# Maximum turning angle before handlebar hits knees



## chemeleon26 (Sep 27, 2008)

Hi I'm new to the forum. I've recently bought a bike and I really can't tell if it fits me or not.

I have found out that when I make a turn around 45 degrees, the handlebar hits my knees. In this case, I have steered the handlebar to the right. As I have been reading from other websites, the correct position of my feet would be on the pedal at the 12 o'clock position so my right knee is raised thus my right handle hits my right knee.

Here is a picture for you guys to visualize.

http://img91.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img00298sb6.jpg

My question is is this ok? Is my bike too small? I haven't felt it isn't a problem but have not experienced going through a lot of tight switcbacks.

Hope you guys can help me out. Thanks!


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## Halfey (Jan 14, 2009)

what is your height weight inseam..these are things that need to be considered when choosing a frame size. rule of thumb--- strattle your bike above the front end of the top bar where it meets the handle bars feet flat on the floor you should have about 2" between your crotch ant the top bar..I had a similar problem with the front tire hitting my toe when i made a turn....long store short my bike was to small..


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## Codad 4 (Apr 17, 2007)

because you it doesn't feel too small your prolly ok with it as is... i had to think about it for a second but if I'm turning right (while siting) with my right foot forward my knee gets bumped by the bar .

2 things thou i have real long legs for my body and i have real long bars on my bike haha.


my best buddy has been riding what i consider too small of a frame for him for years and year, you should see the hits his knees get when hes not paying attention to foot positions. but thats what you get with a short bike with a Super T and a zero stand off stem haha.

I'm pretty confident its something you will get used to, like keeping your pedals level when your cruzing.

if it becomes bother some you can try getting a longer stem or moving your seat back, i'd talk to a LBS about sizing the bike to yourself with new parts like a stem or seat.


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## Codad 4 (Apr 17, 2007)

Halfey said:


> rule of thumb--- strattle your bike above the front end of the top bar where it meets the handle bars feet flat on the floor you should have about 2" between your crotch ant the top bar..I


its good to have but not necessarily necessary... i got about 1/2" of junk clearance on my large C'dale



Halfey said:


> I had a similar problem with the front tire hitting my toe when i made a turn....long store short my bike was to small..


again my best bud has an ibex hard tail 'his size' that if he puts 170mm or better cranks on he will hit the tire with his foot... and have one of the funniest crashed i think anyone can have on a bike... the out of nowhere OTB haha.

id agree with you but the OP said it didn't feel small and at the end of the day that is all that matters. 

some pluses of liking/ learning small frames... nimble, good control in the air, turns on a dime, easier to hop and lighter generally.

not so so good with the rocky DH sections, ok climbing IMO. but all things one could get use to very quickly :thumbsup:


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## Bikinfoolferlife (Feb 3, 2004)

I'd say the frame's too small on the little information provided. Knowing more about the dimensions of you and the bike would help...


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## chemeleon26 (Sep 27, 2008)

My height is 169cm. Weight is 138 lbs. Inseam is 28.5".

I can sit back a bit and the handlebars can clear my knees. I am thinking of getting a setback seatpost. Is this a good option?


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## Bikinfoolferlife (Feb 3, 2004)

chemeleon26 said:


> My height is 169cm. Weight is 138 lbs. Inseam is 28.5".
> 
> I can sit back a bit and the handlebars can clear my knees. I am thinking of getting a setback seatpost. Is this a good option?


Somewhat better, but what about the bike? How are you setting your saddle height?


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## CougarTrek (Jan 27, 2007)

No comment on the bike fit as there are lots of other factors.

However, I assume you are practicing turns with your outside leg down and your inside leg up and out. Your inside leg should be around 12 as you mentioned, but your knee should also be turned out away from your bike. Think of it this way, you are pushing down with your outside foot to provide traction and leaning in with your whole outside leg to turn the bike, but you have to give it somewhere to go. If you leave your inside leg straight you aren't "opening up the door" for the bike to move through the turn and your outside leg. 

You also shouldn't have to turn your handlebars that much unless it's a really tight or really low speed turn. Practice turning your bike with your legs and body weight without turning your handlebars at all. You'll be surprised how much your bike will move for you.

When I taught mountain biking at college we'd make them ride through a slalom type course on a grassy hill with a perfectly straight front wheel to practice this technique.

I think if my bars ever ended up at 45 degrees to the bike I'd end up shortly thereafter on the ground in pain, unless maybe I was going really slow (which is saying something because I ride at a snail's pace anyway).

Edit: Just checked. Pretty sure my bars would hit me in the knee if I turned them more than 45-55 degrees with my knee at 12 and pointed straight forward. Or, at the very least it would be very close. My bike definitely fits me and I've yet to hit my knee on the trail unless you count falling forwards and hitting it on the top of the fork sanction on the way down...


