What quality XXS hardtail bikes are out there?

Hello, I am a new poster here. Did an extensive search without anything conclusive. I am (a guy) and an avid MTB rider and it seems my girlfriend has caught the bug. I'd like to get her a mountain bike. She's tiny: 5 foot tall with a 28 inch (72 cm) inseam. So far the only bike she fit on was Fuji Navada but even at the highest spec that bike comes in with crap parts that makes it close to 30 lbs in weight. We have also tried Specialized Myka 15" since it was the smallest the LBS had and it was too large (and also insanely heavy).

I think there should be no reason I couldn't find a decent lightweight (under 25 lbs) hardtail in XXS size for under $1500 but I am struggling to find one.

The GT Zaskar in an XS sticks in my brain for some reason. Looks like it's only being made in carbon this year though. They did make it in aluminum last year- you might still be able to find one.

I would look at Jamis bikes. I am 5' tall and just bought a 13" Durango 2. It's probably too heavy for your gf, but I didn't have quite the budget you did!

Jamis makes a LOT of mtbs in 13" size which I find fits me great! I also have a Jamis road bike and I gotta hand it to them, they know how to make small bikes for small riders. Jenson USA has a lot of last years models on sale.

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/sub/1...&pricemax=5000

I live local to them so I was able to test ride a bike. They have awesome customer service.

(nope, I do not work for either Jamis or Jenson, just a happy customer!)

I have a 13" steel hardtail Jamis Dragon. Not FS, but a nice tiny bike.
The Dakar might come in XXS size.

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Originally Posted by eofelis

I have a 13" steel hardtail Jamis Dragon. Not FS, but a nice tiny bike.
The Dakar might come in XXS size.

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I've a 13" Jamis Dakar XC Comp - it is a soft-tail but am very happy with it. The Durango Femme comes in a 12" size. I don't know how that would compare with my 13", but my LBS noted the Durango 15 inch has the same dimensions as my 13" inch FS Dakar - so this is what I test rode before purchasing my lovely Dakar. My 13" Dakar XC is about 27 pounds, but it IS a soft-tail.

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Originally Posted by Catrin

I've a 13" Jamis Dakar XC Comp - it is a soft-tail but am very happy with it. The Durango Femme comes in a 12" size. I don't know how that would compare with my 13", but my LBS noted the Durango 15 inch has the same dimensions as my 13" inch FS Dakar - so this is what I test rode before purchasing my lovely Dakar. My 13" Dakar XC is about 27 pounds, but it IS a soft-tail.

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The Dakar is a FS bike, no? That's not the same thing as a soft tail.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

The Dakar is a FS bike, no? That's not the same thing as a soft tail.

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Yes, it is a FS, and I've mtb friends who refer to full suspension as a soft-tail. So if a soft-tail isn't a full suspension, then what IS it? :confused:

I've heard the terms "full suspension" and "soft tail" used interchangeably, but I've also heard them used to mean different things. To me, a "soft tail" is something like a Moots YBB or a Salsa Dos Niner, with a tiny ~1"-travel shock mounted at the top of seat stays. A 'full suspension" has 3"+ of rear wheel travel, IMO, and the shock is placed elsewhere in the frame, depending on the style of suspension.

I don't think that either variation is right or wrong...just the different ways that different people use the terms...

Thanks Becky! I was wondering if there were perhaps regional differences in how the term is used, but Indy and I are in the same area. Of course it doesn't mean that our respective MTB friends are :)

Everything I read suggests they are different types of suspension systems. Here are a couple of explanations:

http://www.dieselbikes.com/articles/article_00002.htm
http://mtbiketrail.com/categories.html

Part of the reason I even know the difference is DH's incessant chatter about the Moots YBB. He saw one on the trail recently and has a bad case of bike lust.


ETA: Sorry for the threadjack. Back to our original programming.

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Originally Posted by 00gauge

Hello, I am a new poster here. Did an extensive search without anything conclusive. I am (a guy) and an avid MTB rider and it seems my girlfriend has caught the bug. I'd like to get her a mountain bike. She's tiny: 5 foot tall with a 28 inch (72 cm) inseam. So far the only bike she fit on was Fuji Navada but even at the highest spec that bike comes in with crap parts that makes it close to 30 lbs in weight. We have also tried Specialized Myka 15" since it was the smallest the LBS had and it was too large (and also insanely heavy).

I think there should be no reason I couldn't find a decent lightweight (under 25 lbs) hardtail in XXS size for under $1500 but I am struggling to find one.

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Short of building up the Soma with weight in mind (which might run you over your budget), you might consider getting a bike like the Myka and making changing out few things to bring down the weight, obviously starting with the fork and wheels. It's not the most cost-effective option, but as I know from my own short legs, sometimes small riders have to make compromises others don't. This seems especially true in the MTB world. There are seemingly more options out there if she wants a FS bike, but with that, she'd likely have to up her budget if she wanted to get something light.

Depending the used MTB market in your area, you might keep an eye out for a FS bike on Craigslist. Or post something on MTBR's Women's subforum; it seems like there's always a person or two trying to sell a bike. In this thread alone, two women are trying to sell their XS FS bikes.

I too am 5'. I just bought a Specialized Myka (S) and it fits me fine. It is a bit heavy, but since I'm new to MTB I thought I'd wait a year before upgrading.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Short of building up the Soma with weight in mind (which might run you over your budget), you might consider getting a bike like the Myka and making changing out few things to bring down the weight, obviously starting with the fork and wheels. It's not the most cost-effective option, but as I know from my own short legs, sometimes small riders have to make compromises others don't. This seems especially true in the MTB world. There are seemingly more options out there if she wants a FS bike, but with that, she'd likely have to up her budget if she wanted to get something light.

Depending the used MTB market in your area, you might keep an eye out for a FS bike on Craigslist. Or post something on MTBR's Women's subforum; it seems like there's always a person or two trying to sell a bike. In this thread alone, two women are trying to sell their XS FS bikes.

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I bought a Soma Groove, and the finished bike was a lot higher in the stand over department than their chart. It ended up too big for me. The only charts that are reliable are Giant, where they measure stand over 12" from the seat tube. A lot of companies measure straight up vertically through the bottom bracket which isn't where anyone could stand over the bike, unless they wanted the nose of the saddle embedded in their back.

Don't trust the mfg sizing charts!

Soma's geometry charts are not accurate, compared to the actual bike. I know this from personal experience purchasing their frames. And the Groove was a boat anchor, even built up with lighter components like XTR mostly, and a fairly light wheelset, it came in at a little over 26 lb. That's a heavy bike.