Gear for little people

[TripleGem]

I'm in the process of designing a custom road frame and building it up and wow, a few things really frustrate me.

Handlebars: I measure 34cm from shoulder to shoulder (w/prof. bike fit). Handlebars are only available in 38cm and up, and many of the good ones don't even come in 38cm. Then, there is a huge drop and too much for my little hands- I can't use Campy parts because I can't actually reach the brakes. I found an aluminum Bontrager I like, but it doesn't have an ergo flat top which I would like. I just feel like there needs to be someone out there designing handlebars, perhaps even carbon ones (?!) for us smaller gals.

Shoes: The Sidi Genius 5.5 only comes in (eu)38 and up. I have small feet. Reduced choices again.

Zipp: Have you checked out their website? The gear they sell and the pictures that illustrate their offerings would leave you to believe that very few women use Zipp wheels.

Don't merchants realize what a huge part of the consumer market we are???

[VeloVT]

I totally sympathize, and I'm not even that small, at 5'6". The bars I really want just don't come in 38cm...

That said, you have a few options. Deda makes a few bars in 36 outside-outside (this is a 34 cm bar by more conventional center-center measurement):
http://www.dedaelementi.com/En/Produ...ctIDMaster=383

http://www.dedaelementi.com/En/Produ...ctIDMaster=377

as well as a sexy (I think) carbon bar in 38 o-o (36 c-c):
http://www.dedaelementi.com/En/Produ...ctIDMaster=357

Salsa makes several bars, including the Poco Carbon, in 36 cm (this is center-center, unfortunately).

The Ritchey Biomax bar, which is pretty popular, is available in 36 cm c-c.

I'll bet if you are willing to sacrifice on weight, you could find some Nitto or Cinelli bars in smaller widths as well.

However, I'm not apologizing for the lack of adequate choices for women. I'm totally with you there. Makes me mad. grrrr....


p.s. I actually have those Piega bars on my CX bike (they came stock). They are not bad. I'm not sure they'd be my first choice if I were going custom (sort of a hybrid traditional/anatomic shape), but it's definitely an option for you since they do come in 34...

p.p.s. It sucks to have to settle for lower end, but Sidi DOES make the Zeta shoe in 36 (size 6), and Specialized makes the Women's Carbon BG Pro in 36 also (annoyingly, they don't even MAKE a women's version of their top-end shoe... this kind of thing infuriates me...but there are a few TE women who wear and love the BG Pro, and I have the men's carbon Zeta because I found a killer deal on it, and it's fine, if not as light or swanky looking as the Genius...).

[Zen]

Check out the Bontrager Fit VR
clamp size- 31.8mm
width 360mm (don't know if this is an inside or outside measurement, I'd have to check my bike)
drops-120mm

[elk]

Does anyone HAVE the Deda for girls?

I need to know if it's an ergo or a more traditional curve..or at least a gentle ergo!!! I want to dump my Ritchey Biomax 11 for a less ergo bar...

(don't mean to hijack)

I've been researching bars and I'd add to the list the Modolo Venus bar
http://estore.websitepros.com/193951...ars/Detail.bok

[Zen]

The Bontrager has a plain old curve, no ergo needed.

[elk]

but it's not in 26.0, the BOntrager....

[TxDoc]

Does anyone HAVE the Deda for girls?
I need to know if it's an ergo or a more traditional curve..or at least a gentle ergo!!! I want to dump my Ritchey Biomax 11 for a less ergo bar...
(don't mean to hijack)
I've been researching bars and I'd add to the list the Modolo Venus bar
http://estore.websitepros.com/193951...ars/Detail.bok

it is sort of ergo. this is what it looks like:
http://www.dedaelementi.com/It/Produ...ctIDMaster=377
I've tried it, it's a very nice handlebar actually - although on the smaller side. I was trying to attach some 'live' pictures for you but I cannot figure out how to insert a photo that is on my hard drive and not on the web somewhere...

[elk]

it is sort of ergo. this is what it looks like:
http://www.dedaelementi.com/It/Produ...ctIDMaster=377
I've tried it, it's a very nice handlebar actually - although on the smaller side. I was trying to attach some 'live' pictures for you but I cannot figure out how to insert a photo that is on my hard drive and not on the web somewhere...

Have you tried moving it onto your desktop and then uploading it? Or mail it to yourself first...

I'm trying out the Cinelli LW s...

[Kathi]

I'm in the process of designing a custom road frame and building it up and wow, a few things really frustrate me.

Handlebars: I measure 34cm from shoulder to shoulder (w/prof. bike fit). Handlebars are only available in 38cm and up, and many of the good ones don't even come in 38cm. Then, there is a huge drop and too much for my little hands- I can't use Campy parts because I can't actually reach the brakes. I found an aluminum Bontrager I like, but it doesn't have an ergo flat top which I would like. I just feel like there needs to be someone out there designing handlebars, perhaps even carbon ones (?!) for us smaller gals.

Shoes: The Sidi Genius 5.5 only comes in (eu)38 and up. I have small feet. Reduced choices again.

Zipp: Have you checked out their website? The gear they sell and the pictures that illustrate their offerings would leave you to believe that very few women use Zipp wheels.

