Small hands can't reach
Posted: June 9th, 2020, 4:39 pm
This is a a rant about trying to get a bike for someone with small hands.
One of our offspring, a student, is stuck at home with us until September at least, and I thought she needed a bike for exercise & something to do. She's a bit big for the children's bike she used to have.
I bought a second hand road bike via a local facebook ad. It's a lovely bike. but she can't reach to use the brakes (or even change gear very easily).
You can get plastic 'shims' for the Shimano levers to adjust them. I've bought those, and they relieve about 10% of the problem. The design fault is that it's just too far to the pivots of the levers - it doesn't matter how much the levers are pulled closer to the bars if her fingers don't pass enough beyond the pivot.
It seems a common problem when I google. Major bike manufacturers simply don't cater for people with small hands. Let them take the bus instead! Not much good for enjoying the countryside and getting some exercise.
Googling, Microshift make "short reach" levers that are compatible. But.. they mostly are made for children, and have no gear changer for the front. I have found one set that says it has both changers on Ebay,. It's in the USA, and costs nearly as much as I wanted to spend on a whole second hand bike.
Really? No adult in the UK with small hands rides a bike?
I'm just cross! I'm going to have to sell the bike Iv'e just got. They difficult bit is buying another bike that works. Most people sellign second hand bikes dont# even think to list the frame size in their advert. I might have to buy a brand new one, but didn't really want to as I'm only expecting a few months use out of it.
Anyway, I've left it with our friendly local bike fixer just in case he can do some magic.
One of our offspring, a student, is stuck at home with us until September at least, and I thought she needed a bike for exercise & something to do. She's a bit big for the children's bike she used to have.
I bought a second hand road bike via a local facebook ad. It's a lovely bike. but she can't reach to use the brakes (or even change gear very easily).
You can get plastic 'shims' for the Shimano levers to adjust them. I've bought those, and they relieve about 10% of the problem. The design fault is that it's just too far to the pivots of the levers - it doesn't matter how much the levers are pulled closer to the bars if her fingers don't pass enough beyond the pivot.
It seems a common problem when I google. Major bike manufacturers simply don't cater for people with small hands. Let them take the bus instead! Not much good for enjoying the countryside and getting some exercise.
Googling, Microshift make "short reach" levers that are compatible. But.. they mostly are made for children, and have no gear changer for the front. I have found one set that says it has both changers on Ebay,. It's in the USA, and costs nearly as much as I wanted to spend on a whole second hand bike.
Really? No adult in the UK with small hands rides a bike?
I'm just cross! I'm going to have to sell the bike Iv'e just got. They difficult bit is buying another bike that works. Most people sellign second hand bikes dont# even think to list the frame size in their advert. I might have to buy a brand new one, but didn't really want to as I'm only expecting a few months use out of it.
Anyway, I've left it with our friendly local bike fixer just in case he can do some magic.
