Face it – some of us are, as they say, vertically
challenged. But we still love to ride and race even though the factories build for the masses. They have to, or the bikes
would be too expensive for anyone but the very elite to afford. They try to suit us as best as they can with tech innovations
like shorter shocks, linkage mods, and sub frame variations, but they can’t afford to meet everyone’s needs.
As an example, look at running shoes. As high tech
as they are, all the companies except for New Balance only offer one width. But what if you have an extra wide forefoot? All
the cushioning in the world won’t help you. So what can you do?
As Jason Thomas has said, you might try running the forks high in the clamps or sagging the rear
shocks to try to compensate, but those things compromise other things, like the bike’s geometry and how it handles on
the corners. Is it worth it? That’s a personal call.
There are other things to try, too. But which ones work for you just depend on you. For instance, try adjusting your
bars a bit further back. Have you tried to run your mounts lower? It’s a no-brainer that the height of the foot pegs
can make a difference.
But here are some
other things to try. First, try lowering your seat. You should have some flexibility in this adjustment and it’ll make
a world of difference. Most riders like the compromise between the lowest and the highest setting.
Lowering your sub frame works well too. The trick is to cut it accurately
and then re-weld it. Be accurate though, any misalignments might not be noticed but will play hell with your body alignment
and performance. Lowering it by about eight millimetres is about the max you want to go.
Taller foot pegs are a good solution as well. There are some factory replacements on the market
now which fit the bill. In the long run, the best approach is to use a combination of all these moods rather than to go to
extremes on just one.
