Falling outside the bell curve when it comes to height can have its disadvantages in life – but it gives rise to a particular set of issues when you are a cyclist. Whilst being on the very tall end of the spectrum can also be a challenge, being on the short end is more common and presents more people with issues.
Now, short doesn’t always equate to small, but those who are short in stature will generally also have small features such as feet, hands and leg length.
According to the World Population Review , the average height of a male is 178.21cm in the UK, 178.77cm in Australia and 176.94cm in the US. The average height of a woman is 163.94cm in the UK, 164.67cm in Australia and 163.31cm in the US.
The clinic I work at in Sydney has produced slightly higher numbers from a sample of 600 or so, with the average male being 179cm and female 166cm. It is logical to conclude that small adult cyclists are far more likely to be women.
Females are smaller on average, therefore those at the end of the bell curve are even smaller. Whilst women make up a smaller percentage of those who cycle (20% in our clinic), many of those would be considered “short” or “small” and face many of the issues outlined in this article.
Unsurprisingly, most bike manufacturers make their products in sizes that they are able to sell in sufficient numbers to make the most profit, leaving some sections […]
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