Electric bikes, believe it or not, are not all the same size. Electric bikes, like regular bicycles, are normally sized according to your height. So, whether you're 4'10" or 6'2," use this helpful guide to determine the correct eBike size for you.
Rider Size vs eBike Frame Size.
A larger or smaller size may be more comfortable for you depending on how long your legs are and how you want to sit on a bike. Women's eBikes may have distinct designs from men's eBikes.
Calculating Your Dimensions
But hold on, you say. What if you're in one of those height groups but are concerned that the bike you purchase will be too little or too large for you? Because you aren't Goldilocks and don't have the time to try on every size, you can go a step further and compute some basic body dimensions to aid in your choosing.
- Height
- Leg length
- Standover height, which is your leg length minus about 1 inch
Measuring Height
If it’s been a good long time since you’ve been properly measured (you’re thinking about those tick marks on the wall at your parents’ house, aren’t you?), find a friend, spouse or child to help with a tape measure and consider this guidance:
- Stand on a hard, flat surface with your back and heels against a wall.
- Have a friend measure your height from the ground to the top of your head.
- Record this value in feet and inches, or just inches if you want.
Leg Length and Standover Height
In order to select the proper sized electric bike, you must first measure your standover height.
The distance between the ground and the top tube of the bike's frame right in front of the seat where you straddle it is known as standover height.
With your feet flat on the ground and about an inch of space between the eBike's frame and the base of your torso, your legs should be long enough to straddle the bike frame. Why? Let's imagine you need to come to a complete stop and dismount quickly - you'll need to be able to do so securely and without injuring yourself.
Because your pants don't sit at the bottom of your feet and you should be riding in shoes, your stand-over height will be an inch or two longer than the inseam of your pants.
If you don't know your pant's inseam, or if it's already a bit shorter than the eBike you want, you should first determine your standover height, which will assist you determine leg length.
How to Calculate the Height of a Standover
- 1. Obtain a pen, a large book, a tape measure, and the assistance of a friend/child/spouse.
- 2. Stand with your back against the wall, flat-footed, as if you were measuring your height.
- 3. Put the huge book between your legs. Like a saddle, press it up below you.
- 4. Make a little note on the wall where the book meets it at the top to ensure it's level.
- 5. Measure the distance between the mark and the floor with a tape measure. This is the height at which you will standover!
By adding an inch or so to this measurement, you can determine your leg length.
So now, you should have three numbers: your actual standing height, your standover height and your leg length.
Things to Keep in Mind When Taking Measurements
The Polarna Ebike M5 Fat Tire Commuting Road electric bike.
Taking measurements can be as simple as extending the tape measure and taking an accurate reading, but it’s also easy to make mistakes, so keep these things in mind as you measure yourself like a boss:
- Measure yourself twice or even three times to ensure accuracy.
- If you fall between two sizes of minimum and maximum seat height ranges or eBike frame heights, generally go with the smaller measurement, since a smaller eCycle is generally easier to control.
- Remember that the seat height and angle and handlebar angle can all be adjusted to ensure you feel comfortable when you’re on the bike.
Comparing Leg Length to Min and Max Seat Heights
Ideally, your leg length should fall somewhere within the minimum and maximum seat heights of your eBike to ensure a comfortable fit and to make sure your feet can safely reach the pedals. Having your leg length fall within these values means you should be able to find a comfortable riding position.
If you’ve got long legs, like Taylor Swift or Conan O’Brien, your standover height is likely to be higher than most people’s. But remember on an eBike, you don’t necessarily need full pedal extension. In other words, it’s possible to be comfortable pedaling without getting full extension since the electric motor is going to be helping you out.
Many of the Polarna® folding eBikes and step-through eBikes, like the M3, have a lower center of gravity, making it easier for riders of various heights to find a comfortable sitting position. If you need help with deciding which eBike is best for your height, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. At Polarna ebike, we’re here to help you make the best buying decision possible, and we know that’s not always easy when you can’t test out the bike in person. Give us a shout online, check out our FAQ, shoot us an email at sales@polarnaebike.com or hit us up on live chat — we’re here to help!