Wheel Size Swap
 

This is probably gonna sound like a really dumb question, but I cannot find any real information on it.
My wife (5'0") has a Del Sol LXI 2.0 from prior to us meeting. We are looking to get back into riding again. However, the tire size on it is simply too large. She has 26 in tires. I was curious if anyone knew if I could downgrade them to 24 in wheels/tires. Or would that mess up the braking/something else I am not aware of. Also does it matter if street or mountain tires? Thanx for any help that is out there.

If the bike has rim brakes, a smaller wheel won't work, as the rim won't contact the brake pads. Also your pedals might hit the ground when you corner. New bike time!

Hi Sojuu, welcome to BikeForums.

I really doubt that you will be able to mount smaller wheels. This bike appears to have v-brakes, which since they are mounted to fixed studs, will likely not match up with a smaller rim. There are drop bolts available, but I don't think they work for all applications. If the bike has knobby mountain bike tires, you may be able to cut a fraction of an inch by moving to smoother tires.

I'm assuming that you want smaller wheels because your wife has trouble planting her feet when stopped. You've probably attempted to lower the seat and that's about the only adjustment you can do. Perhaps if your wife can put at least one foot down she can gain some confidence and continue to use the bike, though I know it's hard to find enjoyment in a new hobby if the equipment is not suitable. My recommendation is to strongly consider purchasing a different bike. The Del Sol is rather low end bike and you would be better investing money in a more suitable bike than spending it on upgrades that may not work.

Good luck to you.

Not possible, unless the bike has disk brakes. Even then, it will be not great for reasons described in other responses.

You can just put smaller tires on the bike - if you go from 2" wide tires to 1" wide tires, the bike will drop by about an inch.

What problem is she having that you think smaller wheels would fix?

You should be able to do it, the brakes are adjustable and it's just once inch difference in radius even though it's two in diameter. Going larger is often another story. A 24 inch bike usually costs nothing though so it is kind of silly to buy new 24 inch wheels.

I really appreciate the quick responses. It sounds like a new bike may be the best solution. She wants to keep using the bike, I am just worried about it being too large as she's only 5 foot. She has complained about not being able to plant her feet from her memory of past experience.

This is an interesting feature! I wonder what brand they are and if they could be adapted to other bikes? Seems as if they would be good for 700 to 650b conversions. I'd like to know how they built in that much adjustment but I couldn't tell anything from the website, just look like ordinary V brakes.

Well, it's not the tire size...it's the wheel size.

Is she trying to put her feet flat while stradling the top bar of the frame? or the seat? I've seen many a beginner try to put their feet on the ground while sitting on the seat...which doesn't work. What size frame is it?

If she was trying to put her feet flat on the ground when on the saddle, then that is not a cause for concern - any properly set up bike will require you to reach for the ground with your toes when on the saddle. When stopped you must slide forward off the saddle and stand over the top tube of the frame in order to put your feet flat on the ground.

If she is unable to put her feet on the ground when standing over the top bar (not on the saddle) then that is a concern... emergency dismounts can cause injuries to the crotchular region. But if it is a 'step through' (woman's) frame then this is likely not the issue.