The new girl

[s7ephanie]

went out on the new girl today for a couple of hours, now thing is although i had saddle height same as old bike, toes just touching ground when on saddle, i found that my knees hurt and it felt like legs didn't strighten out on pedels like old bike, could it be a shorter crank arm length ? the wheels are 700c against the old 26 and are skinnier, bike felt lighter and a little more responsive, couldn't tell if it was faster as i didn't have the counter thingy set up
i have put saddle up a bit for tomorrow
but i like the new bike and she is called Lil because she is silver with lilac trim, so called lilac Lil just means i need new clobber so i don't clash

 

[stephec]

Measure from the top of the saddle to the centre of the pedal axle on your old bike, making sure the seat tube and crank form a straight line, then transfer this measurement to your new bike.

 

[Pale Rider]

went out on the new girl today for a couple of hours, now thing is although i had saddle height same as old bike, toes just touching ground when on saddle, i found that my knees hurt and it felt like legs didn't strighten out on pedels like old bike, could it be a shorter crank arm length ? the wheels are 700c against the old 26 and are skinnier, bike felt lighter and a little more responsive, couldn't tell if it was faster as i didn't have the counter thingy set up
i have put saddle up a bit for tomorrow
but i like the new bike and she is called Lil because she is silver with lilac trim, so called lilac Lil just means i need new clobber so i don't clash

Makes sense, with you on the saddle, the ground is about an inch further away than on the old bike due to the bigger wheels.

Setting the saddle for tip toe on the new bike will give you slightly less extension to the pedals, which is what you have found.

Moving the saddle up a bit, as you have done, is the solution.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

As Pale Rider said above, plus learn how to glide elegantly down from the saddle and nimbly jump back up because you won't be able to touch the ground on tiptoe anymore.

 

[Pale Rider]

As Pale Rider said above, plus learn how to glide elegantly down from the saddle and nimbly jump back up because you won't be able to touch the ground on tiptoe anymore.

Starting and stopping elegantly - and safely - will require more technique with the bigger wheels.

Time to dust off the Sheldon Brown mount/dismount video:

http://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Starting and stopping elegantly - and safely - will require more technique with the bigger wheels.

Time to dust off the Sheldon Brown mount/dismount video:

http://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html

You're full of useful links today Going to read this as my new arrival will have 700C wheels instead of he 26 I'm used too.

 

[vernon]

I could be worse @Pat "5mph" and @s7ephanie ...

You'll need some stiletto toed shoes to touch the ground on this:...

 

[Archie_tect]

How on earth do you get on or, even worse, off that when you stop?

 

[alans]

How on earth do you get on or, even worse, off that when you stop?

Carefully I expect

 

[stephec]

How on earth do you get on or, even worse, off that when you stop?

I've struggled to get my leg over in far worse situations that that in the past.

 

[welsh dragon]

Is there a way of learning how to fall off elegantly? Or do you just end up in a heap on the ground after attempting to dismount that contraption?

 

[screenman]

Distance from pedal to top of saddle is more important than saddle to floor, there is setback to think about as well.

Take vertical line up from the bottom bracket then measure from that to the saddle.