Short bentriders-What do you ride? - Page 4

Finally someone who tells it like it is! I'm tired of people 4' tall telling of how they can
comfortably reach the ground on thier SWB with the 25" seat height. I too am 5'5" and have
ridden/owned a number of bents. The only ones I have been able to reach the ground comfortably were
a Tour Easy, Stratus, and V2.

Rocketman58

ea@linuxmail.org (Chuck M) wrote in message
news:<702ae2e9.0304241253.29051c04@posting.google.com>...
> Lets clairify.... ok guys? "Both feet flat on the ground" (in my opinion), means the butt is still
> comfortably seated. At 5ft-5in., I cannot enjoy bents with seats much taller than 20". Some of the
> wonderful machines suggested exceed this magic number and are simply NOT suitable for shorter
> legged riders. The GRR/Tour Easy, for example is 22" and the RANS V2 is 19". "Frequent
> tippy-toeing" not long induces painful muscle strain, but is obviously VERY unsafe - especially on
> loose surfaces.
>
>
>
>
>
> > "cbb" <cbmabaker@excite.com> wrote in message
> > news:aa193f37.0304220617.65deb37@posting.google.com...
> > > Neither my wife(5'9") or myself(6'2") have a problem with height on bikes but I wonder at the
> > > marketing of the Bent manufactures to not include a significant portion of the population. It
> > > seems that anyone under 5'6" is having trouble fitting on bents without some consessions. ...

Hi, everyone,

I am about 5'1" and happily riding a dual 20" Quantum Toxy LT, (xs frame) with hardshell seat. And
yes, with both feet flat on the ground for safety and stability

cbmabaker@excite.com (cbb) wrote in message :

>Most SWBs will not scale to a smaller size without reducing the tire size. I think the SWB
>manufactures will need to use 16" (349) tires to accomadate smaller people which means having
>different components in addition to different frames.

lea@linuxmail.org (Chuck M) wrote in message
news:<702ae2e9.0304241253.29051c04@posting.google.com>...
> Lets clairify.... ok guys? "Both feet flat on the ground" (in my opinion), means the butt is still
> comfortably seated. At 5ft-5in., I cannot enjoy bents with seats much taller than 20". Some of the
> wonderful machines suggested exceed this magic number and are simply NOT suitable for shorter
> legged riders. The GRR/Tour Easy, for example is 22" and the RANS V2 is 19". "Frequent
> tippy-toeing" not long induces painful muscle strain, but is obviously VERY unsafe - especially on
> loose surfaces.
>

I had the same question. I'm just under 5'8", with a 30" inseam and I can sit on my V-Rex seat with
both feet flat on the ground only if I scoot forward from the backrest and sit straight up.
Otherwise if I'm leaning back against the backrest (I use a mid-range reclined position), I'm on my
toes. So I was wondering from these posts, am I considered flatfooted or tippy-toed on my V-Rex?
BTW, I just ordered a short stop seat from RANS, I'll make a post to let shorter riders know if it
helps once it arrives (currently back ordered and should be filled in May).

Brian Tailwind (flat footed while resting comfortably)/V-Rex (resting comfortably only on toes)

Daira, Is there an English web page for the bike or any US retailers? I did a search but everything
I found (except your post) was German or Dutch or ????

rgb4dd@attbi.com (Daira D.) wrote in message
news:<a639fc02.0304242125.3f3d1aed@posting.google.com>...
> Hi, everyone,
>
> I am about 5'1" and happily riding a dual 20" Quantum Toxy LT, (xs frame) with hardshell seat. And
> yes, with both feet flat on the ground for safety and stability
>
>

Chuck, Numbers alone can be very misleading. A lot depends on the seat type. For example the Haluzak
requires the leg to be bent 90 degrees at the knee when the feet are down. The GRR/TE has a
"tractor" type seat that is wedge shaped at the front. A rider can slope their thigh toward the
ground with this type of seat.

I am at the head of the short-rider line (5.3" with 36.5-37" X-seam). My Haluzak Leprechaun is
custom xtra-short and I am still tippy toes on the ground. I test rode a Medium GRR (Small would be
my size) and my feet were perfectly flat on the ground despite the seat heighth number (whatever it
is). I could hear Steppin Wolf playing and I felt like getting a tatoo and wondered if anyone made
leather bike shorts.

I did not have that much fun on the 15 mile test ride. I was not used to all that crap in front of
me but the point is my feet did touch the ground--flat. Honest, I swear.

lea@linuxmail.org (Chuck M) wrote in message
news:<702ae2e9.0304241253.29051c04@posting.google.com>...
> Lets clairify.... ok guys? "Both feet flat on the ground" (in my opinion), means the butt is still
> comfortably seated. At 5ft-5in., I cannot enjoy bents with seats much taller than 20". Some of the
> wonderful machines suggested exceed this magic number and are simply NOT suitable for shorter
> legged riders. The GRR/Tour Easy, for example is 22" and the RANS V2 is 19". "Frequent
> tippy-toeing" not long induces painful muscle strain, but is obviously VERY unsafe - especially on
> loose surfaces.
>
>

dizone1@lycos.com (Don) wrote in message

> Daira, Is there an English web page for the bike or any US retailers? I did a search but
> everything I found (except your post) was German or Dutch or ????

Don,

the web page http://www.toxy.de does have English version, as well as complete online shop. Also,
triketrails.com (Canada), has just picked up the Toxy line.

Happy trails, Daira