E-Bikes & Bikes Customised to You
If you want to buy an electric bike, but you are on the shorter side as a woman, you might wonder whether there is a model for you. Never fear; there are plenty of e-bikes out there waiting for you to find and buy them. You'll need to do a little more work to find one that fits your petite frame.
When you think about it, your concerns about your smaller stature aren't so different than those of a tall man or a woman of average or taller height. While people who fall into the height range of 5-feet, 5-inches to 5-feet, 10-inches have the best chance of walking into a local bike shop and finding a fairly natural fit on the sales room floor, they will still need to work with the seller to make specific adjustments to ensure comfortable daily rides for commuting, pleasure, and everything in-between.
Everyone needs to ensure they find the right bike with the right fit. Sometimes, that takes a little more work for some people than others. You will find and tailor a bike to suit your height, comfort, and daily needs and enjoyment. Keep reading to find out what you need to do to find the best fitting electric bike as a short woman.
Why It Is So Important for Everyone to Find an E-Bike with the Right Fit
Many times, people graciously and gratefully accept a hand-me-down bicycle from a friend or family member who can no longer use it or find a great deal and doesn't feel they can afford to pass it up. Those people—and maybe you have been one of those people—might think they can make it work. They either let their feet hit the ground and with too much knee-bend when too tall or make a huge climb to the saddle while trying to tippy-toe to the pedals when too short.
You know that there is no way to get the most out of your traditional or electric bicycle. If you have ever tried riding a bike that doesn't fit, you know that there is little relaxation. You probably spent the entire time worried that you wouldn't be able to hop down from the saddle at a stop without losing your balance. That's if you can get your feet to fully engage and propel the pedals.
Take our e-bike fitting quiz here and find your perfect match in under three minutes.
For everything from hybrid, mountain, road bikes, and, of course, e-bikes, proper sizing is crucial to the rider's comfort and pleasure. Even if you plan to buy an electric bike solely for commuting purposes, you want it to feel comfortable the same way you would want a car or motorbike to.
According to Paul Norman at Cycling Weekly, "Bike fit is one of the key things to get right when choosing a new bike. You’ll be much more comfortable and lessen the risk of injury if you’ve got your road bike size right and have your bike set up to fit your own requirements."
Sizing is arguably more important for e-bicyclists since your e-bike might replace an automobile for most of your daily commuting needs. Even if you don't use your electric bike for commuting, it is still important your bike fits your body correctly. You will want to make sure mounting and dismounting your electric for daily use feels comfortable as a short woman. You can look for e-bikes with a low step thru frame to help solve issues like this. You can also consider bikes with smaller tire sizes as well to help keep your body lower to the ground. Some petite and shorter women also enjoy riding tricycles to support their body and balance As an essential part of your transport and daily life, you want to ensure that it meets all your needs, starting with how it conforms to and supports your body.
All Electric Bikes Are Not the Same Size
It's easy to think that electric bikes are all the same size, or at least all generally the same size. Again, you might start to think of these bikes more like cars, and you don't think about height issues with cars most of the time. But think about motorcycles and how important it is for riders to find a good fit for height and weight.
Your e-bike is akin to a commuter or town bicycle, moped, and motorcycle in terms of the need for proper body fit, which is tied to balance. On any of these machines, if you need to wobble around to find a tenuous balance, it is not the right fit. In any of these cases, you would probably call over the salesperson and let them know you're worried you won't have control over it. That's a wise move, giving you the chance to try something else.
How Can You Tell an E-Bike Isn't the Right Size for Your Small Frame?
There are some tell-tale signs you should identify quickly when a bike is a poor fit for your height. Let's take a look at some essential ones, so you know to hop off and try something else:
- Your feet don't reach the ground, meaning you can't sit comfortably in the saddle and place both feet on the ground.
- You perch or stretch excessively on the tips of your toes while standing, or worse, your toes barely reach the pedals.
- You can't reach the controls on the handlebars, meaning you have to overreach to lean forward to control the brakes, gears, pedal assist, and on/off buttons for the motor.
- You can't sit comfortably on your e-bike, so you can imagine stopping at a traffic light or stop sign would require you to hop down then climb back up to go forward again.
Many of these points make your daily commute dangerous for you and everyone around you.
How to Find an E-Bike That Is Perfect for Your Height
Now that you have a better idea of what you should avoid when buying a bike as a short woman, you probably want more information on finding an e-bike that is perfect for your height. With that information, you can make this crucial investment with confidence that you can enjoy it safely for many years to come.
