UPDATE: Per you guys' advice, I went and test rode a 29er. It was a Phat Cycles Rumble bike. Funny, my son has the exact same bike except in 26 inch. Anyway, it felt like riding butter, man. It felt like it FIT! The seat tube was longer than my 26er, and so was the top tube (distance from head tube to seat tube). But it had the wrong spoke count for my 3-speed hub. Also didn't have coaster brakes, only a front brake. And for what he was asking, it wasn't worth taking only the frame.

Also rode a buddy's 29er, although it was a mountain bike, totally different animal. It felt big enough, but of course the style doesn't fit my purposes. Still, it was nice to feel a bigger bike.

I'd already visited bike shops, so no use returning. It's down to buddie's bikes and OfferUp, Craigslist, and FB mktplace bikes.

Anyway, the search continues. THANKS AGAIN!

If any of you guys want that free eBook I offered, but you're reluctant to post your email address, you can go my website and submit a "contact us" form. Just explain where I know you from and I'll hook you up. MiamiTKD.com is the website.

Happy holidays and if we don't chat before then, Merry Christmas!

respacing can also open several cans of worms that slowly crawl out and bite people.
like when i tried to respace a donated old aluminum road frame, and ended up with an aluminum paper weight ... or a customer's old steel bike that had been spread more than enough, but hadn't had the dropouts reset, so the hub was binding and self-destructed, repeatedly.. and the wheel was crooked in the frame, causing some rather odd and dangerous handling...

The size of the wheel has nothing to do with why your knees hurt. A larger wheel will not increase the distance between the saddle and the crank, and it's highly unlikely it will fit, anyway. Get a bike with a larger frame.

Apparently I haven't been clear, because getting another bike is exactly my plan. It's just that I plan on moving my 3-speed rear hub to the new bike.

As far as the 29" wheels having nothing to do with saddle-to-pedal distance, I understand that principle, and I've heard this countless times—yet a tape measure has proven otherwise. At least with the bikes I've measured. On every 26"-wheeled bike I've measured, the distance from the lowered pedal to the seat tube clamp is 24". On every 29"-wheeled bike I've measured, it's 27". More importantly, that 3 inches sounds like nothing, but it makes a huge difference to how my knees feel when I pedal it. There is also at least a 3" difference in the top / main / cross tube. That also makes a huge difference in how it rides.

Maybe it's just the cruisers in Miami, and maybe it's just coincidence, but thus far, according to my tape measure, 29"-wheeled cruisers have proven to come with larger frames than 26"-wheeled cruisers.

At the end of the day, I'm right there with you. I don't give a crap if the bike has skateboard wheels. As long as my legs can extend comfortably on the downstrokes, and aren't in my armpits on the upstrokes, that works for me. It's just that, at least so far, no bike with wheels smaller than 29 inches have met that criteria. But I'm still looking with an open mind.

Thanks for your input and I'll keep you guys posted.

Maybe as long as the concept of raising the seat remains foreign to you, you'll keep receiving suggestions that don't work.

Ah man. Up until now, everyone has avoided sarcasm and insulting language. I'm disappointed to see the first sarcastic comment.

But since you're into that, let's have some fun: Your comment inspired me to raise the seat tube of my youngest kid's tricycle until the seat was in my crotch—and by golly you were right! It works just as well as a 29" mountain bike! I am burning past huge-wheeled cyclists as if they were standing still.

But what about my 3-year-old kid? What's she going to ride now?

Not to worry. I lowered the seat tube of my old 26er and BOOM! Fits her perfectly.

Who knew? Any size frame will work for any size person - as long as they adjust the seat tube.

Thanks so saving me the hassle of trying out larger-framed bikes!

I think your questions are confusing because it seems like you’re suggesting changing wheel size to adjust the fit of the bike, which is determined by the frame.

From my original question:

All the 29" bikes I've test ridden have had not only larger wheels but larger frames. That's why I was looking for a 29" bike.

I'll try and clear up my situation:

!. I want a larger-framed bike because my current 26" bike is too small. According to the bikes I've test ridden, 29" bikes come with not only larger wheels but larger frames. That's why I asked about a 29" bike. Read my original post. I never said anything about putting 29" wheels on my 26" bike.

3. I love my 3-speed hub, but no 29" bike I've ever seen comes with one. So my plan was to get a larger bike (not just larger wheels, a larger BIKE), which would presumably have 29" wheels, and trade out the hubs (3-speed / single speed). So I wanted to know if the 3-speed hub would work on a 29" wheel, if in fact 29" wheels are what I end up with.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'll take a bike with skateboard wheels if the frame fits me. But I've never seen any bike with wheels smaller than 29" that works for my size. Still, you guys have educated me. So I'm trying anything that looks big enough, regardless of the wheel size.

I will report my findings as I progress.

Good morning, gentlemen. (I presume there are no ladies present. If so, good morning to you as well!)

