Is my current and planned exercise bike too small for me?

Tooloopee

I am 6'2". My inside leg measurement is about 86cm.
I have a relatively cheap exercise bike (a Marcy CL203) and have made very good use of it which has persuaded me to upgrade to something a bit better. My top choice at the moment is the DKN AM-E.

I am however concerned as to whether the bike is of adequate size for me. The manufacturer has advised me that the bike is suitable for anyone between the height of 5 ft and 6'2", but not gone any further than that. So I am at the extreme limit of what they say will work.

I have seen that the dimensions appear to show a distance from the seat, vertically to the floor of 100cm. That appears to be the same as my existing bike which has a distance from the top of the seat, vertically to the floor of 100cm.

I recall reading somewhere that at full extension on an Exercise Bike, my knee should be almost straight, with a maximum angle of about 10 to 15 degrees. On my existing bike I don't get anywhere near that.

The photo below shows me on my existing exercise bike at maximum seat height with my right leg at maximum extension. Any thoughts on whether that is adequately straight? Or whether my preferred new bike will be sufficiently big for me?

http://s27.postimg.org/hnw5g8csj/IMG_0248.jpg

SingingSingleTracker

I am 6'2". My inside leg measurement is about 86cm.
I have a relatively cheap exercise bike (a Marcy CL203) and have made very good use of it which has persuaded me to upgrade to something a bit better. My top choice at the moment is the DKN AM-E.

I am however concerned as to whether the bike is of adequate size for me. The manufacturer has advised me that the bike is suitable for anyone between the height of 5 ft and 6'2", but not gone any further than that. So I am at the extreme limit of what they say will work.

I have seen that the dimensions appear to show a distance from the seat, vertically to the floor of 100cm. That appears to be the same as my existing bike which has a distance from the top of the seat, vertically to the floor of 100cm.

I recall reading somewhere that at full extension on an Exercise Bike, my knee should be almost straight, with a maximum angle of about 10 to 15 degrees. On my existing bike I don't get anywhere near that.

The photo below shows me on my existing exercise bike at maximum seat height with my right leg at maximum extension. Any thoughts on whether that is adequately straight? Or whether my preferred new bike will be sufficiently big for me?

http://s27.postimg.org/hnw5g8csj/IMG_0248.jpg

Hate to say it, but that is way too much bend in your knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke.

Plenty of images available to see what is more correct.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bottom+of+the+pedal+stroke+picture&client=firefox-a&hs=udj&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=PlAQVIL-HZeoyASw14C4Ag&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=985&bih=528

I don't know what your budget is, but LeMond makes some nice exercise and spin bikes that accomodate 6'2" - 6'6" riders.

BrianSharpe

^^^^ agreed

Have a look here for what a proper fit looks like http://bikedynamics.co.uk/guidelines.htm

I'll also second the LeMonds....they're a bit pricy but a Revmaster will be the last exercise bike you will ever buy (you might be able to find one used), that's what we use at my tri club and they they get the crap beat out of them day in and day out and come back for more.

An alternative you could consider would be an indoor trainer (if you already own a road bike that fits you properly) that you could mount your bike on during the winter to ride indoors (it may also make sense financially to buy a used bike and trainer rather than an exercise bike, that way if you decide to ride outside in the summer you have a bike you can use)

Tooloopee

Thanks guys - looks like you've confirmed what I suspected. I'm surprised in a way as I don't consider my height to be that tall and would expect "off the shelf" exercise bikes to be fine.

The LeMond is way out of my price bracket - I'll reconsider my options.....

BrianSharpe

Thanks guys - looks like you've confirmed what I suspected. I'm surprised in a way as I don't consider my height to be that tall and would expect "off the shelf" exercise bikes to be fine.

The LeMond is way out of my price bracket - I'll reconsider my options.....

Without knowing where you live, this could be a long shot but.....if you're patient you can probably find a great deal on an older steel framed road bike (I've seen some really good older bikes selling for $50 to $100) and a used indoor trainer and it will probably be less than an exercise bike and give you a far more realistic riding experience.

