Looking for fit help

[Jerry LM]

Hi all, I am in the market for a new ebike and considering the Aurora Sport Hub, and the Rad 6 Plus step thru. My confusion comes from the sizing they show on these bikes. The Aurora says 5'4 to 6'2, the minimum seat height is approx. 34", I am 5'9 but only have a 29" inseam. Does this make sense? seems the bike would be to tall for me?
I anyone out there of similar size riding these bikes that could give some information regarding this? thanks

 

[theemartymac]

As a rule of thumb, your saddle height should be no more than 110% of your inseam. Your shoes will add a little, and it's typically fine to be slightly tippy toed when stopped unless you have balance issues or an overly heavy bike - hence the +10%.

So just based on that, 110% of 29" is 32".

However, I would suggest the better bet is to take your current bike (assuming you have one) and set the seat to 34" and give it a try with your preferred riding shoes. You might find it tolerable, or if it's really close you could just consider a low profile seat to help squeeze out the extra inch. The stock one on the Sport Hub doesn't look particularly thick.

 

[Kingsley]

Good post above, so, just to add to that a lil bit...assuming there are a lot of ebike owners with a one size fits all frame, it isn't as easy as using stock measurements of 110% of your inseam.
Not IMHO
Rather a proper fitting should include a set up with your hands on the bars and an adjustment on that universal frame to marry up with the 'riding-fit', not nessessarily only the standover 'upright on saddle' fit.

A proper fitting and or saddle height depends on the angle of knee bend for optimum power efficiency; in conjunction with stem height/angle/ length etc.

Take your time, lean your bike against a wall or have a mate help keep your bike upright while you 'fit' into it.

Geometry, universal frames sizes, stem sizes and set up all play a factor in achieving optimal comfort for your eBike.

Not many ppl change the stem or adjust it accordingly and are stuck with only saddle hight, therefore never really knowing what truly feels proper for them.

I am 6'2" but have long legs for my body. My inseam (all pants I wear) are closer to 36" whereas most friends I know that are 6'2" or taller only have 34" inseams, I have one close friend that is 6'5" and we have the same inseam size. Where does that leave me then? I have no choice but to adjust seat angle back and up and shorten the stem and eliminate rise.

It's fun to fine tune but when doing saddle height, bear in mind that isn't the be and end all of 'fit'.

Happy riding everyone.

 

[Jerry LM]

Thanks guys for the info. wow 6 footers, i live in shrimp land!! I think for my size I have a pretty short inseam at about 28 1/2" to be exact, and the last bike I had seemed tough to handle when stopped. I am thinking when I come to a light or stop I would like to be able to place my feet on the ground rather than doing the tip toe lean thing.
Evelo makes a bike called the Galaxy 500 which in their add says it's for smaller riders with the upper limit being 5/10, thinking maybe this would be more of a fit for me even though it is much more expensive. Mid drive and belt etc. The hub drive is attractive because it is priced where I want to be but safety is a factor to.
Need to look at more reviews, I wish in the reviews they would take more time to talk about and demonstrate the getting on and off and stopped positions on these bikes.
I have also been considering the Compass trike, but read so many negative reviews I have kind of backed off of it. would solve the size issue but read they are unstable so unsure on that as well. Very difficult decision.
I remember as a kid I rode a 26" Schwinn with the big horn box top bar, wondering now how the heck I did it!! LOL I am in the senior old fart class but still have mobility and no physical issues for riding as yet.
Thanks again guys.....

 

[indianajo]

Although I'm 68" tall my pants inseam is 28". I have to ride with my legs bent more than ideal to be able to reach the ground with my toes at stops. My bike geometry won't tell me standover height, but my seat tube is 420 mm and the seat to handlebar measurement is 590 mm. I have my saddle nose set at 35" from pavement. The back is 1" higher. Jumping off the saddle as the experts recommend every time I stop is not going to happen at age 71. I had to get the bike shipped in from California to get one near my size that wasn't a single speed painted pink.
It is hard to get step over height out of websites. They expect you to go to a dealer, & my nearest dealers are Chicagoland 160 miles away. I don't run a car and riding the bike home 160 miles would not happen either. I got my bike FedEx.
Townie go is reputed good for short people with the crank set forwards by I can't pry dimensions out of the website. https://electra.trekbikes.com/us/en...s/electra-e-bikes/recreation-e-bikes/c/EB280/ One reason I bought Yuba. They are so proud of the short people market they deleted my model.
Court reviews include stepover data but trek doesn't pay him to review lately. Liv is reputed to be for women but I can't pry stepover data out of their website either.