Don't merchants realize what a huge part of the consumer market we are???

I'm a small rider too and have the Modolo Venus bars in a 34cm width. I love my Campy Record shifters because they fit so nicely between my thumb and forefinger.

The bend on the Modolo Venus bars are designed to bring the hand closer to the brake levers.

I also suggest that you don't let the mechanics adjust your brakes to their strength. A loose cable brings the lever in a little more and is easier for my short fingers to reach the lever.

The Deda 4girls handlebars will be to wide for you, I had them before I discovered the Modolo Venus bars and there is a world of difference between the 2 bars. I had a very difficult time reaching the brake levers, not sure if that was because the bars were to wide,th e reach on the bend to long or both.

You don't say what your weight is but I bought handbuilt wheels from Jeremy at Alchemey bicycles in Santa Fe, NM. I used him because he was able to get Nimble Spider rims. They are designed for a lighter rider and Jeremy spec'ed the wheels to my weight rather than a 180 lb rider. The wheelset is not as fancy as my American Classic sprint 350's but I get a much smoother ride. They are very light wheels with tune hubs.

If you decide to go Campy and need a 165 crankarm I use the Specialities TA Carmina. I believe you can get it as a double, compact double or triple. You can chose the chainring sizes, I'm currently using a compact 48-34. The crankset works very well with a campy cassette.

Here's the link to pictures my custom Serotta. I don't know what happened to the last 2 pictures but you can see part of the crankset.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=8515

[elk]

those Venus bars are NICE!!!,,if the Evas don't work out for me...I'll get those!!

[Crankin]

I wear a 5.5 or 6 US shoe size and the Sidi Genus size 38 fit me perfectly. They run super small; I even had to get the 38W. I have 37s in my mtb Sidis and they are too tight.

[Eden]

Sidi's do tend to run small. I wear between a 4.5 and a 5.5 in most shoes and my Sidi's are 37's. I have even seen 36's in Sidis - they are too small to squeeze my feet into....

the sizing info page says Genius 5's (yeah, the soles are not carbon, but they will still be good and stiff) come in 37's http://www.sidiusa.com/sizing.html

as far as Zipp goes - they must have heard you, as they have Kirsten Armstrong splashed all over their home page right now....

[Bron]

ITM also make narrow bars. Mine are the "elle" bars and are 36cm measured from the centre of one brake hood to the centre of the other.

[mayanorange]

So turns out once I go my actual dressmakers tape out to measure things that my handlebars are 44cm!! I had measured them before with a not long enough ruler and I guess I missed when I got 40. Had DH measure my shoulders and I'm about 36- no wonder they seem a bit wide! I think I might finally suck it up and head to the LBS to get a handlebar fitting- maybe and actual 40 wouldn't be too bad. I need my bars a touch wide so the weight is on the medial side of my bad wrist, so I guess I'll try 38 and 40 if they have them.

I'm starting to realize the LBS I got the bike at doesn't really fit everyone going out the door- I didn't even think to ask for a womens saddle. Granted since it's my first real roadbike, there was some getting used to it to figure out what was and wasn't working, but maybe the other shop that throws everyone on a trainer would have been a better idea even though I got her at essentially 1/2 off. The frame seems to be close to the right size- I did one of those online measure yourself a bunch of ways fit things and it says I'm dead on with frame size and seat tube, and pretty close with reach- it said I could go farther, but the fit thing didn't have a check button for crap wrist and no core strength My main conundrum is the original shop owes me a tune up, so it'd be easier to go to them, but they don't have the selection of the other place. Hmmmm.

[TxDoc]

I'm starting to realize the LBS I got the bike at doesn't really fit everyone going out the door- I didn't even think to ask for a womens saddle. Granted since it's my first real roadbike, there was some getting used to it to figure out what was and wasn't working, but maybe the other shop that throws everyone on a trainer would have been a better idea even though I got her at essentially 1/2 off. The frame seems to be close to the right size- I did one of those online measure yourself a bunch of ways fit things and it says I'm dead on with frame size and seat tube, and pretty close with reach- it said I could go farther, but the fit thing didn't have a check button for crap wrist and no core strength My main conundrum is the original shop owes me a tune up, so it'd be easier to go to them, but they don't have the selection of the other place. Hmmmm.

The way I see it - they DO owe you a fitting service, and if they want to keep you as a customer they should really do that for free and without complaints. As per product selection... if they are a serious bicycle business they should be able to order anything you need to have the bike fitted properly.
That said - given your measurements the D4g could be the bar for you, but it is 38, so if your wrist needs a wider correction maybe you may want to try an anatomical 40 as well, like the Deda or the ITM. I would not suggest bars with very short reach and shallow drops like Salsa poco, because that may end up putting excessive strain on your wrist and certainly you do not want that.
In any case, as soon as my synapsi comes in (next week I hope!!!) I'll be glad to give you a couple of bars in 38/40 if you want to give it a try.
If you want to test ride bars, I have a brand new 40 that is just sitting there, still wrapped up and never mounted on a bike - and plan to take out the Deda 4 girls as soon as the new carbon bar comes in. So if you want to try them let me know, I can just pack them both and put them in priority mail.