Compensating for a bike that's too small
11-21-14, 12:13 PM
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Compensating for a bike that's too small
I acquired another project by way of my wife and stepdaughter rummaging around in an antique store. She saw it was an old Raleigh Technium MTB and bought it on the spot for me.
However, when I got home from work and saw the bike, it's on the small side for me. It's a nice bike otherwise and she got it pretty cheap, so I will do a refurb, regardless. I asked my wife, and she doesn't want it...she's happy with her cruiser.
My question is, can a bike that's too small (but not WAY too small) be compensated for with a longer seatpost and a different handlebar stem? I think it's possible, but it's close to the limit of what I think I can compensate for. I was thinking about putting dropbars on it, for whatever that's worth. I'm aware that the geometry can get weird if I go too far, but I can't picture in my head where that point would be, or what the repercussions would be as far as rideability or safety.
So...is this doable? Or am I headed for trouble and heartbreak, and I should just fix it up and flip it?
However, when I got home from work and saw the bike, it's on the small side for me. It's a nice bike otherwise and she got it pretty cheap, so I will do a refurb, regardless. I asked my wife, and she doesn't want it...she's happy with her cruiser.
My question is, can a bike that's too small (but not WAY too small) be compensated for with a longer seatpost and a different handlebar stem? I think it's possible, but it's close to the limit of what I think I can compensate for. I was thinking about putting dropbars on it, for whatever that's worth. I'm aware that the geometry can get weird if I go too far, but I can't picture in my head where that point would be, or what the repercussions would be as far as rideability or safety.
So...is this doable? Or am I headed for trouble and heartbreak, and I should just fix it up and flip it?
11-21-14, 12:15 PM
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Hogosha Sekai
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A long seatpost with plenty of setback is typically all it takes for me to modify a bike that's just a bit too small for me, occasionally a slightly longer stem.. but if you go too long you will affect handling and in a bad way IMO. It's definitely doable, but it's more about is it comfortable for you? I don't think you'll know that until you've built it though.
11-21-14, 12:19 PM
#3
Still learning
FWIW, most of us go up in MTB frame size when doing a drop bar conversion, not down.
11-21-14, 12:20 PM
#4
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How small is too small?
It's normal to ride an MTB a size or two smaller than your road bike. So whereas I ride a 24" road bike, my 21" or 22" MTB frame fits fine. Similarly, I have a 21" frame three speed that I like to ride, and all I had to do to that was put on a longer seat post. But I ave a pretty aggressive riding position on either one of those, so even with the flat or upright handlebar I'm in a road bike type posture. If that sounds good to you, you may be able to make it work.
I rather doubt a drop bar conversion will work.
It's normal to ride an MTB a size or two smaller than your road bike. So whereas I ride a 24" road bike, my 21" or 22" MTB frame fits fine. Similarly, I have a 21" frame three speed that I like to ride, and all I had to do to that was put on a longer seat post. But I ave a pretty aggressive riding position on either one of those, so even with the flat or upright handlebar I'm in a road bike type posture. If that sounds good to you, you may be able to make it work.
I rather doubt a drop bar conversion will work.
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11-21-14, 12:23 PM
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Oh I must have glossed over the dropbar part.. every too small mtb I've dropbar converted was a disaster.
11-21-14, 12:24 PM
#6
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At least she didn't buy you a sweater.
If the bike is too small, you can't make it bigger.
It too small and you know you won't ride it.
Somewhere out there is a small guy looking for a bike just like that one.
If the bike is too small, you can't make it bigger.
It too small and you know you won't ride it.
Somewhere out there is a small guy looking for a bike just like that one.
11-21-14, 01:46 PM
#8
Senior Member
Be careful. You might soon realize you've put more money into a bike that's too small than the bike is worth (been there).
Pretty nice of your wife to buy you a bike, maybe you can use the components for another project or something?
Pretty nice of your wife to buy you a bike, maybe you can use the components for another project or something?