 

[Jerry LM]

Thanks, yes I know what you mean trying to get info on the stuff you really need sometimes can be a challenge. When I look at video reviews they always in most cases show someone riding along and seldom show the on and off and stopped position which is what I am interested in most. Evelo offers a return policy with free pickup and shipping back but I hate to assemble and then take it apart and try to repack, these aren't the most easy to handle bikes. Plus I know it costs the co. lots of money on a return and i feel guilty! The only bike I keep coming up with on sites is the Rad Rover 6 plus so I am really considering it based on price compared to Evelo. Having had a Evelo in the past and actually returning one I know their service is outstanding but price high. The Galaxy is 4100 smackers!

 

[tomjasz]

A Flatfoot AKA Crank Forward Bike will use your actual inseam to sit on the seat and have your feet firmly on firma terra. No jump down the dismount or climbing up to mount. ie/ Electra Townie, KHS Smoothies, and more. I especially like the step-through versions.

12 Crank-Forward bikes as an E-bike commuter​

 

[sc00ter]

Electra Townie and E-Lux step-thus sit pretty low in the seating area. My wife is on the shorter side and has a Townie Rat Fink. Her sister, on the shorter side as well, has a RadMini ST and it also sits on the lower side.

 

[sc00ter]

Slow and low.

 

[mschwett]

… I am thinking when I come to a light or stop I would like to be able to place my feet on the ground rather than doing the tip toe lean thing.
…

reason you don’t see this much, except with crank forward bikes, is that when pedaling your leg is supposed to be nearly straight when at the bottom of the pedal stroke - otherwise you’re not fully engaging your leg muscles, and not getting good power. and, of course, the pedals need to be above the ground by a decent amount so you can turn without them hitting the ground

on the long run, you may get more enjoyment and use out of a bike with some practice stopping at the ”correct” seat height rather than a too-low seat and bent legs on the downstroke! a very large, very heavy bike will most definitely make this harder.

 

[tomjasz]

Have you ridden or just reporting what you’ve read?

 

[mschwett]

Have you ridden or just reporting what you’ve read?

my own experience, and the advice of those who know much more than I. I was initially reluctant to have my saddle at the “correct” height, which feels much too high, but eventually relented and it works far, far better.

i‘m referring to “regular“ bikes, not crank-forward, as i noted in my comment. I’ve never ridden a crank forward bike, and would rather have my weight on my legs, where it can be used for leverage in propulsion, rather than on my butt, which will just get sore.

 

[theemartymac]

The only bike I keep coming up with on sites is the Rad Rover 6 plus so I am really considering it based on price compared to Evelo.

One other thought with the bikes you mentioned is that the Aurora won't really be a step-through once you drop the seat all the way. The bottom bracket/frame joint is very chonky, and its going to sit very near your proper stand-over height. The Rad has a leaner frame and you may actually be able to use the step-through properly. May not be a problem either way, but something that caught my eye...

 

[sc00ter]

I put my E-Lux on consignment because it was just a handful on long (15 mile) and fast commutes. It was also not a step-thru and I was having trouble stepping over the top tube because I had a motorcycle trunk on the rear rack. Feet forward bikes are super comfortable but they make the front end really light and kinda floppy, plus they tend to be a tad longer in wheelbase than a conventional bicycle. But if your just kicking around and not trying to do 28mph in heavy traffic then one should be on your test drive list. I did a brief review of my E-Lux under the brand section.

 

[sc00ter]

Red E-Lux and my RadRunner. I'm 5'8", 32" inseam for size idea.