Road bike shopping for short person

[Trek420]

First off I'm thinking steel for the ride. I'm 5' nuthin, arthritis all over, torn ACL, meniscus tendon (both knees) and a fractured spine When my namesake Trek was stolen I did not feel I had many choices but I tried bikes.

Antonio Mondonico was making the rounds of the USA (his last time, he's now retired) offering a custom fit bike without having to go to Milan to meet him. I met him and decided to buy. He measured me for the bike and said in Italian something like "it'll probably have a sloping top tube, is that ok?" I think what he really said, just his son was too polite to translate was "I can't believe that I, Antonio the builder of bikes which have placed in the top 3 of the Grand Tours am building a custom bike for this short chubby middle age club cyclist!"

But he went off, sipped coffee, listened to Verde opera, welded, some antipasto, another weld .... months later my bike was there.

Then painted, then built up by Chris at Robinson Wheelworks. Not only did the builder do such a good job but my LBS had fit me for my old bike so he knew what to do. I am a bit more upright than a pure race style. I got a bike that's light, fast and with all day comfort right from the start.

They say when training for the AIDS rides that you should not change ANYTHING a month or two before the 545 mile ride. A few weeks before the ride I got my bike. It fit and rode perfectly.

If your shop has done a good job of fit and can work with a custom builder or can customize another bike for you, go that route.