in your knee with the pedal crank at 6 o'clock is right. if you are really struggling to touch the floor with your feet in that position and the saddle at the lowest point, it may be that you need a different size of bike.

 

[jack the lad]

Nadeen

Mosty importantly, you need the saddle to be in the right place for the pedals when the bike is moving. As a guide, your leg needs to be nearly straight with your heel on the pedal when it is at the bottom. It should not be a stretch otherwise your pelvis will rock as you pedal and you will get back ache.

If you can't get the saddle low enough for this the bike is too big. You could get shorter cranks fitted (the arms which the pedals are fastened to) which will bring them closer to the saddle by up to about half an inch, but you could be looking at spending £50 or so if you do - depends how good the bike is whether it is worth it rather than buying another bike that fits.

Assuming the bike does fit Arch's advice to come off the saddle is good. You can also try to stop next to the kerb whenever possible so you don't have to reach so far. If the bike has big chunky tyres you could fit thinner ones which could bring the saddle slightly nearer the ground, but not more than by about half an inch. The other is to learn the trick of 'trackstanding' - balancing the bike without putting your feet down - that would be cool!

 

[Arch]

Hi Arch
It is a british eagle mountain bike
It has 18 gears
Thats all I know really, looks gorgeous

And that's really all that matters, if you love it!

As Jack the Lad said, if it has really chunky tryes, changing them may help a fraction. In fact, unless you mean to ride a lot in real mud, changing chunky MTB with knobbles is a good thing to do - get some slicker ones, that will drag less on tarmac. (A good local bike shop could do this for you, or a mate who knows a bit. Frankly, you could do it yourself, but jobs like that can be a bit intimidating for a beginner)

Ah, trackstanding. A real way to show off! (I can't do it..)

 

[TVC]

I disappeared to make a meal, came back and Arch has answered it all for you - nice one

As Jack and Arch said, if you've got the cash then get some tyres to suit the type of riding you intend to do, it will make a difference.

Enjoy your cycling, and don't get caught up in the Tea thread

 

[Randochap]

Nadeen
As a guide, your leg needs to be nearly straight with your heel on the pedal when it is at the bottom.

No. We've been here before. The leg should be straight at 6 O'clock w/ heel on pedal. Keep hips level. This gives a slight bend in leg w/ ball of foot on pedal (the correct riding position).

 

[Arch]

No. We've been here before. The leg should be straight at 6 O'clock w/ heel on pedal. Keep hips level. This gives a slight bend in leg w/ ball of foot on pedal (the correct riding position).

I wonder if the confusion is the heel bit - straight with the heel on the pedal yes, but slightly bent with the toe on it in a natural riding position. Maybe gets lost in translation somewhere...

<commits sacrilege> Don't get too hung up on millimetres just yet - enjoy the bike, and fiddle with it to get the ride that suits you...