Tooloopee

I'm in the UK.

To be honest, its not really the "cycling experience" I'm after - its about fitness, weight control and body shape.

I like the idea (and motivation) of the "bells and whistles" on an exercise bike - things like HRM resistance control (I've never tried that, but the concept sounds excellent), automated HIIT programmes, without having to manually adjust resistance or watch clocks etc... My gut feel is that an exercise bike is a better option for me than the indoor trainer option, or even a proper bike outdoors - I don't like to think about the exercise, so distract myself in front of the TV whilst cycling.....

SingingSingleTracker

Thanks guys - looks like you've confirmed what I suspected. I'm surprised in a way as I don't consider my height to be that tall and would expect "off the shelf" exercise bikes to be fine.

The LeMond is way out of my price bracket - I'll reconsider my options.....

In the picture you linked, your toe is barely in the strap on the pedal and the your heel is quite high in what we would call a pretty severe "toe up" position at the bottom of the pedal stroke. It's not that "toe up" is not a position favored by some, but if you could get your foot into the strap so the ball of the foot is over the center of the pedal axle - and search for a more "flat foot" position at the bottom of the pedal stroke - it would "lengthen" your leg and lessen the angle of the knee bend to what might be an acceptable position.



Could you try that and take another picture to link for us? If you could loosen those stirrup straps enough to work your shoe in so that your foot is more over the pedal, I think it would help the toe up position shown in the picture above and "lengthen your leg" a bit so that the knee is not so severely bent.

Take a look at this foot at the bottom of the stroke where the heel is not so high as yours. See if you can mimic that.



Another option is to monkey with a DIY solution to get the saddle just a bit higher and back to help with that knee angle. The particular exercise bike that is shown in the picture does not have a very stable base being so short in length, so going really hard, or standing and doing out of saddle efforts may be a bit risky. With the suggestions above, there may be a way to make it work a bit better if you can get the feet more into the stirrups, a flatter foot position at the bottom - and perhaps a bit more saddle height.

You are just enough taller than the "average" height that the exercise industry targets for their equipment. So it is no surprise that at 6'2" you are having fit issues. Looks like you carry a lot of your height in your legs as well which may put you even more out of the "average" range that most of the lower end, entry level exercise bikes produced by companies are designed to fit.

US Male Population Height Chart shows that the demographics - or target audience in terms of sales for companies - favor those who are less than 6'1". This problem exists not only in exercise equipment, but also for actual bikes as well. Even though the chart is US Male specific, it's not much different on your side of the pond.

Tooloopee

Many thanks for such a thorough and detailed response. I appreciate the time you have spent on it for me

I have a new photo, taken in a stationary position with less of a toe up position, and without shoes on, and I am able to get my leg completely straight. This feels really unnatural though and its a position I am really struggling to achieve in motion. I don't know if its just because I'm so unaccustomed to that position. I've taken a quick short video of my cycling action where I am trying the new position - I'm having to really focus on keeping the ankle at right angles and it feels really awkward.

I have also taken a photo of the bike with the seat removed. Is your suggestion that, for example, I drill an extra hole 1 slot lower than what is currently there and try the bike like that?

As I said in my first post, I am wanting to upgrade, but I wouldn't want to upgrade in the knowledge that a bike is too small for me and that I would need to proceed with a diy solution. For the bike I had picked out, I contacted the manufacturer and a specialist retailer - both have answered me, but not been able to give me the reassurance I sought, and have, so far, not responded to my follow up (nearly a week ago).

Image 1: Straight leg, no shoes, no "toe up": http://s30.postimg.org/i7orgqldd/IMG_0250.jpg
Video: Awkward motion - Straighter leg, no shoes, no "toe up": http://www.filedropper.com/img0252_1
Image 2: Exercise Bike - seat removed: http://s2.postimg.org/brx0x3x7d/IMG_0249.jpg