I‘m about 5‘ 1 and I‘m looking for a new bike. my friend says the wheel needs to be 4 feet but that would be between my elbow and my shoulder and that is HUGE! So how many inches should a the bike wheel be?
Do not listen to your friend, as they have no idea what they are talking about. Have you ever seen or ridden a bicycle with a 4' wheel? No. If you are serious, go to a local bike shop and have them size you for a frame. An improper sized bicycle can make riding uncomfortable and put undue stress on knees, hips, and back.
At your height, 24 or 26 will work for a mountain bike and 650C will work for a road bike. More important will be the proper frame size; one-size-fits-all stuff found at a dept store will not fit you very well. Your friend is full of it telling you a four-foot wheel.
Julia There are two main bike wheel sizes in cm and in inches. They are a 650 cm and 700 cm, and a 36 inch and 27 inch wheel. Adult bikes will come mostly in those wheel sizes. Each manufacturer makes different size frames for each model they make. It really makes no difference which wheel you get as long as you get the correct size frame. If you have a choice get the 650 or 26 inch wheels on your bike. They will be more efficient for you to ride. Soccerref
