8+ months of research, 100s of hours, know what I need & want but can't find it

[BurroBabe]

@BurroBabe, I just noticed this thread today and found your quandry interesting because I've been posting on another thread, also looking for a small e-bike. Our needs are very different; I'm looking for a lightweight road e-bike to keep up with my speedy husband on recreational rides of up to 50 miles or so. But our challenges in being petite and having arthritis in the hands (mine is in my thumb joints where they attach to my wrist, so thumb shifters are unfriendly for me) are similar. My cycling inseam is 28", and most/all of the actualy e-road or e-gravel bikes have standover numbers higher than that, so I truly felt your pain in this thread! I currently ride a Kona Dew-e DL (size Small), which is a great e-bike and, has adequate standover and fits me well, but I want drop bars and a Class 3 for that speed you experienced when you test rode the Vado, since Class 1 is not cutting it at times when I ride with my husband. Anyway, I am honing in on a couple of (very limited) choices, and the experts on this forum have been super helpful, as they have been for you.

I haven't made a final decision myself, but I wanted to congratulate you on your choice and am looking forward to a photo when you get your Vado! I will follow this thread.

Sadly, I had to give up riding in the drops years ago with the damage in my hands; I started by putting aero bars on my Trek 520 but finally had to put upswept bars and kept the bar-end shifters. So I don't know what they make in road ebikes, but Trek still makes most of their bikes, including the ebikes, down to an xs, which is almost too small for me! Have you checked to see what they have? (I suppose you have). Sounds like we have a lot in common besides size!

 

[Gionnirocket]

Ummmm, donk, not mule. She packs, I walk. It would take about two days...

Funny... mom and dad are from a small town and the ongoing humor is similar.
How far is the next town?
Oh, it's a bit of a ways away. Probably take 2 days by donkey...
But if you're in a rush, you could walk there in half an hour

Thanks Stefan, this forum needs a Hug emoji for a reaction! You caught me just in time... it's so tempting, especially when they spout misconceptions fed to them by the misinformation machine.

Yet you too still replied to me.

 

[EmilyRides]

Sadly, I had to give up riding in the drops years ago with the damage in my hands; I started by putting aero bars on my Trek 520 but finally had to put upswept bars and kept the bar-end shifters. So I don't know what they make in road ebikes, but Trek still makes most of their bikes, including the ebikes, down to an xs, which is almost too small for me! Have you checked to see what they have? (I suppose you have). Sounds like we have a lot in common besides size!

Sorry @BurroBabe , for some reason I am not getting notifications from this forum (maybe because you didn't tag me, but I thought I subscribed to this thread), so I didn't see this post until now.

Unfortunately, Trek may have small road bikes, but their e-road bikes are a different story. The smallest size of the Domane+ is a 49cm, recommended for riders with 29-30" inseams. Maddening. They have gone away from the XS, S, M, L, etc. sizing to cm sizing, and those of us on the low end miss out. My current road bike (non-e) is a 2007 Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD (yes, back when they did women's specific design), and is a 47 cm. So their 49 cm unisex is a non-starter for me.

Since I had such poor luck with any stock bike, I have ordered a Lennard Zinn custom road e-bike and should have it within two months. Standover, top tube, everything will work for me now. It's way more than I wanted to spend, but it was either that or a huge compromise in fit, so I decided to take the plunge.

 

[BurroBabe]

Sorry @BurroBabe , for some reason I am not getting notifications from this forum (maybe because you didn't tag me, but I thought I subscribed to this thread), so I didn't see this post until now.

Unfortunately, Trek may have small road bikes, but their e-road bikes are a different story. The smallest size of the Domane+ is a 49cm, recommended for riders with 29-30" inseams. Maddening. They have gone away from the XS, S, M, L, etc. sizing to cm sizing, and those of us on the low end miss out. My current road bike (non-e) is a 2007 Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD (yes, back when they did women's specific design), and is a 47 cm. So their 49 cm unisex is a non-starter for me.

