The Small Track Bike Dilema
December 31, 2008 by Julie Benedetto
Most frames mass produced only go down to a size 48cm usually with a long top tube of 52cm. Why??? Because a x small frame with tight geometry doesn't really work for 700c wheels. You need 650 wheels. So that means you need to redesign fork size as well bla bla bla. Too much work. The hell with short people they say. Let them buy a custom $1200 frame if they need a bike that small.
So here's my request to all frame manufacturer's. I will give out kisses to all the employees of the first company that starts making small track bikes 44cm, 46cm, 48cm with 650 wheels with squar-ish, aggressive geometry, and a tight wheel base at an affordable price.
So here's my request to all frame manufacturer's. I will give out kisses to all the employees of the first company that starts making small track bikes 44cm, 46cm, 48cm with 650 wheels with squar-ish, aggressive geometry, and a tight wheel base at an affordable price.
Swobo
RVCA
MASH SF
How to avoid the bummer life
CycleHawk - NYC
Midnight Ridazz - Los Angeles
Bootleg Sessions
Prolly is Not Probably
Fixed Magazine
Trackosaurusrex
Macaframa
Cadence Clothing
Bern Helmets
Zoltron
Fyxomatosis
Aloha Fixed
No Brakes ATL
Ace photog, Gideon Tsang
The Pentabike
Bob Law's Zlog Blog
they allredy do
http://fujibikes.com/Kids/Track/Track650.aspx
Hey I know about this bike. I own one. This big is a 43cm and too small for a lot of people. For someone that should be riding say a 46cm it’s not gonna fit right.
julie,
i think 650 wheels are not the solution, just creative tube placement to make 700c wheels work. how many shops carry 650 tires/tubes in stock?
yeah, maybe we should harass swobo to hook that up huh?
100% chick designed frames for 100% chicks!!! sky?
and btw, $1200 for a custom frame is cheap nowadays......just sayin.
hows about just taking one of the many 650c roadbikes out there, stripping it down, and dropping an ENO hub on it? there is no shortage of those kind of bikes out there?
my other thought is...i wonder if you might run into some mad-toeclip-overlap if you tried to make the wheelbase/angles steeper???
also, 650c tubes are just 26"x1" tubes with a euro name…
IRO Heidi.
Continuum Cylces NYC just made one. I’m 5’2” and rode it today. Sick. The 650’s are key.
I second the rave for the Continuum Cycles frame, and I will add a few specifics. a) converting a small road frame is NOT the same as having true track geometry. And small road frames with horizontal dropouts can be hard to find too. Also, Julie is right, you can’t achieve those angles & clearances without 650s (which are widely available from distributors so there’s no reason for shops not to carry them). b) things I liked about the Continuum frame: it rides MUCH more smoothly than most aluminum frames. It’s extremely agile - true track handling. I think the dearth of small frames (and small everything else - ever try to find a messenger backpack with short enough straps for a 5’1” person?) has to do with manufacturers only being interested in making things for the widest cross-section of people. I think in this case Continuum’s owner/designer chose to design a small frame because he had personally seen so many petite customers search and search for bikes that fit them properly. It’s a matter of being responsive and not only concerned with making what will fit “most” cyclists. Manufacturers and their marketing depts should really be thinking about the fact that people who have trouble finding products that fit are intensely loyal when they do find good ones.
I have a solution!!! I am now totally in love with the new Continuum 48cm frame! I now ride a Fuji 43cm and I really thought that I would never be able to ride a larger size frame because I can just barely stand over the 43. I had heard that Continuum had a small frame but I really didn’t think I could ride it. I went this week and checked it out and it is BY FAR the best frame for shorty’s like me. I am 4’11” by the way. The geometry on the bike is unlike any other small frame I’ve tried (and I feel confident that I’ve tried almost everything out there in smaller sizes). The price is right too!! Go to Continuum Cycles in NY if you are tiny and want a sweet track bike. You will be happy!
Ladies you understand what I’m talking about. So as soon as Jeff sends me the specs and photo’s I’ll post it.
PS. Sorry to be long-winded, but looking back at the other comments I thought I should add:
I did buy one of the 48cm Continuums, hot off the presses.
While I can fit a 48cm with 700cs (barely; no top tube clearance), I know some shorter-legged folks who normally need 46cm who have ridden the 48cm/650c Continuum and say it fits them very well. The geometry is quite compact.
Also, the price tag is about half what richie mentioned for a custom frame… just sayin’ - one shouldn’t have to be wealthy to be short.
running 650c on frames that require 700c is dangerous because the bottom bracket is too low to the ground and can accidentally get hit and knock your crankset off. Running on a fixed gear with no crankset, or any bike with no crankset is bad.
I totally agree. I’m part of the rolled-up pants grubby t-shirt cartoons and comics tomboy camp, too. And I’m the only girl I know in it. It gets a little lonely sometimes… I mean, I have friends that are girls, but none that’ll go ride bikes with me. I guess it doesn’t really matter. Boys are more fun.
I get teased a lot by people for my tomboy ways. But when I can pedal up to a bar, park in front and waltz in - while everybody else is stuck driving around forever and then parking blocks away - they don’t tease me as much.
However, I started feeling a little un-ladylike after a while, and for whatever reason, it bothered me. So when I go out, I pedal in high heels. Now nobody says a word. I dress up foxy AND have the best parking spot.
I’ve been searching the web for anything about small bike frames. I am 4’11” and its been pretty tough trying to find the right fit. I tried out the Fuji 43cm and barely have clearance. I was excited to see Jarah’s comment about her Continuum bike! But… I live in LA :( Anyone know about any other small frames?
we have been selling alot of DOLAN’s at the shop lately...women who are trying to race on the track can’t run 650’s due to wheel size regulations.
we have alot of short women customers who are very happy with them.
not saying they are the best frames in the world, but for racing on our track they do just fine.
i also noticed that alot of bikes are measured center to center (c-c) or center to top (c-t). when you ladies are out searching for frames find out which way the frame is measured.
the biggest thing to watch for when searching is bottom bracket drop. (this is how high the bottom bracket comes of the ground.)
we had a customer who bought a 47cm frame measured c-c, but once you put wheels on it the b.b. came up like 12 inches off the ground...effectively making it a like a 53cm.
see where this is going?
good luck women on wheels!
Sorry guys, what is NOT? I’ve searched in acronymserach and it told me NOT is Nation Of Thieves (usually as NOT!). Is that right?