Let's figure out how to find the right size e-bike for you.
Start with Getting Your Accurate Overall Height
The truth is you might not be the height you think you are. According to Everyday Health, you might be shrinking. We're all shrinking as we age, and it happens earlier than most realize. Men and women can start losing height as early as age 40, losing about a half-inch per decade. It hardly seems fair, especially if you start out with a petite frame, but if you're buying an e-bike, it's more important to focus on the facts about your supreme comfort and enjoyment of your new ride.
Even if age-related height loss isn't a factor, you need to ensure that your height is accurate the day you get fitted for your new e-bike. Precision is essential, and here is what you need to do to measure your height accurately:
- Stand on the bare floor without wearing shoes or socks
- Put your back against the wall
- Make sure your feet are separated at about hip-width apart
- Ask a friend to measure from the base of your feet to the top of your head
If you don't live in the U.S. and plan to buy from a U.S. seller, you might need to do some conversion from centimeters to feet and inches.
For instance, if your height is 152cm in Canada, or 5'0" in the U.S., do this to get your height in U.S. standard units:
Multiply the value in feet by 30.48 to get the result of the conversion of feet in centimeters:
5 x 30.48 = 152cm
So, you now know your accurate overall height, but there's more to measure.
Measuring Your Crotch
While it doesn't sound like fun, measuring from your crotch can help back up your overall height to ensure you know where you stand, so to speak.
For this process to work successfully, you need to:
- Wear form-fitting leggings, such as tights or a leotard.
- Remove your shoes, and stand tall and straight with good posture.
- Place something like a book, ruler, or any straight object between your legs, as if it is the saddle of a bicycle, and let the object protrude a little while also keeping it parallel to the ground.
- Measure the distance from the top of the object to the floor.
Look at Bike Size Charts and Work with Sellers Committed to Your Satisfaction
Now that you have confirmed your height, you can start looking at e-bike sizing charts from top sellers and brands that will help with your e-bike fitting needs.
Some sellers offer simple but insightful questionnaires to help you find the best fit. Once you complete the questionnaire, the seller gains valuable insights into what will work for your height and can generate meaningful recommendations based on your height, weight, and intended use of your e-bike.
This process will help you narrow down your bicycle selection, providing a percentage of the top recommended options, to make the process easier and faster for you.
Choose Your Favorite Frame Style
Depending on your desired and intended use for your e-bike, you have a few frames from which you can choose. As a shorter woman, you probably want to avoid high-step frames, since they offer more of a standover position that you're already fighting against. The last thing you want to do is swing your leg over the back of your saddle just to mount the bike.
You will likely choose between a mid-step and low-step:
- Mid-step bikes, or hybrid-style bikes, are a compromise between high-step and low-step frames. These hybrid bikes are ideal if you want a stronger frame, allowing for more intense exercise rides, but plenty of comfort. Fortunately, you can find frames in the shorter range on these models.
- Low-step e-bikes are probably the most common option for daily commuting for people of all heights and is widely used for those commuting to and from work, carrying lots of cargo, stopping frequently, or suffering hip or knee issues. It is the easiest to manage for maneuverability when it comes to turning the power on and off.
Choose the Best E-Bike Size According to Your Height and from the Frame Style You Prefer
Now that you know your height and the frame style you prefer, and whether it's suitable for your needs, it's time to choose the frame size:
- 4’11” – 5’3″ = 13 – 15 inches
- 5’3″ – 5’7″ = 15 – 16 inches
These bike size ranges will help you choose the best e-bike for your stature.
The Best E-Bikes for Your Petite Frame
With all the vital information about your height and preferences in hand, it's time to start shopping for that perfect e-bike you can ride all year long.
Let's look at a few e-bikes we believe you will love.
Let Our Team Help You Find the Perfect E-Bike
As a shorter woman, you might have struggled to find an electric bike built for you. Our team at Six Three Zero can help you work it all out, matching you to your ideal bike in height, frame style, and appearance. We can walk you through the measuring stage and discuss the fitting questionnaire and what it means for you, so you will feel confident in your choice.
Contact our friendly and enthusiastic e-bike customer service team to learn more about the best bikes to suit your small frame, so you can start riding with the ultimate safety, comfort, speed, balance, and confidence.
