I am 5′ 4″ and I ride a 13″ Jamis Diablo with front suspension (Rock Shox Indy XC). The bike is the right size for me and I know that Jamis also does an 11″ version. This is, I think, mostly sold as a trials bike. I am not sure how easy it would be to find a Jamis supplier in the UK as it is an American make and I have never seen an ad for it in Mountain Biking UK or in Mountain Bike World. Kona and Voodoo also do a small size bike, and they are both available in the UK.

Their frames seem to be measured slightly differently to normal and their 16″ frame is actually like anybody else’s 14″. Therefore, a 14″ Kona is probably like a 12″. The Kona and Voodoo bikes have a very steeply sloping top tube, which makes them seem even smaller. If you want to go really upmarket and spend a bit more, the Fat Chance Yo Betty is made specifically for smaller riders, with geometry designed for a small bike, instead of being just a cut down version of a bigger bike.

Good luck, I hope you can find something that fits and will let you get your suspension fork. I am 5 foot tall and have just bought a 14 inch Kona Lava Dome. Its great to have a bike that actually fits me after riding a too large frame for years. The Lave Dome seems pretty light after my old bike and well equipped (for £550). It dosnt have front suspension though. One local shop tried to talk me into ordering a 16 inch hybrid bike as they didnt have anything small in stock. Having tried a few bikes elsewhere, this would have been way too big for me. I remember placing my foot further back on the pedal to stop my foot slipping – far enough back in fact that the area of greatest pressure I experience when accelerating whilst standing is over the pedal spindle.

Also, one needs to keep the pedal almost normal to the pedalling force otherwise the foot will slip. I believe this is achieved by the greater ankling amplitude supported by Nick. Thus, I think that there are two factors which contribute to using a higher saddle position when not using toeclips or clipless pedals. Firstly, the foot is further back on the pedal effectively lengthening the leg, and secondly, the greater ankling required to stop the foot from slipping requires a higher saddle position. It would be very interesting to make a study of leg extension comparing these cases. I contest that it would be the This would explain why I feel most natural with the saddle-pedal distance on my old Molton noticably greater than that on my road or mountain bikes (both of which have clipless pedals). I keep telling myself to try lowering the saddle but I know it will feel cramped. Problem is it doesn’t fit well with the old safety advice about being able to put both feet on the ground while staying in the saddle of a town bike.

Nobody in this group has the balls to admit it, but most mountain bike buyers use their bikes 95% of the time on pavement! Mtn bikes are SUPERIOR to touring bikes for touring for the average rider — most people don’t like to tour on those skinny touring bike wheels. Give me a 25 pound hardtail mountain bike with slicks instead of knobby tires for touring anytime! That’s why the touring bike market is continuing to shrink. Admirable flame bait… but I agree with you this time in one sense.

My route to and from work is a mix (I vary it each time) of road, cycle path and stormwater drain. On most occasions I stay out of the stormwater drain, and so I get to “mix it” with the road bike riders. Although I’m old and fat I can hold my own because of With my rigid Yokota Yosemite, this was a true statement. With my Joshua, however, I am actually embarrassed to ride on pavement. It’s such a poser thing to do. This sorta sucks when I go ride some jogging path with my girlfriend, who isn’t one for off-road ventures.

On the other hand, I’ve found that I’m getting out a lot more and hitting the dirt — on the order of twice a week versus once a month. So, even though I don’t ride to work or school anymore, it’s been an even trade-off. hammering through rough cycle path sections where they have to back off (like bumpy intersections) taking a couple of short cuts across median strips etc. Touring is much the same, I’ll gladly pay the small penalty on flat good tar so I get the benefit on potholes, dirt etc. etc. On the Big NSW Bike Ride 95 I passed a LOT of riders on road bikes who were walking (in their socks) up the steepest grades. I was grinding along on my lowest gear, Manitou 3s bouncing over the ruf stuf, and lovin it! Mind you, I don’t ride 95% of the time on pavement, not even 50%. My Velociraptors get a lot more work than my Hutchison kevlar slicks. I love to get off road, and of course here in Canberra it is always less than five minutes to some worthwhile dirt. I even like some excitement on my way to work, hence the stormwater drain route mentioned above. Anyway, what does it matter? If you’re spinning pedals and enjoying it, then all power to you, and I’ll reserve my pity/scorn for those who never get out there.

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I’m building a habitat for mountain bikes. Nothing but sweet singletrack, interspaced with fast fireroads, wild flowers to escort my climb to the heavens and a set of whoop-de-doos to launch me on my descents. the sweet scent of redwoods fill the air, a babbling brooke to rest nearby and have lunch with my riding buddies. the temperatures in the upper 60′s to 70′s, just enough to work up a sweat (goes with the wildflowers you know) and evaporate in thin air or the poor guy who happened to follow me too close; in which case it would evaporate into his nostrils. The sun peeking through the trees and lighting my way.

Man, this is mountain bike heaven. And guess what? NO MIKEY!!!! Yep, you’re off limits Mikey-boy. My Habitat would be enjoyed by all mountain bikers of all races and religions, small ones, big ones, short ones, tall ones, female, male, old ones, young ones, those that race and those that ride, up hill, downhill, flat ones, round ones. Gee, I sound like Dr Seuss. We have heaven here right on this earth and guess what Mikey, you ain’t part of it. Mikey.

I’d say you build yourself your habitat. Lock yourself in it and throw away the key. You’ll be happy in your little kingdom until your little friends decide that you are a tempting meal. A little sore tasting, but a meal none the less. A fitting end for an unfit person. Ride a bike Mikey, it may prevent you from an early demise. Yes, no doubt! I DO build my own habitat every single time I hop on my mountainbike. That’s what’s so great about mountainbiking, and that’s what Mike will never understand. We humans need our space to run wild, too, and without that what’s the point? I’m sorry animals have such a bad seal, but as far as I’m concerned, so do we humans. 2 hour drive just to get somewhere worth riding? I want sweet single track right out my door! More mountainbike habitat, more mountainbike habitat…