Hi all. Dumb question ahead, get ready.

So I've been thinking about getting a newish bike eventually. Probably not until my current one gives out; another year or so. The one I have now is great, but it's a little too tall for me. Mounting is hard; every time I stop to get off I literally have to fall; if I try to stop and stand with both legs over the middle part, it smashes my pubic bone. I've already fallen once and hurt my knee. The logical solution would be to wear knee pads and a helmet, I know; but I'd also just like a bike I can actually RIDE.

There's no bike shops around here and I don't know who sells them. I was thinking of trying Toys R US...but I want to make sure that A) it doesn't look like a 9 year olds bike and B) it will support my fat ***.

Any ideas on where to call? Phone book? I just don't want to spend a fortune, and I want to be able to ride it safely and comfortably. Which means the seat can't be 18 feet in the air and I have to be able to get off/stop without busting my face. There's no sidewalks on my street, and if a car comes, I'd like to be able to just put my feet on the ground. I'm always afraid I'll fall sideways into the car, since I can't touch the ground on this one.

I know that road bike manufacturers do make smaller bikes for shorter people and for women. I don't think they are more expensive than other road bikes, but road bikes in general do cost more. I'm not sure about other types of bike.

Here is one link by Giant which will give you an idea. http://www.giantforwomen.com/bikes. It has more types. If you google "fit on women's bikes" or something like that, you can get more general info.

Even if you just read about what a good fit looks/feels like, you might be able to get an idea when you go to try out. The other thing you have to watch is that sometimes what's billed as a women's bike is just a different coloured version of the men's. When I bought my roadbike, I bought a small, which was different from the men's, but they went as low as xxxsmall, depending on the brand.

You should be able to stand over the bike comfortably (when there is a bar) and put one foot down with just a bit of a tilt when stopped.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/ This is a really good women's forum where you should be able to find questions about bikes for short women.

I agree, look into an adult sized bike in a small frame. Women Specific Designs have a shorter reach and drop. I just bought a fancy one, but they come in all sorts of ranges. Maybe a nice hybrid or flat bar road bike would be good for you. I'm 5'6 and ride a 54 cm. I know they go down much smaller, depending on manufacturer.

I would suggest going to a bike shop and getting fitted. Price some out, then either buy there or keep your eyes peeled for a used one in that size. Good luck! Biking is my favorite addiction.

Thank you, now that I know where to start, I'll definitely start looking! I love to ride- just tired of the dangers !