SWB short wheel base bikes/ actionbent?

People tell me that with a short X seam the pedals create a conflict with the front wheel.

How bad is this? and is it easyer to ride a 16" (that messures 18") than a 20" front wheel?

The problem with short wheelbase bikes is that your legs must reach past the front wheel to get at the pedals. The pedals must clear the front wheel by enough that the pedals can't inadvertently strike the front wheel. (Whereas having your heel strike the front wheel is mostly an annoyance, hard interference with the pedal arm will put you down.) So the shorter your legs, the more problems you will have fitting a SWB.

Having a small front wheel - ISO 305 or 349 instead of 406 - helps, but unless the bike is designed for those smaller sizes, simply changing the fork/wheel to the smaller size will also change the steerer tube angle, with possibly undesirable changes in the steering characteristics of the bike.

I got an actionbent and there are many more problems than you think, I prepositioned the seat from 20 degree to 35 and then added 2.5" to the steer tube to get my feet off the front wheel. and am learning to ride it with out training wheels.

but there is another problem with the chain touching the rear wheel which will make a mess of the chain in wet weather. apparently the only way to fix it is to use a narrow tire, or rig chain tubes.....a front wheel drive bike would have been a better idea.

Hi Jawn, You may want to recheck the wheel positioning, or even the frame trueness if your getting the chain touching the tire. I think that something is amiss here,, thats the first time Ive heard of that problem with an ab bike. You may want to check the positioning of the chain tubes also since they may be what is causing that problem. I actually had this very same problem with my ez when I got it, it amounted to just some minor adjustments to the chain tubes to move the chain out more. If youre still having probs after this, take it to a dealer. Good luck.