ocelotito

I haven't ridden in 8 years and my kids are starting to ride their own bikes. We would like to do some family rides and I want to get a bike. My constraints are:

I am 4'11"
I have some wrist/carpal tunnel issues
I am recovering from a serious neck injury
I am not a particularly agile rider
It has to be trek

I went to a trek store and I had chosen a mountain back but was convinced to get a Trek7200 or a navigator. THey didn't have the navigator on my size so I got the 7200. I am not particularly happy about the choice, Even with the smallest frame the bike feels huge and hard to handle, especially for sharp turns. I considered a navigator, or even a mountain one but at the time they didn't have it on my size. Now they do. I can return the 7200 for store credit only. I know that trying out a bike for a couple of minutes in a parking lot won't give me much of an idea of what the bike will feel in the long run. I read somewhere that it wasn't a good idea to get a bike with a small frame and 700cc tires. Is this true? Are there options/combinations more adequate for me? Thanks

DIana

masiman

The problem with small frames and larger tires is that the pedal/feet can overlap the front tire such that it is possible to hit your foot if you turn sharp enough. This is pretty much is only a problem at lower speeds. At higher speeds you don't turn the wheel that sharp, unless you want to crash. I imagine a bike that fits you well will have 26" or smaller tires. There is an in between tire series called 650 (A, B and C) that might work on a bike for you but they are not very common.

You do have other options but they are riskier. You could sell your bike yourself on Craigslist or by any other method. This would free you up to get whatever you like. It is riskier because you may not get what the LBS is offering, you may not find a bike you like better than what the LBS can offer, etc. This option would really be if you know of a particular bike that you would like to get, which it sounds like you don't have.

For folks with neck and back injuries, recumbents are generally recommended. They even have recumbent trikes that are nothing like the boardwalk grandma trikes.

Rosie8

Don't know if they have the size, but try Trek Pure. More upright seating and lower to the ground.

ocelotito

I went back to the Trek store and tried the Navigator and some mountain bikes. I realized why I don't like the 7200; it feels like wobbly, like I can't control it well. THe navigator felt a bit the same, slightly better, but the mountains didn't. Someone suggested that it could be from having the handlebars too high with respect to the seat, which puts too much weight on the seat. A decade ago I had a cannondale hybrid that was too light in the front and I kept falling from it. So I am going back to the store and getting a mountain bike. WHen I save money again I'll get narrower tires. I tried a man's and a WSD,and the man's felt more comfortable.

THanks

fw5zTPmU2K8X

At 4'11", you might consider a 24" wheel "big kids" bike. My (thirty year old) sister is about your height, and I put her on a Trek MT220, and it has worked out well. If you do want to go bigger, it should not be bigger than 26" wheels; 700c is right out.

And for the wrists, pick up a pair of cheap mountain bike bar ends to give yourself more hand positions. Wrap them with gel bar tape, and pick up a pair of good quality padded cycling gloves (Pearl Izumi Select Gel gloves have worked best for me). When I started back to cycling, my RSI flared up something fierce, but those two simple steps (bar ends and gel gloves) made all the difference.

Good luck!

JeremyZ

+1 on the kids bike idea. Let's face it, you're kid-sized. Trek makes some higher-end kids' bikes that might fit the bill. The only challenge will be getting one without kids' styling.

One thing though, if the bike feels wobbly, it might just be that you're not used to biking any more. It may be operator error. If they feel huge, that may contribute to the wobbly feeling.

bettybl

To add to the question...if I am 5'1", do you suggest a big kids bike or an adult bike? Do the big kids bike have gearing like the Trek 7200 or does it have less features? I'm deciding on a Trek 7X00 or 7.X fx model.

fw5zTPmU2K8X

5'1" is borderline, but short enough that I would definitely try out a 24" wheel bike and see how you like it; I'm guessing that you will. (The sister I mentioned is just over five feet, YMMV.)

The gearing on the Trek MT220 does have hybrid-style gearing, maybe a little lower on the granny ring -- aimed more at getting you over the hills then winning races, which is probably what you want. Except for a lack of disc brake option, there aren't really any "features" you'd be missing.

And remember that other manufacturers have quality 24" wheel bikes; the original poster felt constrained to Trek, and a Trek MT220 was what I happened to find on craigslist in my area when I was looking, but there's obviously a whole world of bike brands out there. Quality mountain bikes in this size are actually very easy to find -- Kona, Specialized, Gary Fisher, Novara/REI, etc, etc, all make one -- but road bikes are a bit scarcer. Redline makes a 24" Conquest cyclocross bike that looks pretty good if you were interested in drop bars on a smaller bike. But if you were considering a hybrid, then you probably want a mountain bike, so you have lots of choices. Look around, take test rides, and pick up what works best for you.

masiman

All other things being somewhat equal, I'd go with a 26" wheel. I say that because your tire options are much more limited in the 24" market than what is available for 26". Also the tubes are harder to find. Shrader being the easier to find. YMMV.

ocelotito

THanks for your replies. I traded for a WSD Trek Skye (26" mountain) and feels good. It doesn't feel wobbly . I may change the tires for some thinner and slicker because I don't plan on doing much dirt/ mountain biking. Thanks for your help.