How much bike, how much me?

[JHZR2]

Hi,

Ill be the first to say that Im not the most in shape or at my optimal weight right now...

That said, I enjoy biking (mtn and road), and do a decent amount of mountain biking on not too complex trails.

Im about 6ft 4, 250lbs. I ride a 26" KHS Alite from 2001. it has a 21" frame, I believe. Size XL. Per the typical fit approach (fingers between the upper bar and me) it fits.

My issues are a few:
-when I sit on the seat, I feel like my feet will barely touch the ground in order to balance at a stop or mounting/dismounting.
-If I lower my seat, I can't pedal effectively because my knee would be too bent at the bottom of the stroke
-I am not very good at going up over stuff, be it a curb, tree, root, bridge step, etc. I dont have the ability to get my weight back far enough.
-Sitting in the saddle, my knee is in front of my toe at some parts of the stroke.

I feel like a 29er with bigger frame would make me sit better, with more mass behind yet in a comfortable position to control the front wheel. I think I need longer crank arms perhaps too.

I fear buying a good 29er, because that means Ill spend >>$1500, and yet remain as lousy as I am. Being more comfortable and being more capable would make me ride more. That said, I dont want to buy parts that dont get me past my fundamental issue if it is really me. That said also, it would be nice to better understand if a larger bike such as a 29er would help me to overcome some of the issues Ive mentioned above versus upgrading parts, etc.

The LBS didnt recommend upgrading because of my size and the superior angles a 29er would give... Yet Im sure they would love to sell me another bike, and up until a few years back, people my size did just fine on 26ers.

Thoughts?

 

[IndyIan]

I had similar problems with my trail bike, it was hard to get back over the seat, so I got a DH stubby stem and some 1.5" riser bars. It also took alot of flex out of the front end which was good for off road confidence.
As for your feet touching the ground, I don't think an off road bike with decent bottom bracket clearance will allow this, with a proper seat height.

 

[Surestick]

+1 to what IndyIan said. Even on my road bike I can't put my feet flat on the ground while in the saddle.
At a stop most cyclists stand in front of the saddle with one foot clipped in & one on the ground.

 

[JHZR2]

So it's me then...

Not good enough to jump up, say a curb... Though I will do similar height logs on the trail.

And when I stop, I like the security of having a foot on the ground so I don't fall.

Wife and I also determined that I'm not coordinated enough to easily stand, one foot on the ground, one clipped in, forward of the saddle, and push off...

I sit on the saddle, one foot on the ground, and push off via pushing either pedal on a downstroke...

Guess I'm doing it all wrong!

 

[IndyIan]

Just do some practice by yourself, you'll figure it out. I used to practice cornering in an empty parking lot just using the painted lines as markers. Got me used to shifting my weight properly so I could rip hard in the corners on trails without loosing the front end first.

 

[JHZR2]

How do I practice jumping up on curbs? Any suggestions?

 

[Volvo_ST1]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Thoughts?


Get a tricycle?

I think jumping and hopping is easier if you're a bit on the shorter side. At 6'1" and 200 lbs there are things I would have never tried due to being too tall. With my MTB I can't really jump high anymore, maybe a bit over foot high or so, because I'm old and fat. I only anymore jump over stuff that I can't bulldoze! A curb presents no problem, a park bench is a liability these days.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Volvo_ST1
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Thoughts?


Get a tricycle?

I think jumping and hopping is easier if you're a bit on the shorter side. At 6'1" there are things I would have never tried due to being too tall. With my MTB I can't really jump high anymore, maybe a bit over foot high or so, because I'm old and fat. I only anymore jump over stuff that I can't bulldoze! A curb imposes no problem, a park bench is a liability.

Dinged two teeth on the "dinner plate" hopping up on a 12" or so concrete wall riding with my kid this evening.
Still works, just two of the teeth are a little shorter.
Hate getting older. Could do it in my 30s. No problem.

I used to frustrate the roadies with my 2.1 tires roaring right behind them for miles. Still have enought in the tank left to run the singletrack at the end of the trail when the roadies had to turn around. I kinda' plod along on the pavement now so I have the energy to hammer the trail

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
How do I practice jumping up on curbs? Any suggestions?

Lines in the parking lot are good practice targets, I assume you just want to get the front and rear tire up seperately? Once you get the front up, shift your weight forward and the rear will easily roll up, or pull it up as well. Explaining how to make your feet stick to flat pedals and lift the back end is a bit tough but watch some youtube clips of guys bunny hopping. Basically you create horizontal force between your pedals and bars and then apply the lifting force to the pedals, if that makes sense?

 

[Volvo_ST1]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan

Explaining how to make your feet stick to flat pedals and lift the back end is a bit tough but watch some youtube clips of guys bunny hopping. Basically you create horizontal force between your pedals and bars and then apply the lifting force to the pedals, if that makes sense?


When you bunny-hop you pull the front wheel up with your arms while jumping upward. Once the front wheel is off the ground you push down on the front while bending your knees further. The downward push on the front end raises the rear wheel off the ground. You can execute this maneuver slowly or quickly. If you do it very quickly, it looks like the front and rear end of the bike go airborne at the same time, which they don't do. If performed properly, it looks like you are pulling the bike up with your feet flat on the pedals. Maersk will probably tell you that's what's happening.

I'm not sure if old men should bunny-hop. Not only may it look unsightly, it may also endanger calcified bones. "Dude, my shinbone shattered like glass!"

 

[JHZR2]

So the bunny hop is the right technique for going over small logs and whatnot?

Ive always pulled my front up with weight back to help the front over, but then have just powered through. Nothing I go over is high enough to hit my front gears.

I did some steps the other day... scary. Friend fell going up. I wasnt going to chance it.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
So the bunny hop is the right technique for going over small logs and whatnot?

Not for us old guys anymore, just do what you've been doing. Going fast enough and timing a bunny hop right for a log is not a novice or intermediate move... When I was 20 and riding all the time, sure, now I would have to do alot of practice again before hopping a 10" log at speed... It would be a good way to flat spot the back rim!

 

[JOD]

regarding your feet touching the ground while on the saddle? That's just not gonna happen. You have to lean the bike to one side, or your seat is WAY too low. If you feel the need you can always just use platform pedals so you can easily put a foot down--but really, this isn't a problem.

As far as the 29'r, I'm a big fan, and I'm not a big guy. For me, if feels almost like riding a full suspension bike, but without the constant maintenance hassles. I'm primarily a roadie, so when I hop on my MTB, I just wanna ride it, not rebuild it after every other ride... It definitely feels more stable off-road. At your size I can't see a reason to ride 26", except a slight increase in durability of the wheels.

Another nice thing is that you can easily fit a road tire on there, since the wheels are 700C. You should be able to get something really solid for 1K or so.