Having problems getting my leg over

[Carlton green]

This is a very old thread and overlaps with a similar one that I started a couple of years back.
(viewtopic.php?p=1616835&hilit=Elderly#p1616835)

My own solution is to have a couple of bikes with step through frames, one is a folder and the other a mixte. Those bikes work well for me and whilst I’m still perfectly able to throw a leg over a saddle there will likely be a time when I can’t. Never take your health for granted - and the same (wastage and unexpected loss, etc.) goes for pretty much anything else. Some folk resort to trikes, whilst trikes might solve some problems I think that their bulk, dynamic (in)stability, and drive train can bring other issues but experiences and opinions differ.

I liked the picture of the 91 year old still cycling, and hope that others find it encouraging too.

The only reason for this fiasco, is that with changes to driving licences, I am being prepared if my licence should be refused for any reason beyond my control. We live in a very rural area but on the side of a 'main road' and we are a few miles from any shops, with hills in between.

Being allowed to, or otherwise being able to, drive into our old age shouldn’t be taken for granted; we do take that liberty for granted but as I watch others around me I see the unfortunate consequences of that wishful thinking.

...the saddle. Sorry - couldnt resist the temptation
But its true all the same. My hips dont seem to want to move enough in the right direction. I am thinking of going to talk to the GP anyway, but I'm pretty certain that its age and wear and tear rather than injury or any other acute condition.
Just wondering if anyone else has encountered a similiar problem and come up with a strategy or a helpful exercise...

The OP hasn’t logged on since late last year; I hoping he’s well and wondering what changes he made in response to this thread.

[freiston]

As well as leaning the bike, bending forward might help get the leg swing higher. Something that (AFAIK) wasn't available when this thread was started, are dropper seat posts - that might help.

[fatmac]

If it wasn't for the fact that the OP had 'recently' bought a new bike, I would have suggested getting a Brompton.

I have just recently bought my 'final' bike; a 12 speed C-Line.

[fausto copy]

Does anyone know the gear range of the new 12 speed?
I've tried asking on their website but not having luck connecting.

[fatmac]

118 - 100 - 87 -72
76 - 64 - 56 - 46
48 - 41 - 35 - 29

[Brucey]

so, because of near-duplication, there are just ten distinct ratios.

[freiston]

I have and regularly ride a 12 speed C line, I am not a strong cyclist and like to spin at around 90rpm. I ride the short up and downs of the north warwickshire lanes - so no big slogs but often about 60-70ft per mile ascent. I changed the chainwheel from 50T to 40T and am quite happy with it most of the time - I don't think I could get a better range for my usage. I haven't looked closely into it or examined the accuracy of my preferred online gear calculator. Taking the gears as three sets of four (effectively a 3x4), I have noticed that some online gear calculators give a small overlap and some give no overlap but either way, by the time that I've made the change and lost some energy/momentum, I find it negligible and can treat the gears as 1-12 with no overlap. The jumps are a bit bigger than other bikes, but journeys on the Brommie tend to be shorter with more energy/torque available from the engine to make gear transitions comfortable.

Here is my Brommie gear data according to gear-calculator.com:

Edit: link to my gear set-up

https://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=BW1 ... gearInches

[JohnR]

Have the same issue. Just had an E bike on 29" wheels, I am 75, now about 5' 4", inside leg about 27" used to have 29.5 " inside leg trousers but have shrunk a lot in recent years.

Perhaps consider getting smaller wheels? These will lower the bottom bracket and therefore the saddle height.

[freiston]

Have the same issue. Just had an E bike on 29" wheels, I am 75, now about 5' 4", inside leg about 27" used to have 29.5 " inside leg trousers but have shrunk a lot in recent years.

Perhaps consider getting smaller wheels? These will lower the bottom bracket and therefore the saddle height.

Also stand-over height

[ncutler]

A dropper post can help.

A year ago I managed to break my thigh and two consequences were that I set off the metal detector alarms at airports and had great difficulty getting on and off the bike.

I installed a comparatively inexpensive dropper with an external cable taped to the outside of the frame ( there was no way to get it inside, and held on with black electrical tape it didn't look too dreadful on a grey frame ). A neater solution would have been a wireless remote dropper but horribly expensive.

That worked all last year. Then a month or so ago I absent-mindedly got on the bike without dropping the saddle, thought hmmmmmm, tried a few rides without using the dropper, and have now removed it.

And if anyone would like a good condition second-hand dropper .... although perhaps I should keep it in case age-related stiffness sets in ....

[Brucey]

I have and regularly ride a 12 speed C line.......

I'd have been tempted by

https://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=BW1 ... gearInches

instead.

[freiston]

I have and regularly ride a 12 speed C line.......

I'd have been tempted by

https://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=BW1 ... gearInches

instead.

That looks very good (better than what I've got but there's not a lot in it) but I notice that the cassette sprockets are not "standard". I have to admit that I didn't check the tooth count on my bike but instead trusted that the sprockets in the "gear-calculator" were the stock ones. If that is correct, then the expense would have gone up. I used the third party H&H 40T chainring which was ridiculously expensive but maintained a chainguard and aesthetics. If my assumption re. the stock sprockets is not correct, then I need to re-calculate my gears. If Brompton drivetrains didn't get so ridiculously mucky so quickly after a clean, I'd check the tooth-count now.

[fausto copy]

Thanks.

If I could get a 32T chainring to get me a range from 17 to 70 inch, that would be perfect.

[Brucey]

in my scheme, the larger sprockets ought to improve both efficiency and durability by a small amount. This (of course) comes with a (paltry) weight increase.