El Gato27

Bought a road bike and had it for a few months. Seemed fine in the test drive and fitting but after I rode it a few times I noticed my heel would clip the chain stay occasionally. I tried different combinations of pedals and shoes but the problem persisted. The bike also presented a few other minor issues. Eventually I took the bike back to the LBS. Didn’t want to because I got a decent deal on the bike, but I knew I wasn’t going to be using it as it was. When I would ride I would pick a different bike to ride.

So, what frame geometry should I be looking at to avoid that problem? I think it was related to the cassette gears--10 speeds.
My old road bike only has 6 speeds.

Thank you.

Leebo

More info please. Don't make us guess. What bike, what size, what size shoe? What kind of pedal,( flat or clipless, road or mt clipless?) What length BB spindle?

fietsbob

One which has a Narrow stay spread coming back from the BB

and then is radically bent outward towards the back to match the Hub Width needs.

Its not 'Geometry' Its manufacturing design specifications..

squirtdad

crank length also

spoiledrotten

So you walk duck footed? Are your toes pointed out much when you walk?

dabac

K+1
Maybe one with a triple crank.
Try some Knee Savers - pedal axle extenders.
An Alfine or Rohloff IGH?

cny-bikeman

It's very unusual that someone's heel would hit the chainstay. I would assume your heels are not canted inward, or you would be hitting the crank arm also. The easiest fix might be pedal extenders or a crankset or spindle with a larger "Q factor"

fietsbob

FWIW the Chainline requirements of the Rohloff Hub, already puts the cranks On a Pretty BB wide axle..

Leebo

Unless you have da Sasquatch feet like I do. ( size 15)

SkyDog75

A 6-speed hub is typically 126 mm wide. 7-speed through 11-speed road bike hubs are generally 130 mm wide. The frame, at the hub, is only going to protrude 2 mm further from the bike's centerline on each side. It's a pretty small difference, and doesn't necessarily mean that a bike will be any wider at the chain stays where you'd get heel strike.

Narrower chain stays are one thing that could help reduce the possibility of heel strike, which means a different model frame, but there are some other things that can help, too. You can add spacer washers between your pedal and crank arm, gaining a millimeter or two of clearance per side. A crankset with a slightly wider "q factor" is another (more expensive) way to spread your feet a little bit and help you gain some clearance. Some pedals are available with spindles of different lengths, allowing you to tailor your stance width a little bit.

Leebo had some good questions above. Answers to those could help someone give you answers that'll get you pointed in the right direction.

fietsbob

NB: 6 & 7 are both fits on 126 frames its the 8th and upwards that need 130 ..

habilis

What kind of foot retention do you use, if any? My feet turn out. I notice that power delivery and knee comfort are improved when my foot is held straight fore and aft, and heel-strikes are prevented.

HillRider

A bike with short chainstays is going to have them splayed out further closer to the bottom bracket than a bike with long chainstays. If you bought a close-coupled road frame to replace a longer wheelbase "touring-type" frame that could be why the problem has just shown up. Also, some aluminum and carbon frames have very fat chainstays for additional stiffness and that may also contribute.

JohnDThompson 

Probably the simplest solution.



Amazon.com : Bicycle Pedal Extenders (Stainless Steel/No Rust) - Made in the USA : Bike Drivetrain Components : Sports & Outdoors

Trakhak

You say that you tried different combinations of pedals and shoes. You probably were using shoes designed for bike use, but if not, note that cycling shoes have narrower heels than most other athletic shoes. If you weren't using cycling shoes, that might have been the problem.

Sasquatch16

Size 16 and duck feet = 30mm knee savers for me