How tall are you? (Women only, please)

i'm 5 foot nothing and i ride a 43 cm Trek 1600 WSD with 650c wheels. I love it. (my shoe size is 5)

now i'm shopping for a full suspension mountain bike, and i really wish i can fit the xs juliana but my legs are too short. i hardly have any clearance. if my legs were just a tad bit longer, i wouldn't have to look at bikes that are over 2 grand. so i'm a bit bummed about looking at titus and yetis. i mean, i LOVE those bikes, but they are way over my price range, although i know they will fit. i should measure my inseam.....

;)

4' 11".

I ride several bikes all of which fit like a glove. But it was an arduous process, especially for a f/s mountain bike:

47 cm Trek 2300 with 650 wheels. fits like a glove.
13.5" Gary Fisher Cake 3 GS
13.5" Gary Fish Hoo Koo e Koo GS

Quote:

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Originally Posted by piaadoll

i'm 5 foot nothing and i ride a 43 cm Trek 1600 WSD with 650c wheels. I love it. (my shoe size is 5)

now i'm shopping for a full suspension mountain bike, and i really wish i can fit the xs juliana but my legs are too short. i hardly have any clearance. if my legs were just a tad bit longer, i wouldn't have to look at bikes that are over 2 grand. so i'm a bit bummed about looking at titus and yetis. i mean, i LOVE those bikes, but they are way over my price range, although i know they will fit. i should measure my inseam.....

;)

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Hi piaadoll -- I found a used XS Titus Racer X on Ebay for well under $2K. You'd probably need an XXS (I'm 5'1-1/2" with about a 28.5" inseam i.e., longish legs for my height). Of course, by the time I changed out a bunch of tired parts, I'd put around $2K in the bike, but it was worth it! Good luck finding your dream MTB.

Sorry for the thread hijack!

Emily

I'm 5'6" and have a 31" inseam. I have a Specialized Sequoia 54.5 cm frame (men's medium) and it fits perfectly.

Deb

I'm 5'5" and have owned both WSD and not. My last MTB was a WSD Gary Fisher Sugar 3+. It fit great. I just bought a Santa Cruz Blur XC, not WSD and it too fits great. My road bike is a 50 cm Cannondale. Oh, and then there's my Schwinn Coed. Can you guess whether that's WSD? :)

5'5" and I ride a Giant OCR1 WSD size small. I have a long torso, and short legs. I've never been quite comfortable. Starting to think after reading this thread that maybe I should search out a smaller sized man's bike next go around.

I voted 5'-7" - last year when I was at the doctor, I was 5'-6.75" (whoo-hoo! I grew 1/4" when I was 41!). Short legs, long torso.

I ride a 50cm men's Trek 5200. Very long seatpost & long stem. But just-right standover height. Not sure what this means, although I suspect it doesn't fit quite right. Any WSD bikes I've tested felt quite cramped, but maybe they were too small. My newest bike is a 520 touring bike (also men's/unisex), 21" (seems big compared to what I'm used to, but comfy). Don't remember my MTB size, but it is a men's.

I really need to find someplace to get a fitting on the 5200 - probably will have to drive 4 hours to do that. Then, once they tell me I can't POSSIBLY ride that bike, I can go shopping! Actually the only problem I seem to have is saddle discomfort (mainly on the drops or aero bars), which I'm hoping a fitting/adjustment will fix.

Jan

5'0", 27" inseam. Last time I had a new bike, the frame was 18.5" and had to be specially ordered.

(^ 5'0 on an 18.5" doesn't sound right to me... :/ )

5'8" riding a 56cm mens 5000. Switched out the stem for a 90 vs 100 and i freakin love it! :]

18.5" of upright downtube (as frame sizes were measured in the 80s) looks nothing like 18.5" of compact frame. Maybe I should explain that at the time the trend was to have as little stem coming out of the frame as possible because it was believed that it made the bike stronger.

It was a lightweight tourer, and it was the smallest size easily available for a real adult bike suitable for commuting (not a shopper) at the time. Could get off and on safely as the top tube sloped v steeply and finished lower than a mixte frame. Until it got stolen <sigh>

I'm 5' 6.5" long legs and arms. I have a Ruby Comp 54". Now if I could find a comfortable seat!

I'm 5'3 and I'm riding a 44cm Bianchi that, after several fitting sessions, I'm convinced is too small for me. The wheels go around, and I don't fall over, but it's not very comfortable to ride. :rolleyes: I'm pursuing a custom bike.

4'9.5" usually rounding down. I'm not "vertically challenged," dammit (what a lame phrase!!!) -- I'm proudly tiny!

