Arm Span Measurement

[AndyE]

Hello all. My first post on here and what will turn out to be many many questions, hopefully not all stupid! I am an ardent Sea kayaker! (was) I'm having a life style change forced upon me and as a result I am have a serious sleeping under canvas deficiency. So a new bike is on the cards. I'm a reasonably fit  29 & 282 month old  

I am trying to fill out my order form for a Raven and I am stuck on two points,  arm span & bottom bracket?  

Q1, How is arm span measured, centre of palm to palm?

Q2, BB choice pros and cons, internal or external? to help you with that question, the last time I had to do anything with a BB all the ball bearings fell out!


Andy

[bikerta]

Hi, when I went to SJS cycles to be measured up, they measured my arm span by me standing facing a wall, arms outstretched and putting my finger tips up against a board and they measured to my finger tips on the other hand. Not too stretched though.

[Far-Oeuf]

Hi,

Here's a link to a Thorn PDF, with additional info on measurements : http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/SetUpHiRes.pdf

The relevant bit : "ARM SPAN. This is very simple to measure. Stand facing a wall and, with your arms horizontal, touch the corner of the wall with the longest finger of one hand and then see how far you can extend the corresponding finger of the other hand. Mark this point. It is then easy to measure from the corner to the mark."

cheers,
Doug

[AndyE]

Thanks, bikerta & Far-Oeuf  I did warn you all that there may be a stupid question or two!! I did down load that document Far-Oeuf  so need a trip to Specsaver too now

[Andre Jute]

Q2, BB choice pros and cons, internal or external? to help you with that question, the last time I had to do anything with a BB all the ball bearings fell out!

In general, present-day old-fashioned square-drive internal bottom brackets are just about indestructible, starting very, very cheap (like the twelve quid plastic Stronglight made in Czecho, which in a different dress I've had fitted on a bike that cost BMW money, and never heard a complaint about); any Shimano labelled UN26 or higher is a superior bottom bracket to what you were used to back in the days of losable loose bearing balls.

External BB's have a reputation for chewing bearings. If you're buying a touring bike, your first consideration should be that it doesn't break down and interrupt your tour. Matt, who started out knowing about as much as you do, learned that the hard way on a recent tour across Scotland; he was lucky it happened in civilization and not in Outer Nowherestan.

[AndyE]

just got to love old school, chips by the pound beer by the pint, thanks : Andre Jute