Originally Posted by
carleton
It depends on everyone's unique combination of:
- Femur length
- Terrain (hilly vs flat)
- Riding style (spin vs mash)
- Gear choice
- What feels right
You forgot the most important two (in my opinion):
- the ground clearance of your bottom bracket
- how much you want to lean over in the corners
I'm used to my motorbike where I can (and do) almost lean 90 degrees before it hits the road, and even then the footpegs just fold up to give you a few more inches of clearance.
If I haven't ridden a bicycle for a while, I almost always strike a peddle to the ground within the first few minutes.