Having lurked here for a while, it's time to de-lurk as I'm just starting the process of finding the right e-bike!
I've spent a pleasant couple of hours each at Inno-Cycle and at Cycle Heaven in York looking at Wisper, Gepida and Gazelle. Although each of the bikes I've ridden has been very good from the e-propulsion point of view, I've met a common problem with each of them: frame size. I'd welcome from advice from forum members.
The problem is that I'm 5'10'' but with long body and short legs. If I do the standard inside leg based calculations I come out with an indicated frame size of 19''-21''. However, I find that on a 19'' frame I'm too close to the handlebars and on a 21'' frame I have the seat right down and still my toes don't touch the ground when seated.
The advice I received when I was younger was that one should be able to touch the ground with both big toes simultaneously when seated on the bike - and so I've got used to a style of starting and stopping that assumes that. However, is that still received wisdom? The design of many current bikes appears to place the bottom bracket so high that this is not possible if one sets the saddle height to get appropriate knee extension.
Advice welcomed both on riding style and on e-bike brands that may accommodate my body shape!
Simon.
I've spent a pleasant couple of hours each at Inno-Cycle and at Cycle Heaven in York looking at Wisper, Gepida and Gazelle. Although each of the bikes I've ridden has been very good from the e-propulsion point of view, I've met a common problem with each of them: frame size. I'd welcome from advice from forum members.
The problem is that I'm 5'10'' but with long body and short legs. If I do the standard inside leg based calculations I come out with an indicated frame size of 19''-21''. However, I find that on a 19'' frame I'm too close to the handlebars and on a 21'' frame I have the seat right down and still my toes don't touch the ground when seated.
The advice I received when I was younger was that one should be able to touch the ground with both big toes simultaneously when seated on the bike - and so I've got used to a style of starting and stopping that assumes that. However, is that still received wisdom? The design of many current bikes appears to place the bottom bracket so high that this is not possible if one sets the saddle height to get appropriate knee extension.
Advice welcomed both on riding style and on e-bike brands that may accommodate my body shape!
Simon.