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## Codad 4 (Apr 17, 2007)

CougarTrek said:


> Edit: Just checked. Pretty sure my bars would hit me in the knee if I turned them more than 45-55 degrees with my knee at 12 and pointed straight forward. Or, at the very least it would be very close. My bike definitely fits me and I've yet to hit my knee on the trail unless you count falling forwards and hitting it on the top of the fork sanction on the way down...


rest my case. just ride it. if it keeps annoying look into spending more money on a set back post, saddle or stem.the economy is bad remember :thumbsup:


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## chemeleon26 (Sep 27, 2008)

CougarTrek said:


> No comment on the bike fit as there are lots of other factors.
> 
> However, I assume you are practicing turns with your outside leg down and your inside leg up and out. Your inside leg should be around 12 as you mentioned, but your knee should also be turned out away from your bike. Think of it this way, you are pushing down with your outside foot to provide traction and leaning in with your whole outside leg to turn the bike, but you have to give it somewhere to go. If you leave your inside leg straight you aren't "opening up the door" for the bike to move through the turn and your outside leg.
> 
> ...


Sir, thank you very much for the reply. Your explanation is very helpful and the answers you gave are exactly what I am looking for.

I'm a newbie and I'm quite worried about how my bike maybe too small for me. Actually I am quite comfortable with it but from time to time, I read something on the web or I discover something and it drives me bonkers. I was actually worried that I'd need to get a new one.

Again, cheers to you sir!


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## chemeleon26 (Sep 27, 2008)

Codad 4 said:


> rest my case. just ride it. if it keeps annoying look into spending more money on a set back post, saddle or stem.the economy is bad remember :thumbsup:


I will follow your advice. I'll ride more and worry less about how my bike fit me  Thanks sir


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## PscyclePath (Aug 29, 2007)

What CougarTrek said...

You shouldn't need to turn the bars that far save on a very technical trail at real slow speed, where balance is going to be your biggest factor.

As you're rolling along, your bike turns more by leaning, shifting your body weight, than it does by turning the bars. After all, when you turn as sharply as you mentioned, you're pretty much going to be pushing your front wheel perpendicular to the direction the bike is trying to go...


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## CougarTrek (Jan 27, 2007)

chemeleon26 said:


> Sir, thank you very much for the reply. Your explanation is very helpful and the answers you gave are exactly what I am looking for.
> 
> I'm a newbie and I'm quite worried about how my bike maybe too small for me. Actually I am quite comfortable with it but from time to time, I read something on the web or I discover something and it drives me bonkers. I was actually worried that I'd need to get a new one.
> 
> Again, cheers to you sir!


No problem. The interwebs are a great place to get all sorts of different opinions and advice. But if your bike isn't hurting you (ie: you feel comfortable and happy riding it) don't let them make you paranoid. :thumbsup:

Sizing guides are a great tool, but in the end it comes down to personal factors. My road bikes are all at least one size "too big" by any normal fit calculator. I rode one that was the "right size" once and hurt after a 10min test ride...


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Wrong response, as usual....*



CougarTrek said:


> No problem. The interwebs are a great place to get all sorts of different opinions and advice. But if your bike isn't hurting you (ie: you feel comfortable and happy riding it) don't let them make you paranoid. :thumbsup:
> 
> Sizing guides are a great tool, but in the end it comes down to personal factors. My road bikes are all at least one size "too big" by any normal fit calculator. I rode one that was the "right size" once and hurt after a 10min test ride...


Sir? Since when?

Good advice. I agree.


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## CougarTrek (Jan 27, 2007)

Ken in KC said:


> Sir? Since when?
> 
> Good advice. I agree.


O, sorry Ken I forgot to tell you about my sex change operation. I guess I'm off the market as far as your concerned now :arf:

(honestly, the default on this forum is male and I don't think I even have my gender in my profile, so I'm cool with it  )


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Roar!!*



CougarTrek said:


> O, sorry Ken I forgot to tell you about my sex change operation. I guess I'm off the market as far as your concerned now :arf:
> 
> (honestly, the default on this forum is male and I don't think I even have my gender in my profile, so I'm cool with it  )


Transgendered male mountain bikers are hawt!


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## thebigred67 (Mar 29, 2005)

chemeleon26 said:


> Hi I'm new to the forum. I've recently bought a bike and I really can't tell if it fits me or not.
> 
> I have found out that when I make a turn around 45 degrees, the handlebar hits my knees. In this case, I have steered the handlebar to the right. As I have been reading from other websites, the correct position of my feet would be on the pedal at the 12 o'clock position so my right knee is raised thus my right handle hits my right knee.
> 
> ...


If you're sitting down in the switchbacks you need to find steeper switchbacks! :thumbsup: Bah dah boom.

It is a joke but it is true as well. You won't be sitting in the switchbacks.


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## chemeleon26 (Sep 27, 2008)

CougarTrek said:


> O, sorry Ken I forgot to tell you about my sex change operation. I guess I'm off the market as far as your concerned now :arf:
> 
> (honestly, the default on this forum is male and I don't think I even have my gender in my profile, so I'm cool with it  )


Hi CougarTrek. Sorry about the mistake. Thanks again for the great advice!


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## Bikinfoolferlife (Feb 3, 2004)

I was thinking about this while negotiating a tight switchback yesterday, surprised myself at where my bar and knee came together (not quite as much as the OP, but....)


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

Outside foot down/inside foot up is for fast turns. If you are going slow enough to turn the bars 45*, you can move the knee down that is in the way. I sometimes swing my knee outside of the bar for clearance and balance.


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## thebigred67 (Mar 29, 2005)

gmcttr said:


> Outside foot down/inside foot up is for fast turns. If you are going slow enough to turn the bars 45*, you can move the knee down that is in the way. I sometimes swing my knee outside of the bar for clearance and balance.


Another great tip. :thumbsup:


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