Another shortie seeking bike buying advice. :D

[Mountainash]

Hey Everyone!

I'm really excited to finally join you all. My sister recommended Team Estrogen when I started bike shopping last summer and I've been checking in periodically ever since. Mostly I just stew in my silent bike envy, but no more!

Spring is here in MN and I'm finally going to pull the trigger and buy a new bike. I've got a few bikes in mind to try out and I'll list those further down, but just in case I've missed something here's some info to help you help me...

I'm 5'1" with a 29in inseam.
I do not have a short torso.
I pull an adorable, 30lb 3yo in a bike trailer.
I'm currently riding a super store variety, super heavy, steel, mountain bike (with shimano "quick fire" shifters at least ) that is over ten years old and way too big. Heh.
I bike for fitness and utility. Lots of bike path riding, lots of trips to the grocery store/library/post office and such.
On weekends, my husband joins me and we head out to the state parks.
I'm fiercely competitive and hate not being able to keep up, but I'm not quite ready to go to a full on road bike.
My price point is around $500--no more than $700 but I'm the type who's comfortable asking for a better than retail price.

These are the bikes I tried last year:

Specialized Crossroads; heavy and slow and more upright than I liked.
Specialized Globe; another one I found too heavy and slow. Reminded me of a Cadillac whilst I'm looking for something more like a Jeep.
Specialized Vita; light and fairly fast but something about the fit made me think my shoulders and arms would hate me if I got that bike. Felt scrunched up.
Diamondback Clarity WSD; best fit of the bikes I've tried so far, uncomfortable seat. Didn't buy it because I felt like I would have been settling for a bike I was not enthusiastic about.
Trek 7.2 FX WSD and non WSD; I really wanted to like this bike but found it a really bone jarring bike to ride. I couldn't pin-point anything specifically uncomfortable, it just didn't feel good.

Now here's my list of bikes to try (and briefly why they're on my list):

Jamis Coda Femme and Sport I keep reading great things about Jamis. Maybe the steel frame will do for me what the Trek didn't.

Kona Dew I've found two bike shops that carry Kona and neither had this bike in a size that would work for me. My sister rides with a few people who really like Kona and they're sold locally.

KHS Urban Express Sounds very similar to the Coda. I don't know how the components stack up. That kinda stuff gets my head spinning. Heh...spinning, lol, oops, I should probably save the cheesy puns for a non-introductory post. It would be nice to compare the KHS and Jamis. I'm very unfamiliar with the brandname and the bike shop nearby doesn't have one in stock in my size.

Cannondale Quick Feminine 4 When I called and asked about the Coda, the bike shop asked if I'd tried this one. Not steel, but it has a carbon fork. My sister has a Cannondale Synapse.

Bianchi Milano Citta I'm thinking the Milano will have too few gears for biking hills with a bike trailer, right? Does Bianchi offer anything else I should try? Local shops carry and seem to sell a lot of this brand.

Pre-owned Surly I doubt I'll be able to find one in my size. My friends who work at the LBS that I like best really love Surly. Can't try one because they build them up custom. Pipe dream, maybe.

Other brands that are available in my area: Terry (I believe), Giant, Schwinn, GT, Raleigh, Felt, & Salsa.

I'm planning to go bike shopping on Saturday. The problem I keep running up against when talking to bike shops in the area is that they don't stock a lot of smaller bikes. I'm considering driving 4hrs to Minneapolis/St. Paul so I'll have better likelihood of actually trying out the bikes I'm interested in. But is buying so far away a bad idea?

I'm really interested in your opinions. Is there anything I should add to my list? Anything you wouldn't bother with? I'd love to hear input like "I wouldn't go with the _______ because..." and bonus points if you show me yours.

[Katiebikes]

Hi there,

I have Specialized Dolce that I really like. Not sure how much they run new, but I got mine used off craigslist for $350, and it's been a great bike. I'm not sure what kind of bike you're looking for (road vs. hybrid vs. mountain) or the kind of riding you'll be doing (around town vs. long endurance rides vs. racing) but if you're looking to ride more than a little I would consider either upping your price point or considering buying used. Terry has a section on their website where you can look for used bikes that other people are selling, although before you do that I'd get fitted at a Terry retailer to see what size you'd be. And although sizing is important, the bike I have right now that I've put 3000+ miles on is too big, and yet it works fine...so there's always a little wiggle room. And if a bike feels really scrunched when you try it, know that there are a lot of things you can modify to improve the fit--changing the seat, the stem, the handlebar...for not a lot of money. A great resource I've found for looking at used bikes has been www.craiglook.com. You can search craigslist for a radius of up to 250 miles around your current town...great if you don't live in a huge city. I typically search size, model name, or brand name, and it's great! Much cheaper than ebay, too.

Good luck!

[Tiddle]

Hey Everyone!

I'm 5'1" with a 29in inseam.
I do not have a short torso.

Hi Mountainash - Me too on the measurements!

I've been riding a Trek 7.3WSD for the last 2 years and I've really loved it. It can be a bit jarring but I suspect thats the high preassure tyres (110psi). If you're currently on a dept. store bike the first thing I noticed about the Trek was how much faster it was, those high pressure tires might hurt a bit but they fly!

For the first time ever I could keep up with my partner on his road bike - This bike made me fall in love with riding!

Having said that, I'm now upgrading to a Cross Check for longer tours (prefer drop bars for all day rides). I've taken the Trek on some serious apline climbs and its absolutely perfect for commuting.

Did you try the 15" S frame or the 13" XS? Was is just the hardness of the ride you didn't like?