My road bike does not fit. Help.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Xeney, I didn't mean that was necessarily what happened in your case, but unfortunately I suspect it happens too often. I'm glad your person at least tried to get the fit right for you.

[xeney]

Well, I think we are giving up. The Ritchie stem is about equivalent to 8cm, with some rise. It is still way too far. More than 3cm too far. The bike does not fit me and we can't make it fit.

I'm going to take it to a shop that will sell it on consignment. I'm not shopping for a new bike right now, because I really can't afford anything nice, and I am not excited about paying nearly $2K for an aluminum bike, as I would have to do with a Terry. I am just going to cut my losses and try to learn to love my mountain bike.

Thank you, everybody, for your help.

[Triskeliongirl]

You don't need to spend 2,000 for an aluminum terry. I just bought a beautiful 2003 terry isis frame, reynolds 853 steel , never been built on ebay for $100. I am buying a carbon fork for it for $200 and then transferring the rest of the parts from another bike. Some shops may even still have the 2005 Isis left which was made in titanium (you could try phoning harris cyclery where I bought mine). If you watch ebay, steel Isis and symetries are always available at good prices. If you go to the buy/sell section of the terry website, you can also find folks selling older models. But don't give up. There is a road bike out there for you at reasonable cost.

[xeney]

I don't think I would feel okay buying a used bike at this point without test riding it and being fitted to it. Not even a Terry, because I looked at the geometry page and I am having a hard time seeing where the miracle is. Maybe I am visualizing it wrong. The Isis has a slightly different angle in the seat tube than the Veloce -- 74 vs. 75 -- but the other measurements are really similar. My current bike is right between the 19 and 20 inch Isis in terms of standover and seat tube length, and it is also right between them in every other area. The only measurement that is really different is the top tube length, which is obviously where I most need an adjustment, but it's only about an inch shorter, and that is not going to be anywhere close to enough.

I know you can't just go off the numbers, but I would really need to ride one, I think, which means I probably need to buy a new one. Unfortunately I have never seen a Terry in a used bike shop, and the Terry dealer here only stocks the tiny ones.

[jenxxs]

It sounds to me like you're going to have to prioritize the top tube measurement (shorter) and the seat tube angle (slacker, 73 not 74/75). This may mean that you end up with a frame size (seat tube length) that seems smaller than what you might expect given your inseam. Note that in the Terry Isis/Symmetry, the smallest sizes get the classic 73 angle by using the two wheel sizes. (That's the "miracle" of the Terry geometry.) The middle sizes then have to get steeper (74), and then the largest sizes get back to 73. That's considerably slacker than most WSD designs, which typically have seat tube angles exceeding 73 in all sizes.

I definitely understand the reluctance to buy used, especially without the opportunity to extensively test-ride. However, keep in mind that if the used price you pay is reasonable, it's not difficult to resell for close to that price if you make a mistake. When I had to unload my used Bianchi that didn't fit properly, I got 90% of my purchase price back, within one day, by selling it on Craigslist. I've also sold bikes from a distance, and it's not that much of a hassle if you require that the buyer pay for professional boxing and shipping by your LBS.

[SadieKate]

Anyway, as to bike shops, this is pure hearsay but I've heard that Ken's Bike and Ski in Davis (Go Aggies!!) is a reputable shop. Haven't ever used them myself and probably just peeked in curiously when I was a poor student and wondered about all the crazy people who would pay that much for a bike when my $30 UCD auction bike was fine. (And it was STILL stolen!)

If you decide to spring for a fitting, go to Steve Rex in Sac or ask for Joe at Wheelworks in Davis.

Ken's is a fine shop but Wheelworks is the serious, roadie geek, fit down to the mm type shop. If you have fit quirks, you need the kind of knowledge Steve or Joe has.

Xeney, I've never seen you. Sometimes, people just don't fit on stock bikes. In your case, due to your budget, you may want to pay for a fitting and get all your numbers, and then ask for the shop's assistance in helping you track down a used bike or serve as a fitter for whatever you can find used. This means a good relationship with the shop that does the fitting. After your fitting, the fitter might be able to steer you toward a particular brand and model that might work.

