Thinking about buying a Specialized Ruby Comp

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Looking at the Specialized site, I see that they do offer the ruby comp in both 54 and 56cm sizes. The 54 seemed a bit small for me, and I am your exact height and pubic bone height. You should at least try a 56cm as well if you are going to shell out that kind of money. Get the LBS to check out your leg/knee positions in particular. You do NOT want knee pain and problems due to not being able to straighten your leg enough while riding.
Another note- the Specialized "Roubaix" is a man's bike and I notice that the top tube length is substancially longer for the very same size bike compared to the Ruby comp women's bike they make. So if you are also proportioned like me you might want to consider avoiding that longer reach on their man's Roubaix bike. I have a non women's specific Rivendell and I've had to do some tweaking to make the reach more comfortable, and it may well be impossible to get it perfect.

[xeney]

I thought PBH and standover were not exactly the same, except for Rivendell's method of measuring?

My inseam (not the same as PBH, obviously) is about 30", I'm 5'6, and when I tried out a Ruby, I needed a 51 cm. A lot of this is just fit preference.

[songlady]

My inseam (not the same as PBH, obviously) is about 30", I'm 5'6, and when I tried out a Ruby, I needed a 51 cm. A lot of this is just fit preference.

I am also 5.5 1/2 and just got a new (used) Ruby in a 51. I have a very short upper torso and this bike fits great now that I've changed the stem to a 75.

[midlife]

I'm interested in this topic as being a shortie 5'2" I find my Giant compact frame (a medium) too big, even with the shortest stem possible (can't recall, maybe a 75/70?) Trouble with a small frame is the wheels need to be 650's as they just look stupid with a 700's on a small frame and the think I like about the Ruby is the narrower bars and the shorter reach to the brakes. I have upper back issues if I ride too long, too often.

It might be a pipe dream at the moment but just considering it. Moving overseas soon, so not sure what to do!!

[Aggie_Ama]

Midlife- I have a Cannondale Synapse and it fits great for me, I am also 5'2". The frame is 47 cm and I have long legs and a short torso. Unlike my last bike, I can actually shift and brake easily from the drops. My bike has the 700 wheels and it took me a while not to look at it as out of proportion. I do love that I can now steal my husband's tubes instead of having my own. My guess is the manufacturers use 700 wheels on the higher end bikes because there is more variety of quality rims? I haven't done the research on that though.

As for the back issues, that seems like a fit problem. Although my shoulder blades ache on long rides too. I think it is more the way I ride, I tend to really grip the hoods and the kiss of death- lock my elbows. I have to be aware of my own position on the bike, I am my own worst enemy.

The Ruby has 700 wheels, so it wouldn't fit your criteria if you cannot stand the 700's.

[li10up]

Aggie_Ama, I don't think my Allez fits me as well as it could. I feel I am too stretched out. But I am having slight knee pain in the front which means my seat needs to be moved back a bit. That would stretch me out even more. I test rode a Ruby Pro at a Specialized Bike Demo and it felt good without even being fit to me...other than saddle height. It's more than I want to spend $3900 whereas the Ruby Comp is $2200.

I want better components than are on my entry level Allez and a lighter bike. I feel like the Ruby would fit my needs and that I wouldn't want to go out and buy a better bike in a couple of years. Plus I want to go from a triple to a compact double. I've checked the gearing and they are almost the same at the high and low ends plus they are better spaced in between with no big gaps. Plus I would have to do less double shifting. I just want to get a great fit.

That's what worries me though. My LBS didn't do a fit other than standover height on the first bike (actually 2 bikes) a mtn bike and a road bike. This would be my 3rd bike from them and with this kind of money I'm not sure if they will fit me correctly. But I do want to support the local shop.

[Aggie_Ama]

My carbon Cannondale bike is in the same price range as the Ruby Comp, so IMHO the Ruby is a good bike for the $$. Come to Austin, you can get a Ruby Comp for less than you are saying and a good fitting. Maybe even a 2006 Ruby Expert for only $2499 if you are the right size.

On the fit, I would walk in and be very blunt. Tell them you want to support them, but you will not buy a bike with out a quality fit. A $2000+ bike is not something you should have to settle on, if they can't do a quality fit I would drive to another shop. Maybe they don't know how to do a good fitting? Mine measured standover height before putting me on the trainer but then he spent 45 minutes watching me pedal, tweaking the seat height and then replacing we saddle and redid the whole thing.

I bet you can get a recommendation for Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and I could give you two for Austin. Of course you might be in El Paso or Lubbock- I just saw Texas!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Aggie_Ama, I don't think my Allez fits me as well as it could. I feel I am too stretched out. But I am having slight knee pain in the front which means my seat needs to be moved back a bit. That would stretch me out even more.

I think it means you need to raise the seat UP more, not move it back.

You can't have 700c wheels on a really small frame because then your toes hit the front wheel too often when you're turning or cranking up steep hills...the dreaded "toe clip" syndrome. 26" or 650B wheels will not make you slower- they'll just be better proportioned for your frame's size and your body size. Better fit will result in more efficient riding. I suspect that any women who is 5'3" or less might be better off on a bike with wheels smaller than 700's.