BIKES THAT FIT WOMEN under 5'4"

[salsabike]

here's another one, a steel bike made by Bianchi.. Bianchi Eros Donna
what an awesome name. but what kind of fenders would fit it? (it's about $1600.00)

I put clip-on fenders on mine, but don't know how they'd work in a close group. They keep me reasonably dry, myself.

Ask the LBS guys.

You can get a good basic Rodriguez for about that price, also--with the smaller wheels. I test rode one and really liked it.

[mimitabby]

Hi guys, i'm in seaside. we're delaying our ride start until 11am because the ground is frozen and no one wants a slip and slide fall.

we are talking about rodriguez here too. I think that is pretty interesting, the coincidence.
I think Lisa's bike is a ramboullet, but it's the color of the bleriott i'm not sure.

I might take my components and put them on a new bike, we've talked about that too.

I don't like the idea of those big fat tires either, Trisk.

And Grant wrote to me again, still snotty. he told me that the Legolas would
not suit my needs. You know, I don't want to deal with someone like that!

[roguedog]

Hey Mimi,

I'm going to quietly pipe in for a Giant OCR bike. Reasonably priced bike. It's not fancy. It's not high end. It's not steel.

But I think it's in the price range you're looking for and it can take fenders if I'm looking at the pictures correctly.

I love my Giant bike. I too have been in your shoes, shopping for bikes for the uh.. height challenged. I had to go to bike stores all over Northern California just so I could find shops with bikes in my size to test.

In the end, I just kinda found my bike. It felt great, was used and I think I got it it at a fair, if not good price. I got the racing style and I'm kinda looking for a used steel "everyday" bike so I can put on fenders and racks for commuting and just putzing about town. I also looking for that "steal" of a steel deal . It's hard tho to find something in my size new much less used and "vintage"!

Best of luck.

[mimitabby]

Roguedog,
thanks, I'll look at the Giant OCR too. I started this thread, not just for me.
I think it's helpful for folks to look at the brands and the pictures of the bikes to get some recognition of who is making bikes that cater to women who are
not the size of an average man!

[Eden]

by all means look at the OCR as I may be wrong - but it probably will not work for you. As I recall from my search for shortie bikes, Giants are very long for their size - they have some of the longest top tubes for their frame size around even on their wsd models. I'm not at all saying that they aren't nice bikes, but they are not particularly friendly to us with short arms/torsos.

p.s. if you all want a new custom bike builder to drool over try www.hampsten.com - Andy Hampsten is actually a local now and he's got a bike in town. Every bike is basically custom to your measurements, but they are pretty pricey.

[Triskeliongirl]

I agree Eden. The Strada Bianca seems to be exacty what Mimi is looking for:
http://www.hampsten.com/Bikes/Gravel...adabianca.html

Light, fast, fender friendly. You guys in Seattle are lucky to have so many great custom builders!

[mimitabby]

oh yeah! I will definitely visit that shop! thanks girls. I have been meaning to visit them but now i have another reason. He's friends wiht the son of the man who wrote the book about Alfonsina.

thank you.

[roguedog]

Eden.. ya... I've been drolling over their Tournesol line. Just beautiful.. uh..

Hmm.. interesting observation re: the Giant bikes. I guess my torso is about the same length as my body and I dunno if my arms are of the longer or shorter variety for my height.

Still love my bike. Fits me and my checkbook But uh.. I love it too much to just run errands on it and maybe let it be mauled or stolen. So that's why I wanna "run around town" or in college we called it a "beater bike."

[eofelis]

I'm 5'2" and I ride a 42cm Surly Pacer. It's a steel sport touring type bike with a steel fork. It's not light and fast, but it's comfortable and rugged enough for an all day ride. For a $400 frame, it's pretty nice. I've been riding it for about 4 years and I like it a lot.

Standover is 70cm, effective top tube is 50cm. I do have toe overlap, but it has not been a problem. It takes 700c wheels.

The 42cm Surly Long Haul Trucker touring frame takes 26in wheels but has the 70cm standover and 50cm effTT as well.

I'd love to have a Gunnar Sport, but I don't want to go to 650c wheels. Someday I may see if Gunnar can make me a Sport with the same exact geometry as the Pacer.