# Cycle Question



## ourden (May 1, 2010)

Hi All
Not sure if in right section, anyway here goes.
Someone in work gave me a Hybrid bike, but its
got 27" wheels and find it a tad too big.
Can smaller wheels be fitted? was thinking maybe not
as would that not reach the brake blocks?
Have lowered the handlebars & seat to limit.

Thanks


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## emmbeedee (Oct 31, 2008)

Hybrid bikes come with 700c wheels (nominally 700mm outer diameter), close to the old 27inch size.
You are right to suggest that you cannot fit different size wheels - your frame is made to take that size of wheel & cannot be altered without major work. 
Bicycles come in different _frame _sizes to suit different leg lengths, so presumably yours has a frame that is too big for you. Practically, the only answer is to sell it & buy one with a smaller frame size.


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## loughrigg (Nov 10, 2008)

I'd agree with Emmbeedee. There might be some minor things you could try, but it rather depends on how many tads there are in an inch  .

Unless it is a very good quality frame (e.g. Dawes / Thorn / Cannondale / Roberts / Trek / Koga) that you really want to keep, it's probably not worth the effort.

Any money you spend making the freebie rideable could be cash that you put towards buying a bike that fits and feels right from the outset. You could try a trip to your local bike shop (preferably a small independent rather than the local Halfords) and ask their advice.

Mike

Edited to rearrange letters into real words


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## PSC (May 7, 2009)

Good advice above. A cheap bike that fits will go further and faster than a bling bike that doesn't fit.


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Hi

Big assumptions on my part but;

Although how many ride would suggest otherwise, the most efficient saddle height allows a very slightly bent knee with the flat of the foot on the peddle while seated (roughly). It may be easier to not move your bum off your saddle when you stop and put a foot down, but you should if you want the peddle vs seat height in the ideal place for your leg muscles to work at their best. Perhaps if you did that you would find the saddle needs to be several inches higher than you have it now, unless the frame is really too huge for you?

As has been said, it may not be worth the cost, but you could put a smaller wheel on, remove the rim brakes and get a specialist bike builder to fit hub brakes. That would give you less height under the pedal axle though, so only a couple of inches would be feasible.

Jason


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

Track down your local council's cycling officer or the local Cycling campaign They can advise and maybe reccomend and independent cycle dealer.
The big chains,no pun intended, at this timer of the year had loads of bikes with missing parts,even though they may sell those parts the majority of staff don't know how to fit them!!


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## PSC (May 7, 2009)

I wasn't thinking properly when I posted above - although my post was correct!!  An expensive big bike won't be as good as a cheap bike that fits...... As a cyclist, I really could have posted something more useful than that!!

A brilliant website on all matters cycling is Sheldon Brown's site. Tragically he is no longer with us, but his site lives on. He was clearly as mad as a box of frogs, but to date there has been no cycling-related that the site doesn't answer - including how to fit a bike properly. Sheldon Brown


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

Very good advice from Grizzlyj and he quite rightly says that many people ride with seat far too low for maximum efficiency especially on 'Mountain Bike' framed cycles which by design generally have bottom brackets (the bit where the pedals and cranks stick out of) that are higher off the ground than a conventional bike.

I did read many years ago that the correct height from seat to pedal is 1.09 x inside leg measurement. This is taking inside leg measurement from ground when in stockinged feet to crotch and seat pad to pedal when in its furthest position from seat. 

If you cannot set your seat to this height then the bike is indeed the wrong frame size.

JohnW


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## tubbytuba (Mar 21, 2007)

27" wheels sound a bit unusual. Most MTB wheels are 26". I don't suppose an inch makes much difference (except in certain situations). The frame size is the most influential consideration. It's always sensible to try the bike for size before buying, at the very least sit on it in the shop.


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi

One of the best ways to get the best saddle height is to put the heel of your foot onto the lowest pedal (the one in the 3 o'clock position) so it just touches it. You will need to adjust the saddle height to achieve this, but once done you should have a near perfect saddle height once the ball of your foot is in the riding position on the pedals. This is how I set my own up and it works for me. What you don't want to end up with is, a load of hip movement on the bike, if this happens your saddle is too high and you will get uncomfortable very quickly underneath, and that ain't good :roll: 

Steve


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