11-21-14, 03:48 PM
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I've got a great big, huge expensive truck. I talk really loud and big. I often mention my outstanding manliness and my somewhat vague stories of my legions of female fans...
Oh... compensating for a small BIKE...
Never mind.
Oh... compensating for a small BIKE...
Never mind.
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11-21-14, 05:43 PM
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Ha! At my size, that isn't an issue! Anything over 54cm is absolutely unrideable for me!
11-21-14, 07:27 PM
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I had this one-size-too-small bike adjusted via seatpost & stem to a reasonable fit, while I was on a 6-month stint in Switzerland; but when I got back to my complete stable I realized it was still a little bit cramped, so I decided to park the Miyata and find a replacement.
11-21-14, 07:36 PM
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I can't speak to MTBs (they never listen anyway) but I'd say try a longer seatpost and a stem with more reach. In my limited experience with frames that were nominally too small that has worked just fine, provided the frame wasn't really too small.
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11-21-14, 07:46 PM
#14
In the right lane
Longer stem and moving the saddle back help somewhat. The good news is that a too-small bike makes your right-size bike feel so much nicer.
11-21-14, 07:51 PM
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You can but some saddle height with a long mtn bike post, so that shouldn't be an issue. You may not need setback because the seat moves back with height anyway (by virtue of the 73° seat tube angle).
The stem may be more on an issue. You can get more forward extension, or you can get some more height, but longer and taller stems are like hen's teeth. You might take a different approach by firring a threadless stem adapter and using a high angle stem of the right length upside down, so it rises.
The stem may be more on an issue. You can get more forward extension, or you can get some more height, but longer and taller stems are like hen's teeth. You might take a different approach by firring a threadless stem adapter and using a high angle stem of the right length upside down, so it rises.
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11-21-14, 08:24 PM
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I have gone down, not up. Otherwise the effective top tube length is just too long and I'm too stretched out. Let me put it this way, my optimum top tube length is about 54 cm. That's what I measure for fit, the seat tube measurement is secondary. I can raise the seat and the handlebars.
11-21-14, 08:42 PM
#17
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To the OP - if you've got the stuff laying around why not try it and report back. Sometimes things look good on paper, but not so much in real life.
11-21-14, 09:01 PM
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I was wondering if you could talk more about this. When I wanted to do my mountain bike to drop bar conversion I ended up buying a smaller mountain bike frame (1995 Trek 820) for a shorter top tube length. I felt that if I tried this conversion on one of my ideally sized mtb's I'd be too stretched out. Anyway I used a Nitto MT-10 dirt drop stem with 100 mm. I used the longer stem because since it angles up more that horizontally and I wanted height that I needed since the frame was smaller. Anyway, who knows. This smaller size may not work in the long haul. It feels great now though.
Teh wimmenz, OTOH, are much more likely to have shorter torsos relative to height, with legs all the way down to the floor. So you are not unusual to seek a shorter top tube.
If it feels great, it's probably is great. Eventually, after you set up enough bikes, you get a feeling for what saddle to bar distance is good in various uses.
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11-21-14, 09:50 PM
#19
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arex, I like my mountain bikes small, but I would not think it's a good start for a drop bar conversion. It could work with perhaps an off road style drop bar like a SOMA Junebug, Nitto Dirt Drop or other. A trekking bar may also be a viable option.
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11-21-14, 10:25 PM
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11-23-14, 11:31 AM
#23
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I think I'm going to be able to make this work. My primary mountain bike has a 54cm seat tube and a 55cm top tube, whereas the Raleigh has a 48cm seat tube, but a 54cm top tube. I should be able to make do just fine with a taller seatpost, and maybe riser handlebars, as someone suggested, or else a threadless stem.
11-23-14, 02:51 PM
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I think I'm going to be able to make this work. My primary mountain bike has a 54cm seat tube and a 55cm top tube, whereas the Raleigh has a 48cm seat tube, but a 54cm top tube. I should be able to make do just fine with a taller seatpost, and maybe riser handlebars, as someone suggested, or else a threadless stem.
11-24-14, 11:47 AM
#25
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