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Toe overlap - small bike frame

by CrazyBear
Tue, Apr 07, 2020 09:48
7

My wife has a older Specialized mountain bike that she uses for family rides. Now the kids are getting older, I thought I'd try to get her into road cycling by getting her a gravel bike, which can be used for family trails with the kids but also some road rides.

I've bought her a second hand Felt VR40 road bike which I thought I could slot in my carbon wheels should she want to ride on the road, but I've hit a problem. I've bought her a small frame (51cm) as she is 5ft 6, but she is encountering significant toe overlap which she hates. We ride quite slowly with the kids and she feels unstable as she keeps hitting the front wheel.

I'm resigned to the fact that I need to sell the VR40, but I'd like to get her a comfortable bike that is quicker than an old mountain bike. Would a slacker angle (more relaxed) bike reduce this problem?

I've never really encountered this problem as I'm 6ft and I ride large frames (Ribble CGR Ti and Gran Fondo).

Does anyone have any suggestions on bike I could get her that would enable her to dabble in road cycling as well as riding fire trails with the kids.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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7 comments

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60kg lean keen ... | 4 years ago
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Those of us who only fit on smaller size frames this is just somthing that is very common.  I am 167cm tall on a good day but have size 9uk feet, 42.5 eu so mostly have to size up to a 43eu.  So even with cleats back as far as my joints muscles can allow my feet still get in the way!  I find it only a problem when busy in traific, stopping at lights roundabouts ect, as I can on a mountain bike with those on trend wheelbarow head angles do a mean track stand but on my road bike with steeper head angle and toe overlap find such showing off inpossible as my feet and wheel get all crossed up and bind up. It may be that I should just try harder, but by being brave I run the the risk of getting my self in a right pickle as you then have to unclip in a very unplanned manner!

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CrazyBear | 4 years ago
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Thanks for the comments. She doesn't clip in at the moment, as I'm trying to get her into road cycling slowly. 

What I'm after is some suggestions of quick bikes with a more relaxed frame that removes the problem of toe overlap.

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Spangly Shiny replied to CrazyBear | 4 years ago
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May I suggest trying strapless toe clips such as these:
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/toe-clips-straps/large-x-large-zefal-straple...

The VR40 has a quite relaxed head angle of 72° and a quite large rake of 50mm suggesting that toe clearance should not be an issue. That leads me to wonder whether your good lady is placing her arches, rather than the balls of her feet on the pedals thus artificially inducing toe overlap.

 

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Sriracha replied to CrazyBear | 4 years ago
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CrazyBear wrote:

Thanks for the comments. She doesn't clip in at the moment, as I'm trying to get her into road cycling slowly. 

What I'm after is some suggestions of quick bikes with a more relaxed frame that removes the problem of toe overlap.

Any bike is only going to be as quick as she pedals it, and frame angles are not going to change that.
Get her into a bike shop to try out some bikes (ok, not easy at the moment) to find out what suits her.
If keeping up with you is an issue, then look at ebikes. Personally I'd look at the Boardman Fazua range in Halfords for something not outrageously heavy at a semi-affordable price. They do a hybrid aimed at women. But the key is, get her involved in trying them out.

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AfterPeak | 4 years ago
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I am 5'9 with size 44 (9.5) shoes and have ridden a 54, 52 and now have a 50cm bike. I got toe overlap on the 52 an 50 even with shorter cranks and it has never been a problem. I think you will struggle to get around it because of the nature of wheelbase on smaller frames. Only some odd rake on the fork or using 650b wheels is going to get around it

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VeloUSA | 4 years ago
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Interesting to hear your missy has toe overlap with the VR40. Has she been fitted to the bike, has correct cleat position as @Prosper0 mentioned? What size shoe does she wear? The VR40 has a front center of 583 so she should have enough toe clearance. I'm 5-7, wear a size 40 shoe spinning on 170 crank arms mounted to a Specy 49 frame with a 576 front center. No toe overlap.

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Prosper0 | 4 years ago
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  • If she's using cleats, put them further forward on the shoe.
  • Use smaller tyres
  • Use shorter cranks
  • Or get used to it. Unless shes doing lots of technical, low speed cycling, MTB BMX etc, its annoying but not the end of the world on a road bike. I have a small ammount of toe overlap on some of my bikes. 

Failing that - new bike it is!

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