Since I had such poor luck with any stock bike, I have ordered a Lennard Zinn custom road e-bike and should have it within two months. Standover, top tube, everything will work for me now. It's way more than I wanted to spend, but it was either that or a huge compromise in fit, so I decided to take the plunge.

Yes, it has been a great disappointment to see that even the better bike manufacturers who traditionally provided bikes in a wider range of sizes have, like all corporations, prioritized profits over service. It seems that, unless they can sell a large enough number of units to maximize profit, they simply cut the model range. My case is different, as I am not the "usual" proportions attributed to women, in that I am longer in the torso than in the legs. (I don't buy that "typical" assumption anyway, as I know men who are long legged and short torsos and women who are the opposite, like me. Thus, for my 47 cm Trek 520, I had to swap the stem to longest one made to get the right position on the dropped bar. So I don't have a problem with the 49 cm as long as it is a step-thru; it actually gives me a more comfortable reach. I just always have to swap out crank arms to shorter ones so as not to be overbending my knees!

It's a bummer that you had to go for the cost of a custom bike, but at least you had the money for it. That wasn't an option for me!

Please post a pic of your new ride when you get it!

 

[EmilyRides]

@BurroBabe , This time I got a notification from the forum!

The Trek Domane+ is definitely not a step-through; it's a true diamond-frame road bike: Trek Domane+ AL5. Standover on the 49 cm size is 72.7 cm.

I know I am very fortunate to be able to go custom. If I couldn't afford the Zinn, I would be waiting until some manufacturer decided that we XS folks were worthy of an e-road bike to fit us, which might or might not happen. I'm not convinced the market is as small as they seem to think. With the majority of e-road bikes I found online, the smallest sizes were always sold out, with larger sizes often still available. And I expect that some riders could have used an even smaller size, like me, but were making do with what they could get. There are a lot of roadies who are of a certain age and would like to move to a road bike with assist, and a decent percentage of these are petite folks.

But this is your thread, not mine -- did you get your Vado yet, and if so, I'd love to see a photo!

 

[BurroBabe]

@BurroBabe , This time I got a notification from the forum!

The Trek Domane+ is definitely not a step-through; it's a true diamond-frame road bike: Trek Domane+ AL5. Standover on the 49 cm size is 72.7 cm.

I know I am very fortunate to be able to go custom. If I couldn't afford the Zinn, I would be waiting until some manufacturer decided that we XS folks were worthy of an e-road bike to fit us, which might or might not happen. I'm not convinced the market is as small as they seem to think. With the majority of e-road bikes I found online, the smallest sizes were always sold out, with larger sizes often still available. And I expect that some riders could have used an even smaller size, like me, but were making do with what they could get. There are a lot of roadies who are of a certain age and would like to move to a road bike with assist, and a decent percentage of these are petite folks.

But this is your thread, not mine -- did you get your Vado yet, and if so, I'd love to see a photo!

Well, the bike is finally ready for me, the LBS having swapped out the components to Deore so I could have shifters that my hands can work. Now, I'm looking for a ride to the shop so I can pick it up! It's going to be in the +90 degree range this week, too hot for me to ride, and I am way behind on my gardens, so it probably won't be for another week or more.

 

[indianajo]

Rode 3.5 hours 27 miles yesterday at 95 F and 9 mph headwind. Used more electricity than usual. I cover all skin in clothing; black dickies double knee pants below waist, blue linen long sleeve shirt with elbow pads to protect skin if I fall off. Collar turned up against sun. Full shoes & acrylic socks. Helmet with chin guard (fox rampage) spf 70 sunscreen + rouge on face. Cotton gloves on hands. I drank 5 oz water on the road but 32 oz diet soda at destination. I am fortunate that my body does not sweat enough to drip off. The band director at my high school taught us to cover up at the begining of June marching practice 1964. This was in hot humid Houston TX. . We marched 90 minutes at 1 PM and no water fountain was available.