My search for a bigger bike led me to a 29" Kent which for the first time was the same frame dimensions as my 26". I actually ordered it and removed it from the box, all bound in zip ties, and measured the critical frame parts. Too small. This was a 29" Walmart Kent Seachange bike. So this is proof of what several of you told me, that a 29" bike won't necessarily have a larger frame. Most I've looked at have, but not this one.

So as I'm shopping, I'm finding it a real hassle to get the measurements I need from online images. That's what led to the Walmart bike hassle. But I thought of something. I'm somewhat of a herpetologist, see. And measuring a snake is a real pain, especially if it's in a feisty mood. So I found this online snake measuring app called Serpent Widgets. You just photograph your snake when it's as straight and still as you can get it, but alongside it you place a ruler, or anything of which you're certain of the length. Upload the image to the app, then click on each end of the ruler, calibrating the process. After that, you click as many points on the snake as necessary to traverse its entire spine. Each new point produces a new measurement until you work your way down the entire snake. Boom done. Well, why not use it on a bike? I have been, and it works great! Even if the bike is photographed at an angle (as with Craigs and OfferUp bikes), as long as your calibration points follow the same angle as the parts you're measuring, it renders accurate results. So I calibrate according to the tire / rim size, then measure the seat post and main post, or whatever I like. Much easier than measuring a snake. The link is here if you guys ever find yourself in need of measuring a bike, or anything:

Serpwidgets - Snake Measurer

I'm looking at a 26" bike today. 26" wheels, that is. It looks solid and it's only $50 bucks on OfferUp. According to Snake Widget estimates, it's a frame made for a giant, more proof that, while rim size might be an indicator, it is not proof of a larger frame. Man will that ever make things easy. I can just switch out the entire back wheel / tire / rim / everything and boom done. 3-speed with a Viking frame. Wish me luck.

Thanks again for all the input, folks!

The problem with your measurement is that you've marked the top tube not the seat tube. BMX frames are sized by top tube length but others are usually sized by seat tube length. As your problem is leg extension it's the seat tube you should be more concerned about, although you can fit a longer seatpost to a smaller frame to get correct leg extension (most cheap bikes have short seatposts). Then top tube length and stack height determine the starting position for the handlebar, which you adjust with stem length and height/angle, and bar rise, sweep and width. A classic road bike frame has similar seat tube and top tube lengths, but mountain bikes and cruisers tend to have seat tubes shorter than top tubes. I have road bikes with 25" frames and mountain bikes with 18" frames, set up so the riding position is pretty similar on all of them.

Yeah, I should have known better than to include that example image. That's only one tube I measured. Of course the most important measurement is the seat tube. I measured all kinds of stuff while I was on there, it just happened that that main tube was the last thing I measured.

So here's a new image.

I'm "only" 6'1" but this is the seatpost extension on a 21" Fuji (currently fitted with a mid-motor). Sometimes you need to look like a clown.

As with any app, crap in crap out. I entered 26". This is a 29". When I entered the correct wheel diameter of 29", the seatpost came out to 21". My current seat tube is 18". So I may give this Retrospec a shot. In fact my 26" is a Retrospec, and it's held up quite well.

Aha! I can see one of my problems, which is that my seat post is super short. If I raised mine this much, it would be completely out of the seat tube by a good three inches. More possibilities to consider. THANKS FOR THIS!

Comedy geometry - what is that, 65° and 18" chainstays? I bet that's smooth.

Have you considered walking into a bike shop to find a bike that fits you?

I appreciate the suggestion. And yes, of course I've scoured the bike shops. I've found plenty that fit me, but this is Miami, man. Bikes from a shop are anywhere from three to twelve grand. Dude, we held a family meeting about spending $200 bucks on that Walmart bike. Second, shop bikes are all multi-speed mountain bikes. Like, with cassette gears. Too much to maintain and overkill on Miami's flat terrain. And, yes, I asked about building a custom cruiser frame to fit me. They quoted a three grand deposit, and I walked away before hearing the rest. And I mean, we do crazy stuff like ride our bikes through a brackish marsh. So they're soaked to the saddles in saltwater mud. Can you imagine cleaning gear cassettes and cables after that? My son's rims rusted out after such a ride, and we gave it away and built him another one.

Here's how we roll:
https://ezrawade.com/Ezi/bike.html

So I want a bike that fits me for under $300 bucks. And I will find it, too. I read somewhere Steven Spielberg was quoted 20 million for that scene with the giant stone sphere that chased Indiana Jones down a tube of a cave. Spielberg said no way; his budget was 20 million for the whole movie. And he did it, too. So I'm going Spielberg.

All six of my family's bikes are trash pile rescues. They cost us new tubes, sometimes new tires, and a little elbow grease. And the time spent building them with my kids is worth all the money in the world.

Anyway, I'm learning a ton from you guys, which I will apply as I build more rescue bikes.


Have a good one!

1. You don't adjust seat tubes. You adjust seat posts.
2. Buy a longer seat post if needed.
3. Prove you really aren't a troll. You seem to be dismissive or flippant as your first course of action.