I ride a 44cm '06 Ruby Comp (700c) for tri's and bike racing (I have a <27" inseam). Fits me great for road racing, less than great with aerobars but since I'm doing hilly tri's, they'll do. I also ride a 43cm steel Havnoonian fixed gear w/650c for track, which rocks.

I've been curious about the new Cannondale Six13 Feminin in 40cm or 45cm, 650cm, and the Orbea diva. I am still a fairly new rider, only been riding for about a year, and am still trying to figure out whether I would be more efficient/go faster with a road bike on 650c (better fit) vs. 700c (bigger wheels). Every bike shop I talk to says to go with 700c wheels if you're racing, but I'm not totally convinced.

5-0 :o

I have a Specialized Dolce Elite and had to get those spacers that slip between the break handles. It is an XS 44''

5'6" here. I have a Luna Eclipse ("made by women for women"), a Bike Friday that is based on my Luna, and a Jamis Coda (non-WSD). I love them all!

I'm 5'5" and have a Specialized Roubaix Elite site medium.

I'm 5'5" and ride a 51cm Litespeed Arenburg. I just purchased a Specialized Ruby comp today, 51cm. I have a short torso with long arms and legs, so I'm hoping the fit will be perfect. My first women's bike.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RoadRaven

Very interesting to read the different heights and bikes.

Interestingly, one of my training buddies is about 5'2/5'3 and she has a Specialised Ruby Pro, and she has absolutely adored it form the first moment she sat on it.

I am 5'9" and I have:
Time Trialling: a Giant TCR2, small (53 top tube)
Road Racing: an EMC2 FemmetapePro, medium (54 top tube)
....(this is about to become my training only bike)

New addition/purchase but not in stable yet...

Road Racing: an EMC2 TeamEquipPro, medium (54 top tube)

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Oohhh...Raven I am very jealous I love my etape pro & the new equip looks great.

I'm a smidgen under 5'12" (sounds less amazonian that 6') & I ride a large frame - yep men's large. Only one size bigger available in NZ. I really wanted a WSD with those cute swirls on them & noone at any of the bike shops around would even let me try one out. I am also in size 45 shoes!

I'm 5'3 with a 29cm inseam or so.. and I have the Giant Avail 1 in Small (I think it's about a 49). It's supposed to be for girls 5'4-5'7 or so, but it seems to fit okay. I didn't get to try the xsmall though.

5'4" here! I ride a Trek 2200 WSD.

5'3", 29" inseam, size 6 shoe

specialized dolce elite 48cm

5'1" here. I ride a Principia & a Serotta w/ 650c wheels (48cm top tube) - also an XXS Titus Racer-X, also a custom Bike Friday . . . Very difficult to get a good fitting bike (but has got easier). I love the FSA compact bars & I have double-shimmed my STIs. My husband & I run a bike business (servicing, fixing, building up, fitting) & fitting smaller women is the biggest challenge. Had to chase all over to find 160mm cranks for my road bike - & bought BMX for my 155mm track cranks.

I find it's all about top tube length for road bikes & all about standover height for mountain bikes. 650 wheels are great for smaller riders - I know there isn't as much choice in wheels/tyres - but hey, I don't buy clothes that are too big for me just because there is more choice . . .

5'0" here - As with many smaller racers, I have and love my Ruby Pro.

I also have a Ti bike with 650's though I find the Ruby with 700's fits me a bit better. I guess I just have a bit of a rule breaking body.... Long legs (28 1/2 - 29ish inseam) short torso, short arms.

My TT bike also has 650's and there I could never get away with bigger wheels - I already can't get very low....

5' 5.5" or 5' 6" if I stand up really straight! Inseam 28.5".

My bikes - 54cm Ruby Expert, 50cm Surly LHT, 15.5" Gary Fisher MTB

I use to think I was average height till I started riding bikes. It seems I'm short and stumpy in the bike world. I had a really hard time finding bikes small enough to ride. :D bikerHen

I'll have to see if i've asked this here...:o I shall do a search in a min.

How does one measure their inseam? Where do you measure your inseam?

I'm 5'10 and find I can ride Cannondales standard models (54"), but all other manufacturers I prefer in a WSD frame. I currently have a Cannondale R6 triple.

5'1" with Specialized Ruby Elite (44cm). Don't know the inseam but the bike fits me perfectly with a minor adjustment (shorter stem). Size 36-37 shoes

I went back and looked at my response from May. OK, well, I have a new frame, still non-wsd, but it fits much better. It's an x-small Kuota Kebel, which is 48 cm. I also have new 38 cm Speciaized bars and new Ultegra short reach brifters. I can reach the brakes in the drops for the first time in 8 years! But, I think I could go up to a 40 in the bars, although I am 38 across the shoulders.
Reading all of the responses, I notice that almost all of the other respondents my height (5' 1") have wsd bikes that are 44 or 47 cm. Yet, when I had my Trek which was a 47, I still couldn't reach the brakes from the drops and my neck always hurt.
My bike shop guy is totally frustrated with me because I don't feel "right" on anything. I know, go custom. Well, maybe when I finish my degree. . .