 

[BurroBabe]

Rode 3.5 hours 27 miles yesterday at 95 F and 9 mph headwind. Used more electricity than usual. I cover all skin in clothing; black dickies double knee pants below waist, blue linen long sleeve shirt with elbow pads to protect skin if I fall off. Collar turned up against sun. Full shoes & acrylic socks. Helmet with chin guard (fox rampage) spf 70 sunscreen + rouge on face. Cotton gloves on hands. I drank 5 oz water on the road but 32 oz diet soda at destination. I am fortunate that my body does not sweat enough to drip off. The band director at my high school taught us to cover up at the begining of June marching practice 1964. This was in hot humid Houston TX. . We marched 90 minutes at 1 PM and no water fountain was available.

It's good that you cover your skin from the sun, as do I, but not drinking while you ride is courting danger. At 95 F I'm drinking at least a litre of water an hour. Not sweating in the heat can lead to hyperthermia, ,my man.

 

[Kayakguy]

Thank you for your help!

Is that a burro or donkey? I'd prefer to ride him or her, but I realize your distances rule that out. Should be less liable to be stolen when you park outside the grocery store or library, though.
I'm sympathetic with your tallness issues. I have to admit I get slightly irritated when tall people make a point of letting you know how tall they are: "Yeah, I'm 7' 14 1/2" inches tall, and it's hard to find a doorway I can walk through without ducking." Boo hoo. "Oh, you can't reach that can of Botulista's Pretty Good Turnip Soup on the top shelf? Here, let me lift you up so you can reach it."

 

[BurroBabe]

Is that a burro or donkey? I'd prefer to ride him or her, but I realize your distances rule that out. Should be less liable to be stolen when you park outside the grocery store or library, though.
I'm sympathetic with your tallness issues. I have to admit I get slightly irritated when tall people make a point of letting you know how tall they are: "Yeah, I'm 7' 14 1/2" inches tall, and it's hard to find a doorway I can walk through without ducking." Boo hoo. "Oh, you can't reach that can of Botulista's Pretty Good Turnip Soup on the top shelf? Here, let me lift you up so you can reach it."

She is a burro from the Havasu herd in the Nevada/California range. Also I'm light enough to ride her, she acts like I'm a puma on her neck when I get on. She's a much better pack animal and, where I live, she's more likely to get stolen than the bike!

As for the smug vertically superior types, my response to that attitude is to educate them on how much more wasteful of resources their size makes them. Just think of all that extra material in clothing, food production, energy use, building materials used for larger houses and furniture and vehicles! If people won't reduce their numbers for the sake of the planet, maybe they could work on reducing their size!

As for that top shelf at the grocery store, I make use of them by asking them to reach down that can or bottle from the top shelf. There's at least one perk for an old Crone like me.

 

[spokewrench]

As for the smug vertically superior types, my response to that attitude is to educate them on how much more wasteful of resources their size makes them. Just think of all that extra material in clothing, food production, energy use, building materials used for larger houses and furniture and vehicles! If people won't reduce their numbers for the sake of the planet, maybe they could work on reducing their size!

My legs aren't long enough to reach the ground. That's why I ride a bike with pedals several inches above the ground.

Wannabe talls irk me, like Randy Newman, John Wayne, and Johnny Cash. I have it on good authority that in real life all were so darn short that they could ride bicycles wherever they wished without having to detour around railroad underpasses.

Cash imitated his hero John Wayne by wearing lifts together with heels. Ralph Emory made a bozo of him by ignoring the rule against filming him below the waist. The world saw the meaning of "dancing on a pony keg:" trying to walk in heels with lifts.

 

[dodgeman]

Are your sure your inseam is short for your height? I’m a little over 6 feet tall and wear a 32“ inseam. I know someone who is a little taller than me who has a 30” inseam.

Surely you can find a bike that fits you. I think I would worry about the fit more than anything else. I’d think at your size and weight the power of a decent e-bike would allow you to fly right along. Good luck in the search.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@BurroBabe: How has your Vado story end up? I was thinking of writing a PM to you but felt ashamed a little bit!

