Originally Posted by
GoGranny
I had an old, entry-level mens Trek mountain bike that I used mostly for riding a rather rough, lightly graveled and often muddy bike path (C&O Canal in Western Maryland). I would come home from rides with a sore backside, aching wrists, and a cramp in my neck. A padded seat didn't help much. I got smoother tires, which reduced the effort needed for pedaling, but even without tired achy calf muscles I wasn't enjoying the rides much.
I tried several bikes at a local bike shop and I ended up with a Giant Cypress comfort/hybrid bike. Now I'm not sure this was a good choice. The bike is comfortable with a rather upright posture, but I feel like I'm precariously balanced, sitting up high on its larger wheels with narrower tires. I've actually fallen while riding this bike, when I slowed down to ride through a tunnel on a paved bike path (Allegheny Passage).
Until I started getting the aches and pains, I used to enjoy weekend camping trips on the Trek and before that, on a Murray 3-speed. I feel so unbalanced on the Cypress that I haven't even tried a 20-mile day, let alone put on the panniers.
I've made several adjustments to the seat and handlebar positions, suspension, etc. The folks where I bought it say it fits fine and I just need to get used to riding it. I can't get used to the feeling that I'm about to go flying into the canal!
At another bike shop, a salesperson told me the bike is too large for me. This one has a 19" frame. I'm 5'5" tall and I have a 31-1/2 inseam.
Is this the wrong bike for me? Or am I just getting wimpy in my old age? How could I modify this bike so it would suit me better? Or should I just start over? If so, with what?
The 3 most important things with a bicycle are fit, fit and fit. A bicycle that does not fit, can't be comfortable, and from what your describing, the Cypress does not fit, see your of different proportions then the bicycle is designed for, in that you have longer legs and shorter torso, where the bicycle is probably designed for shorter legs and longer torso. To make this work, most economically, go to a professional fitter, they might be able to make the Cypress work, they will probably recommend a different bicycle though.
Bike shop sales people, are usually not the best fitters, because many of them don't care if the bicycle fits or not, as long as they can move inventory. This doesn't apply to all of them, good ones do care, often if the sales person OWNS the shop, they will care quite a bit, because they know that the happy customer can spend 5X the cost of the bicycle on accessories, spare parts, clothing and other stuff, which has a much higher markup then the bicycle itself.
Your first question though is internal, what kind of riding do you like to do, where and how far, this should be a dealers first question, but often it isn't, if they see a grey hair or a bit of an expanded girth, they assume the rider will be DRIVING to the park pootling around on the MUP for 5 minutes, then driving home. Never mind the fact that I've seen riders that were 30lbs over weight, with white hair who ride their bikes further in a year then most people drive.
Next you need to talk to a professional fitter, they can tell you the geometry limits your sizing needs to fit into, most likely restriction will be top tube length, rather then seat post length, due to your build. Once you have the right type of bike, properly fitted, you are all set.