Seat/clamp fix for bike too tall?

[BataviaJim]

My bike is about an inch too tall for me, even with the seat as low as possible. I'm seeking advice on fixes.

The bike is a Schwinn Traveler III 10-speed that I got at a garage sale. By "too tall" I mean that I have to stretch as far as I can to get on or off, and when I start or stop, my feet on tip-toes barely reach the ground. It doesn't feel safe. My other bike (a Raleigh 3-speed) is only an inch shorter but is fine. That inch makes a big difference.
Here is the seat and clamp currently:

First, is there any other clamp or seat that would get me an inch lower? That would be ideal.

If not, the only thing I can think of – and I don't know how to implement it safely – is to invert the clamp:

The clamp would attach to the seat upside down. That would recess the clamp into the seat, giving me that inch.
The problem is the clamp I have and the ones I've seen online are obviously not designed to be inverted. I don't think they could handle the weight of a rider, and I'm not inclined to test it out and have the seat collapse while I'm riding.

Is there any clamp that I could use that way?
Or any other idea that would safely get me an inch lower?

Thanks for your help.

 

[ColinJ]

If you mean that your toes barely touch the ground when you are sitting on the saddle, then that is actually about right. That is how it is on all of my bikes. And I have to tilt those bikes to get on and off.

If you lower the saddle to let you stand over it then it will be woefully low for pedalling. It is far easier to ride a bike with the saddle at the right height!

You will soon get into the habit of sliding forward off the saddle to stand astride the bike when you stop.

Obviously you DO need some clearance over the top tube when standing over the bike, or you could be doing yourself a nasty...

 

[TheDoctor]

I can't see any reason why your inverted-clamp idea wouldn't work - I've done exactly that with a Brompton Pentaclip seat clamp. Personally, I'd do it, then sit on the bike for a few minutes, maybe bounce a bit in the saddle, and see what happens, Then go for a short ride.
By 'seat as low as possible', do you mean the seat is pretty much resting on the top tube? If so, I'd get a smaller bike sharpish, lest you do yourself a somewhat unpleasant injury!

 

[cyberknight]

If you mean that your toes barely touch the ground when you are sitting on the saddle, then that is actually about right. That is how it is on all of my bikes. And I have to tilt those bikes to get on and off.

If you lower the saddle to let you stand over it then it will be woefully low for pedalling. It is far easier to ride a bike with the saddle at the right height!

You will soon get into the habit of sliding forward off the saddle to stand astride the bike when you stop.

Obviously you DO need some clearance over the top tube when standing over the bike, or you could be doing yourself a nasty...

what he said , i have to stand astride the top tube to reach the floor , push on with one pedal and get onto saddle as it rolls ,
saddle height should be set so with your heel on the pedal the leg is straight so when you ride with your foot on it theire is a bend on the leg

 

[Ajax Bay]

Jim - I can't offer you a solution/suggestion, though some saddles have a shorter distance from the rail level to the 'seat height'.
Also there are different types of seatpost. The one you illustrate is a 'basic' one and maybe another would result in a lower minimum height.
But my first inference on reading your OP was that if the saddle is the right height you definitely shouldn't be able to touch the ground on tip toes. A good rule of thumb is that, when sitting on the saddle squarely the heel of your shoe should sit on the lower pedal at 6 o'clock. Set your saddle as low as it'll go 'normally', put the bike near a wall (for leaning on) and climb on, and test.
[Cross-posting with the above.]

 

[Cycleops]

Hope you get the seat issue sorted.

I also have a Traveler (one L)

Let's see yours.

 

[BataviaJim]

If you mean that your toes barely touch the ground when you are sitting on the saddle, then that is actually about right. That is how it is on all of my bikes. And I have to tilt those bikes to get on and off.

If you lower the saddle to let you stand over it then it will be woefully low for pedalling. It is far easier to ride a bike with the saddle at the right height!

You will soon get into the habit of sliding forward off the saddle to stand astride the bike when you stop.

Obviously you DO need some clearance over the top tube when standing over the bike, or you could be doing yourself a nasty...

Yes, with my legs fully stretched my toes barely touch the ground. I realize I want to be high enough to extend my legs for pedaling, but this seems just a bit too much. I'd like to feel like at least the tips of my toes can solidly touching the ground when I'm seated.

 

[BataviaJim]

I can't see any reason why your inverted-clamp idea wouldn't work - I've done exactly that with a Brompton Pentaclip seat clamp. Personally, I'd do it, then sit on the bike for a few minutes, maybe bounce a bit in the saddle, and see what happens, Then go for a short ride.
By 'seat as low as possible', do you mean the seat is pretty much resting on the top tube? If so, I'd get a smaller bike sharpish, lest you do yourself a somewhat unpleasant injury!

The clamp I have doesn't close fully on the top side (the top side when it's installed the normal way, as in the first photo). You can sort of see it in the third photo. I haven't actually ridden that way but it doesn't look like a sturdy enough hold.
I found a Brompton clamp -- pricey though, $80 U.S. (I'm in the States). That's $15 more than I paid for the bike. And I just had new tires/tubes installed for $130. They were out of stock for cheaper options and it needed them, and I was wary about replacing the rear -- this is my first 10-speed.
And yes, the seat is resting on the tube.

 

[BataviaJim]

what he said , i have to stand astride the top tube to reach the floor , push on with one pedal and get onto saddle as it rolls ,

That's the same for me. It's fine when I'm first getting started, and okay when I stop slowly, but when I've had to come to a quicker stop (or even very slow) it doesn't seem safe. I don't feel like I've got full control. That extra inch, maybe even half inch, would make the difference.

 

[Cycleops]

What you ought to be doing when slowing and getting ready to stop is extending your legs, when you stop just slide off the seat and both feet are planted firmly on the ground.

 

[BataviaJim]

Hope you get the seat issue sorted.

I also have a Traveler (one L)

View attachment 589771

Let's see yours.

Same color as yours. (I guess you'd say same "colour" )

It's a beauty.

 

[BataviaJim]

What you ought to be doing when slowing and getting ready to stop is extending your legs, when you stop just slide off the seat and both feet are planted firmly on the ground.

I can manage okay on planned and fully controlled stops, though I'd prefer a little more reach. But it's the unplanned or more sudden stops that are disconcerting, for example when a squirrel runs in front of me, etc.

 

[weareHKR]

when a squirrel runs in front of me, etc.

Carry on & take it home for lunch... 😋

 

[Cycleops]

Even doing an emergency stop you will still be in balance under heavy braking, as you come to a stop just slide off as before.
Be aware those 'suicide levers' will reduce braking force.

I think your Traveler is an earlier model looking at the center pull brakes. The front wheel looks like a replacement. The part chrome forks are cool. Are those rims steel? If so watch out for less effective braking in the wet.
Mine is interesting in that the only American component they could find to put on it were the rims, made by Sun who also made motorcycle rims.
One of my favourite bikes.

 

[Drago]

Yes, with my legs fully stretched my toes barely touch the ground. I realize I want to be high enough to extend my legs for pedaling, but this seems just a bit too much. I'd like to feel like at least the tips of my toes can solidly touching the ground when I'm seated.

But thats incorrect. When stationary you should be out of the saddle and one foot flat on the floor. There is no riding or sizing scenario where butt-in-saddle-and-tippie-toe is appropriate.

As a rough guide, if you're tippie toe when seated youre likely not far off the correct position.