Frame sizing q

[john_p]

I tried a 20" Trek 7.5 today (lovely bike, want)
A bit confused with sizing. With the saddle set right for leg stretch, arm stretch seemed quite comfy too. I'm about 5'10. The only thing was, it was quite hard to get my foot down on the floor (stop/starting) without stretching quite a lot. Is this normal for hybrids or did I have the wrong size?

[gradeAfailure]

Don't know about hybrids per se, but I'm 6' and ride an old-school 19" Marin Eldridge MTB - with the saddle set at the correct riding height I can only just touch the ground with my toes when sat on it, and the bike is the right size for me.

[Session]

A 20" Trek FX will normally be spot on for a person your height. It's perfectlyu normal not to be able to get both feet to the ground when the saddle is at correct height. The idea that you should be able to get both feet on the ground goes back to the days of touring bikes.

[itsnotarace]

Move arse off saddle when dismounting, problem solved

[Manks]

I find that if a bike is the right size for me for distance riding, be it MTB or road bike, I cannot easily touch the ground. But then I rarely try to. I rarely unclip from the pedals and if I need to stop I'll usually lean on something, slide off the saddle or just lean over. It's such a non-issue I've just had to think hard about how I actually do it.

I have just taught my youngest boy to ride and in order for him to be able to reach the ground the saddle is set far too low.

Outside of MTBs / BMX bikes designed for jumping / downhilling etc I think the days of bikes being low enough to allow both feet to comfortably reach the ground. If indeed they ever existed. I remember cycling proficiency books showing a gent with trousers and bicycle clips comfortably touching the ground either siide of his bike. But my "racer" never allowed me to do it.

When you think about it, if your bike is set up correctly your leg will be straight with your HEEL on the pedal. How far from the ground is your pedal when at the bottom? Six inches? You're never going to get your heels down, are you, and are you going to get 6% extension from your ankle? Barely. The best you can probably hope for is tippy toes.

Balance and practice are your friends.

Manks

[john_p]

It's funny, it must be my perception. It probably stems from the fact that when I bought my current bike, I bought a frame larger than I should have (based on standover height, which leaves no "knacker gap") and I thought I'd need to lean out less on a frame of the "correct" height. But of course, based on pedal clearance, there's always going to be the same amount of height above the ground.

Now the dilemma.. Trek 7300 or 7.3 ...

[Manks]

john_p said:

It's funny, it must be my perception. It probably stems from the fact that when I bought my current bike, I bought a frame larger than I should have (based on standover height, which leaves no "knacker gap") and I thought I'd need to lean out less on a frame of the "correct" height. But of course, based on pedal clearance, there's always going to be the same amount of height above the ground.

Now the dilemma.. Trek 7300 or 7.3 ...

I think if truth be known, back in the days when bicycle clips and smoking a pipe whilst riding were de rigeur there were a lot of people cycling about with saddles quite low and knees bent.