48-51 road bike wanted

Hello! I am a newbie to triathlons, but VERY excited to get going! I am looking for a racing bike to get me started. I am 5'almost 3" and have been told I would fit best on a 48-51 (depending on brand). If anyone has a bike they are looking to sell or know of anyone that is, please let me know. Thanks for reading!!:)

Welcome to TE. My only advice is to try out bikes before you buy. While that size might work for you, it might not. For instance, I'm 5'6" and I ride a 49cm. It depends on the bike and your proportions, not just your height.

Javalin makes some nice tri bikes which are not pricy


http://www.javbike.com/Specials.html

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Originally Posted by tulip

Welcome to TE. My only advice is to try out bikes before you buy. While that size might work for you, it might not. For instance, I'm 5'6" and I ride a 49cm. It depends on the bike and your proportions, not just your height.

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+1.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tulip

Welcome to TE. My only advice is to try out bikes before you buy. While that size might work for you, it might not. For instance, I'm 5'6" and I ride a 49cm. It depends on the bike and your proportions, not just your height.

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100% Agree. On the other end of your spectrum, I'm 5'3.5 (that half inch counts, right?!) and I need a 51 or 52.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tulip

Welcome to TE. My only advice is to try out bikes before you buy. While that size might work for you, it might not. For instance, I'm 5'6" and I ride a 49cm. It depends on the bike and your proportions, not just your height.

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And by that same token I'm 4'11" and ride a 47cm with a 51.5cm TT. Most people would call that insane; I call it just right ;)

You definitely have to get a feel for your body proportions vs. different bike geometries and setups. Not all bikes fit the same, even in the same size. Ie: many have drastically different top tube lengths (your reach, which is really important) for the same seat tube length (typically what is quoted as the size).