Originally Posted by
WheelsNT
Be aware that a stoker doesn’t have to be able to touch the ground. More teams than not have the captain hold the bike up while the stoker gets on, and it’s the captain’s job to keep the bike up until the stoker gets off. So even though the Cannondale dimensions might be too big for your wife as a single bike, they might work fine for a tandem.
I really wish everyone who makes this kind of claim would go out and ride a bike that is several sizes too large for them to see how it feels to ride a bike that you can’t comfortably ride. No, a stoker may not need to be able to touch the ground that often but they do need to get on and off the bike. And it’s not comfortable to get on or off the bike if the bike feels like it is going to split you in two. Would you want to bail off a bike in a hurry if it is 3” too tall? A 50cm frame is 7cm larger than what a 5’2” woman should be riding.
I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve seen people on the Bike Forums state that proper bicycle fit is paramount. I happen to agree with them. But, often, the same people will say that a small woman should ride a bike that is obviously the wrong size. Bike fit
is important. It’s perhaps even more important for small people.