Does anyone know where I could get my girlfriend a free or nearly free bike to ride? She’s wanting to ride around the bike trails but cannot justify spending a lot of money on a bike.
She’s 5’2” not sure what size bike she would need.
This will vary somewhat depending on whether she has a particularly long torso, vs long legs … but it’s a starting point.
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Hmmm…Probably nothing, but the table for mountain bikes and hybrid bikes are identical. (I get this was just reference material copied from somewhere.)
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They use the same frames, but they mainly change out the front fork and tire sizes (to smaller road style tires). They are much more comfortable than road bikes, but cannot achieve the same speeds. Also they can do some light off-road riding, but no where near as aggressive as a mountain bike. Thus, its a hybrid between the 2 styles.
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Don’t ride a hybrid bike on a mountain bike trail unless its fairly flat. Most hybrids have you sitting pretty vertical so hard to get your butt off the seat when going over roots and rocks, with mountain bikes you are leaned over a little more so easy to flex your ankle to lift off the seat with some of the weight distributed to the handlebars.
https://dirtsidesisters.org/
Is a womens mountain bike group, I think they have loaner bikes and they do skills clinics.
I strongly recommend full face helmets based on personal experience of faceplanting on a rock and getting an orbital floor fracture which is when the bone below your eye fractures rather than your eyeball bursting. I wear full face all the time on dirt and most of the time on pavement.
River Legacy, flat parts of rowlett creek preserve, Katy Jackson park, are beginner friendly. Ride paved trails for a few months before dirt. Katy trail to White Rock to Sante Fe to deep ellum then city streets to Katy is about 22-23 miles, The paved trails between the levies north of Margaret Hunt arched bridge is a nice.
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Actually yes I do. It has been in storage for a while so it probably needs some grease. I am 5’1" and it is just the tiniest bit too tall for me, I think I need a child’s bike honestly.
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I’m riding a 43 (cm) frame, which AFAIK is the smallest adult frame made. It’s a “women-specific” road bike. The issue isn’t just height - torso length is a key component of bike fit.
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Cool, what would you want for it if it will work for her? Any chance you can take a photo of it?
No I don’t. I’ll DM you to discuss.
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I usually just get some tape measure and measure inside crotch to bottom of foot standing. ideally she should be able to be able to stand / dismount comfortably. most bikes have an adjustable seat so there’s generally plenty of wiggle room.
one of the best bikes i own is technically like, idk a small women’s or children’s bike but i set the seat a little high. it rides like butter.
one thing people miss a lot is the seat setting should be that a person will have their leg mostly if not entirely straight at the lowest point of pedal rotation. that ensures you’re using the most of your energy / body as you ride. not tippy toes extended, mind you, just far enough that you’re using most of your leg.
probably gonna host a bike workshop here in a couple weeks since it’s getting to that time of year again
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Probably of little interest at this point, but just in case…
PDF for when that’s been delted (328.6 KB)
Hanna was nice enough to give me a great bike.
Thanks for the height information.
Thank you.
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