Shops in Miami, home to J&B Importers, ought to have the best beach cruiser selection in the country!

The important thing in all these leverage optimization is to find a system of leverage which works for you at your level of strength and desired / capable speed. This system of leverage considers crank arm length, front sprocket tooth count, rear sprocket tooth count, and the selection of mechanical ratios provided in you integrated gear hub.

There have been different models of Sturmey Archer gear hub, looking back through their 100-ish year history. Most of what cane to America were AW (wide range spread) and AM (medium range spread). The AW was available with coaster brake, or a built in generator, or even a fixed gear operation. Other oddballs include four speeds (FM and FW), some 5 speeds, and other specialized things like very close-ratio sets intended for Raleigh’s professional ultra-long-distance riders - then the champions of rides such as Lands’ End to John O’Groats. But by far the AW was the most common one provided in the United States..You can modify the ratios of the bicycle by changing the big sprocket, the small sprocket, or the crank arm length. If you change the wheel diameter from less than 320 mm to more like 700 mm, you will also get an overall gearing change, which can be compensated by the sorts of changes I have mentioned, among others. If you look in the (giant) thread on Raleigh 3-speeds or just 3-speed integrated gear hubs (aka IGH), you’ll find a lot of drive setups with high gears ranging from 104-ish equivalent gear inches down to merhaps 75 or even 60 inch equivalent gear inches.

There is a big world of solutions, but they are not usually as simple as “just go to 29” wheels.”

Wow! What a wealth of information! Thanks so much for taking the time to write it out.

For some reason, a lot of people seem to be under the impression my plan was to put 29" wheels on my 26" bike (as if they would even fit) and expect that to bring sweet knee relief. Guys. I am not that dense. I stated in my original post I was looking into getting a new bike. A bigger bike. Not just switching out my wheels. It just so happened the new, larger-framed bike I was considering at the time came with 29" wheels, and thus the question about the effects of putting the 3-speed hub from my 26" rim onto a 29" rim. I've been piecing together "Frankenstein" bikes since I was 12, and long ago figured out the difference sprockets, teeth, crank arms, pedals, chains and frame weight and size makes. Like a car, you can't just cram a McLaren engine into a 1970 Pinto and expect to win the grand prix. The whole system works together—engine, transmission, linkage, rear end, steering column, shifter, tires...everything. Bikes are the same way.

The bike I looked at yesterday was a no-go, but I bought it anyway. Hey. It was $20 bucks. I'll trade out what parts I want to keep, clean it up and give it to some neighborhood kid.

Did I tell you guys I saw a knee specialist this week? I have a freshly torn left meniscus and a boat load of old injuries to the ligaments. And of course arthritis. The torn meniscus is the only thing worrisome; everything else had long since healed. The doc suspects the tear was from twisting my left (supporting) knee during a martial arts kick with my right leg. Not from bike riding. He gave me a shot of steroid right in the center of my knee, through a needle as big as a throwing dart. It's supposed to reduce inflammation and facilitate "healing," or at least my body adapting to the new shape of the meniscus. We're crossing our fingers surgery will not be necessary. Anyway, I can feel all those old injuries when riding my current bike, so something has to change. I really appreciate you guys helping me get there.

I'll keep you posted.

1985 geometry (70/70 head and seat tube angles, long chain stays, horizontal dropouts so a coaster brake could be fabricated), and in one life it carried me and several little ones in bike seats all over the bike paths and trails in "the OC". BTW, you can purchase an aluminum cruiser with a Shimano three speed coaster hub from bikes direct for $284, but would need to "clown" it with a longer seatpost.

1. I stand corrected on "seat post." It was just a brain fart.

2. Thanks for the idea. In fact I just bought a $20 bike yesterday that I intend to clean up and give away. It's got a longer seat post which I will switch out with my old one. I knew there were longer seat posts available, and I don't know why I never went and got one. Probably because I'm just tired of my bike. In addition to being too short vertically, it's also too short horizontally (top tube is 21"). So when I make a sharp turn, I have to hike my inside knee out to the side. Plus, I just want a bigger bike. I loved my old bike, but I'm tired of it. I want a bigger bike. To fit me better, but also just for the hell of it. And bike projects thrill me. And maybe tomorrow I'll decide I want it pink, or to put streamers on the grips, or install training wheels, or to mount a Christmas tree in the head set. What's wrong with any of that?

3. Sorry you think I'm a troll, but news flash: I don't care. I've thanked people for applicable tips (like buying a new seat post - thanks again), and I've pointed out when people misunderstood my original posting (like those who point out the problem with and/or futility of installing 29" wheels on my 26" bike, something I never said I was going to do). And since you were sarcastic with me, I was sarcastic back. If you find that to be flippant, well, I don't know what to tell you.

BOOM! Thanks for the recommendation. Maybe you'll soon see me in a clown suit. And it wouldn't be the first time.

Really 70°? It looks slacker than that, but as you say, pretty standard for a mid-'80s machine.