rumrunn6

I picked up a minty Schwinn World Sport just for the wheels and now I have the rest of the bike. It's a woman's frame, but is very light compared to my other bikes.

How small a frame could I go if what I fit best on is 23"

bikeman715

you need at lease 1" clearance between your private area and the top tube of the bike.you don't want to go no more 4" or the bike will feel to small to ride.

rumrunn6

well, it's a woman's frame so does anyone else have an idea about how small is too small without a standover height to measure?

Hydrated

No!

Standover height is a crappy way to choose a frame size. As a means of determining correct frame size for a rider, standover height only gives you a very basic idea of how the rider can stand over a frame in a way that no experienced rider will normally stand. How many times do you see riders standing over their bikes with both feet planted flat on the ground?

Proper frame size is determined by top tube length... seat tube height... more than standover height. I find that most modern riders are on bikes that are too small for them, and it's most often because their bike shop simply pulled a bike out of the rack and said "Straddle that... OK... that one fits you." Many bike shops size bikes that way for inexperienced riders because that's how new riders THINK that a bike is supposed to fit. They feel safe if they have both feet planted comfortably on the pavement. But a bike is supposed to fit while you're in the saddle... and that's determined by factors other than standover height.

I have people tell me all the time that my touring bike is too large for me because it is too tall for me to comfortably stand over with both feet flat. But that bike fits me like a glove and rides like a Cadillac during long days in the saddle.

rumrunn6

so ... Hydrated, I know this frame is too small for me, but since there is some lattitude in frame size and acceptable performance - in your opinion how small is too small? or do you consider the only bike rideable to be only the bike that is a perfect fit?

DMF 

Generally and within some small margin, yes.

Besides, how can you ask someone to make this judgment without knowing what your proper fit is? (and no, the 23" number is far from enough, as explained above).

johnlyons53

Too small is when you can't get the handlebars at least level with the saddle and when you keep wanting to push back and put your butt over the back of the saddle because you feel cramped.

merckx_rider

if your knees bump your elbows....

Al1943

It really depends on how much riding you intend to do and how much discomfort you are willing to accept. If you enjoy riding it that is good enough. If you want to ride 100 miles in 5 hours or less you may need a better fit. Try it.
In Europe they call that kind of frame a "step through", often preferred by men as well as women.

Hydrated

I'll ride any bike that I can adjust into the right ballpark for my size... I ride bikes that aren't a perfect fit, but I use care to get a great fit for any bike that I'll be putting great distances on.

For this bike of yours, I'd say sit on it. See if you can get enough saddle height by adjusting the seatpost up. Adjust the saddle back on the seatpost to get your position over the cranks close to correct. Then see how good the reach feels to you. Are you stretched out enough over the bike? Changing out with a longer stem can give you some more reach if needed.

You can easily make do with a bike that has a less than perfect fit... but be warned... it can come out looking kind of goofy if you have 2 feet of seatpost sticking out of the seat tube and you have a mile-long stem bolted on the front. But it really doesn't matter for an "around-town-short-hop" bike. I really only get finicky for a bike that I'll be doing long rides on... my 46 year old knees demand some TLC at times.