[Bad JuJu]

When I bought my Terry, the shop didn't have the size I thought I needed either. But Terry works really well with local shops, and my LBS was able to get the size I wanted to try without my having to definitely say I'd buy it. So you might either talk to the shop manager/owner or email Terry and ask about their working with your LBS.

I'm pretty short, but still I've ended up being comfortable on bikes shorter than my height predicts, because my legs are not long, but proportionally long compared to the rest of my body, and my torso and functional reach are incredibly short. All this is by way of seconding what jenxxs said about size. Good luck, Xeney--I really hope you find a road bike that fits--and that you can afford.

[Triskeliongirl]

Xeney- do you know your cycling inseam. Without your measurements its hard to advise you, but here are a few quick options I found. If the problem is you need a really short top tube and shallow seat tube angle, the pre-2005 isis or symetry could do the trick. I attached specs which I believe are true for the 2001-2004 models (at least the frame geometry is, although the exact steel used, etc. may have changed in that period). The biggest difference was in 2005 when she went to a 2 x 650 wheel on the 19" instead of the 700c/24" combo, and increased the STA by 1 cm and top tube by 1.4 cm, effectively increasing the reach by an inch. So when I bought my 2005 titanium Isis I bought the 17.5" even though I could have fit the 19" based on my inseam. It means I have more exposed seatpost (5") and a taller stem. FYI, I am 5'4" tall, cycling inseam 30.5", long femured, short torso and arms. I just bought a 19" 2003 steel Isis that also works. On this page there are 2 used 19" symetries for sale. http://www.terrybicycles.com/trade/i...ml?browse=sell. I am sure if you contact the sellers you could get them for less than the asking price, and turn them around to sell if they don't work out. All the 2001-2005 bikes are 9spd, in 2006 she went to 10 spd. All the 2001-2004 bikes are steel, in 2005 Isis was done in titanium with carbon fork, and in 2006 she went to scandium with carbon seatstays and forks on many models. I also noticed on her sale page she has 2 bikes that may also suit you. http://www.terrybicycles.com/product...e&sc=BicyclesA 20" 2005 Isis. I would send her my measurements, and if she thinks the 20" will work for you, ask her to ship it to a bike shop of your choice for assembly under her plan where you can return it for only the cost of shipping if you are not happy with the fit. These bikes also are equipped with short reach bars, short stems, etc. I have a 2005 titanium Isis and it rides like a dream. They were just made for one year, 2005, but if this bikes fits you and/or you can find out for the cost of return shipping I think its worth a shot. My gut feeling from everything you have told is though, is that a 19" 2001-2004 Isis/Symetry will do the trick for you. Georgena has carbon forks on order that will work on those models (I am waiting for one for the frame I just bought) that will sell for $200 each, although you will need to also change the headset to threadless is you choose to upgrade the fork. But that could be something you do only if you are happy with the fit but want to lighten up the bike. FYI, yoy say you want to be professionally fitted, but I've been there, done that. Many 'professional' fitters still put women on bikes too big/long for them. It was only when I took responsibility for fitting myself that I was able to find bikes that work. That meant figureing out what I needed and then searching for frames with specs in a range that I could make them work with available stems, setposts, etc. Good luck and please let us know how it works out. -e

[Triskeliongirl]

One last thought. Be really careful when you compare the terry bikes to the Veloce. You said you have a Veloce. This bike has a sloping top tube so you have to sure to be comparing the virtual top tube which on the 53 cm is published as 53.5 w a 75 degree STA. The 20" Isis has a straight top tube of 50.8 cm w a 74 STA angle. The 1 cm shorter seat tube angle shortens the reach by 1 cm, so if you correct for that its like the tt were only 49.8. The seat tube on the veloce is a center to top measurement while terry measures center to center, so more informative is the standover height which is 30 on the veloce and 30.4. So if your inseam is >31.4 you could clear the top tube on the 20" terry and have a reach that is a 3.7 cm difference in reach, coupled with a short reach bar and short reach brake levers I think would do the trick. Given you can still get the 2005 titanium isis in 20" on the sale page, and return it if it doesn't work out, I think its win win. Also, be aware they will swap parts, so if you want a different width handlebar I know they will make the swap (they did this for me). Maybe you can even negoitate about the price since the 2007 bikes are coming in and that bike is a 2005, although in my opinion I'd rather a 2005 ti bike than a 2007 scandium.