 

[spokewrench]

Are your sure your inseam is short for your height? I’m a little over 6 feet tall and wear a 32“ inseam. I know someone who is a little taller than me who has a 30” inseam.

I thought my inseam was 30", but I measured and it's 9". Live and learn!

 

[BurroBabe]

My legs aren't long enough to reach the ground. That's why I ride a bike with pedals several inches above the ground.

Wannabe talls irk me, like Randy Newman, John Wayne, and Johnny Cash. I have it on good authority that in real life all were so darn short that they could ride bicycles wherever they wished without having to detour around railroad underpasses.

Cash imitated his hero John Wayne by wearing lifts together with heels. Ralph Emory made a bozo of him by ignoring the rule against filming him below the waist. The world saw the meaning of "dancing on a pony keg:" trying to walk in heels with lifts.

Wow, thanks for that video! As a kid, I only saw Cash as an old man with the lowest voice I ever heard. Those are some pretty pumps . If you saw a guy today wearing shoes like that , people would ask for their pronouns.

BTW, thanks for the explanation of the phrase,"dancing on a pony keg" too.

 

[BurroBabe]

@BurroBabe: How has your Vado story end up? I was thinking of writing a PM to you but felt ashamed a little bit!

No need to be embarrassed! Long answer coming soon, I'm so overstressed and underslept from outdoor work and it's another story.
I have it, I finally have the cranks swapped, now, if I can find where I left the pedals after using the vise in the woodshop to get them off, I'll be able to ride soon. . .it's now 9 days since I picked up the bike.

 

[Mulezen]

After I read this last night I called the LBS at 7AM and got the owner in the shop and asked him if the bike was ready. He said he had been alone in the shop all week so was building it tonight. When I asked about delivering it he said he wouldn't be able to for at least a week because he was only closed on Tuesday and, since his dad had died this past winter he was going "down" to visit his mom and help her with the house on his day off since she's alone now. What could I say? I told him he is a good son. I really appreciate when my son comes down and helps me here as well.

So, I'm still sucking around to get a ride to the shop. I've checked all the bus routes. . . I think everyone here understands how much public transit sucks in the US. In one direction, the bus from NYC to the upstate towns is discontinued until further notice, the local rural route from the nearest town (6 mi or 12 mi away) have been cut back severely and the only bus I can get from the bigger town to Ithaca is a commuter that leaves at 6:15AM and the local route to get to it doesn't start until after 9. I'm contemplating just riding a regular bike down to the main road, leaving it at the fire station and hitchhiking. (sigh).

Since this forum is international, I'll take a chance on saying, the US sucks when it comes to environmentally sound transportation options.Since becoming car-less, I've really learned how few of my "friends" are really friends. When I did have a car, it was always on me to drive to where they live. I'm "too far out of the way" for them to bother coming here, even when I had 9 broken ribs or a torn rotator cuff.

At least my donkey loves me.

And my donkey loves me. Transportation infrastructure is clearly lacking in the US though the vast distances here compared to Europe is one of the reasons. I drove to town yesterday (Richmond, VA) to referee an athletic contest. As I walked inside I spotted a young man mounting his bike...a Specialized ebike with baskets for the groceries. He told me has no car, just a bike like a few of his friends in the condo. I told him I feared riding in the city…he felt the same about my country roads
BTW…in the 50s my mother cooked breakfast for Cash several times while my grandfather complained to me in the living room about his long hair
Gazelle Bikes have smaller framed ebikes

 

[Stefan Mikes]

No need to be embarrassed! Long answer coming soon, I'm so overstressed and underslept from outdoor work and it's another story.
I have it, I finally have the cranks swapped, now, if I can find where I left the pedals after using the vise in the woodshop to get them off, I'll be able to ride soon. . .it's now 9 days since I picked up the bike.

Please post some pictures and impressions after your first ride (a.k.a. New Bike Day)!