5'3" and a smidge with longish legs (31" inseam) broad shoulders, gorilla arms and whatever is left is the shortish torso! I should be the perfect candidate for WSD but have always ridden "men's" road bikes and hybrids.

Current roadie is Shogun Ninja - small (says it is a 41cm frame but is compact geometry and effective frame size is about 47cm)

Have embraced the WSD in my mountain bikes though - perhaps because in the more upright position I like to be a bit more over the front wheel. I have a Kona Lisa HT in 16" and a Specialized Era Marathon in a Medium.

I am 5'7 and feel pretty average although I know I am taller than average. I certainly dont ever really feel tall unless I am with a shorter guy! I have a 54" Trek Madone 5.1 that I love. I am having some fit issues but more to so with seat height not tube length. :D

I looked at what I said in May too, and now I'm more comfy than ever on my Giant FCR and the wsd feature that I like best is the short reach brakes.

Of course the Brooks saddle and leather wrap grips haven't hurt either.
:)

5' 2.75" (rounded up), 29.5 inseam, size 9 shoes.

I rented a Giant OCR2 XS to use for a 25-mile ride. The steering felt *bargey* to me, but it was fine (though unremarkable) otherwise.

I own a 19" Terry Symmetry, soon to be swapped with a 19" Isis frame, 9 cm stem. Frame cracked before I could put many miles on it, but every ride felt wonderful and left me wanting more.

Also ride a S Gary Fisher Marlin MTB.

5'4, 31 inch inseam. Colnago C50 46 sloping (52 standard)...a scotch too big but I live with it. I need a slightly shorter stem but am already at 90mm.

Also specialized Era F/S mountain bike. in a S

5' 1" -- not sure what my inseam is, but I have short legs. I used to ride a Trek 2.3 WSD 47 cm... but after a year, I felt cramped. New bike is a Trek Madone 4.7 50 cm. Much, much better! I love the WSD's because my hands are very small and I can easily brake/shift on the hoods or in the drops.

5.2 1/2 and I have a 48 custom made racingbike (no brand) and a 48 cm Merckx Gara Lady...

5'5.5" here. Super short torso with long legs (~32.5" inseam).

My best fitting bike is a Trek Madone 5.2 WSD 54cm. It was the closest fit off the rack of any bike I tried. I just added a shorter stem (80) and narrower handlebars, and it's a dream.

My other bike is a Specialized Tricross 54cm (not WSD). It's a fun bike, but I've never been completely comfy on it--even after a shorter stem and new handlebars. I always feel like I'm reaching too far. It was my 'road' bike for about 6 months until I got the Madone.

5'3" Currently riding a 48cm trek 2.1 wsd. I feel ok on it, I'm new to all of this though. everything i've read seems to imply that I should have a slightly bigger frame. its the only road bike I've ever ridden, so it could be slightly small and I would have no idea. Its what I have to work with though and I haven't noticed any problems so far.

5' 5.5" and ride a 2007 Specialized Ruby Pro 51cm (WM) and love her!!

5'6'' and I ride a 53 cm Orbea Onix WSD. Fits me perfectly !

5'1.5", and ride a 44cm Ruby Expert. Minor adjustments, slightly longer stem (80mm from 75mm) and slightly longer and deeper drop on handlebars (3t Ergonova Team 38cm). Inseam 28". Maybe I'm just looking for some comfort in my old age ;). I had a 48 till I crashed it, and by the time I did, I was certain the 44 would have been better, but at the LBS, the 44 felt cramped when I first tried it; so that is why I swapped the stem and bars.

Back in the day (the 80s,) the smallest non custom bike I could find was a '19inch' Scapin. Set it up with Record, a 60mm quill stem and Dura-Ace 165 cranks as soon as it became available. I think I had about 1 1/2" of seatpost showing! Loved that bike even though it was a struggle to make it work. If I had that bike today, I would put Ultregra on it with short reach shifters, and a 38cm handlebar (it had a then 'small' 42cm Modolo, no wonder it never felt right!)

It's interesting how many tall (compared to me) women are on this site. It must be great to walk into the LBS and actually fit something and not run all over town just to find a bike to try! I was lucky that the bike that fit me best was at a store 2 miles away.