[xeney]

Thank you so much for your help, but I really cannot possibly afford a 2005 Isis. They are still running over $2000 and that is way out of my budget, especially since my budget is zero. My husband is going to hang on to the Veloce (it will fit him if he swaps the stem for a 120mm one). I just spent over $300 trying to make the Veloce fit me and I am tapped out.

SadieKate, I am going to go to Rex for a fitting and when I can buy a bike next fall, I'll have something to go on. Thanks for the recommendations.

[SadieKate]

Sure thing! I hope we get to meet sometime. I'd even brave the American River Bike Path to do so. Might need some valium for it, but I could do it.

[Triskeliongirl]

You should be able to pick up a 2001-2004 symetry on ebay or at the terry buy/sell site for ~$300-400, so perhaps your best bet is to watch ebay for that. Look over the geometry charts to see if you prefer a 19" (73 degree STA w 49 cm top tube) or 20". I find going down a size is fine as long as you can get your saddle and bars high enough, cuz then you can use a longer stem for better handling. You can always turn them around at the terry site if they don't work out for you. There are 2, 19" bikes now at the webiste, yes their prices are high but maybe they'll negoitate if they aren't moving. I think the 2001-2003 isis and symetry in steel are just wonderful bikes.

[xeney]

I did go to a local Terry dealer and look at the bikes. They don't stock them in my size, and the owner does not think that a Terry will work for me; he says my proportions are wrong and that they rarely work for women of my height. He tried me on an Orbea and it felt like a good fit, but I really can't afford it right now so I don't think I am going to go take a real test ride or have a real fitting immediately, because if I like it that will just break my heart. I may buy a frameset from him and swap the components over from my Bianchi at some point, though.

SadieKate, even I am avoiding the bike trail! Not because of the kids and the slow people (I am one of them), but because of the stupid puncture vine. It is everywhere this year. Changing flats makes for a good upper body workout but I'd rather just lift weights.

[xeney]

An update: the new stem FINALLY showed up, and my husband put the Bianchi together with the set-back seatpost, a new Fizik Vitesse saddle (it had the most fore-aft adjustability of any women's saddle we found, and it seems to be a good fit for me all around), and the super-short stem. Five centimeters. It looks ridiculous but it did the trick. We've got KOPS, we've got a ninety-degree angle at my shoulders when I'm on the hoods, I can reach the drops. It's far from perfect -- five centimeters is a crazy short stem, and the front hub is not obscured when I'm in the drops, but it is very rideable.

The steering is a little squirrely when I'm up on the top bar, but not noticeable on the hoods. I think it's just completely compensated for by the fact that I can actually reach the hoods without stretching.

I will get a new bike eventually (and give this one to my husband) but this will work for now. Thanks for all your help, everyone.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

If it RIDES good and you FEEL good....it IS good! Forget about rules concerning obscuring your hub view, etc.
Comfortable body position, balance, and ease of reach is what counts. A good position allows your arms and legs to work and move smoothly and efficiently, achieving their intended tasks without cramps, pain or numbness.

Give us another update in a few days on how you feel riding it! I'd be interested in seeing whether you like it as much as I like mine. I got used to the tighter steering arc (some refer to it as "squirrely") in about 2 days- now I like it better than the old wide-arc steering of the long stem I had. Less wasted bar swinging movements when traversing gravel roads with stones everywhere.

"Another satisfied 5cm Stem customer" -Lisa "Squirrely" Johnson