What am I missing?

[rapid cycler]

Hey, all—

I'm looking to make a lateral move to a more spine-friendly ride. Once-dormant spinal arthritis has reared its ugly head in the years since I bought my (non-WSD) 50 cm Trek 5200, and I just can't any longer bear the dagger-in-the-neck sensation I get after about an hour in the saddle on a race-geometry bike. And as a woman in my 40th year, I've pretty much come to peace with the idea that I'll never make the U.S. national team anyway.

I've already made a couple of switch-outs to try and salvage a bike I otherwise love—super short reach Salsa Poco handlebars, a smaller stem with a bit of rake—and I've made the fit better, but it's not quite there.

In poking around, these are the bikes I want to take a hard look at:

Cannondale Synapse Carbon Feminine
Specialized Ruby (or Roubaix)
Orbea Diva or Onix Dama
Lemond Buenos Aires Women's
Trek Pilot 5.2 WSD

I'm not terribly fond of Giant's aesthetic, though I know they make fab bikes for the buck, but we like what we like, eh? Litespeed's Bella doesn't inspire me either, though I'm very open to TI. For that matter, I'm not thrilled with the Trek's one-color-fits-all approach to WSDs, so I'm probably leaning away from the Pilot as well. Oh, and I don't do pink. Not that I'm picky or anything. But, hey, if I'm shelling out a few grand, I want comfort, performance, and romance!

So, gals, which bikes am I missing? Most boutique brands cater more to racers than those of us without on-call masseuses, but I'd love to hear about other bikes that deserve consideration—as well as negative/positive experiences with the bikes I've mentioned.

I probably can't afford to go custom.

Oh, component-wise, I currently ride an Ultegra drive train, so I'd probably lateral over to that, but I'm really intrigued by SRAM's Rival group, so bikes with that option would be neat-o too.

[mimitabby]

for a few grand you probably COULD go custom!
are you, um, altitude challenged as well?

[amymisk]

Hi,

I don't have the Buenos Aires, but I ride a 2007 Versailles. I love the bike. The catalogue does not do the bike justice. The min-max frame is very unique in person, the colors are gorgeous. I did add some hot pink accessories, which you can see in the avatar. I originally was looking at the Trek Pilot as well and my LBS recommended the LeMond based on my fit.

I also love the Orbea Diva, but I haven't ridden one.

Good Luck with shopping.

[rapid cycler]

for a few grand you probably COULD go custom!

I like the way you think!

Altitude challenged in size or climbing skills? Yes, to both. I'm 5'4", with legs proportionately small and a torso proportionately long for my size, which renders my body a bit less aerodynamic than those long, lean, sinewy types who climb hills like mountain goats—and also makes me wonder whether women's-specific makes would work for me. Only way to find out is to ride 'em. Woo-hoo, long weekend!

[mimitabby]

check out this thread:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ht=bikes+women

[rapid cycler]

Hi,

I don't have the Buenos Aires, but I ride a 2007 Versailles. I love the bike. The catalogue does not do the bike justice. The min-max frame is very unique in person, the colors are gorgeous.

My S.O. rides a Zurich. Lemonds are sweet!

[makbike]

Have you given any thought to a recumbent?

[gnat23]

For that matter, I'm not thrilled with the Trek's one-color-fits-all approach to WSDs, so I'm probably leaning away from the Pilot as well. Oh, and I don't do pink. Not that I'm picky or anything. But, hey, if I'm shelling out a few grand, I want comfort, performance, and romance!

As someone who wishes more bikes DID come in pink, I stumbled across this the other day:
http://projectone.trekbikes.com/

You can go stock or custom with the parts, but the frame colors and patterns available are really spiffy!

-- gnat! (now all I need is the shoes to match...)

[dex]

'm 5'4", with legs proportionately small and a torso proportionately long for my size, which renders my body a bit less aerodynamic than those long, lean, sinewy types who climb hills like mountain goats—and also makes me wonder whether women's-specific makes would work for me.

I'm about the same height as you, also with proportionately shorter legs and long toso. My own experience with bike shopping and trying out WSD bikes was that none of them worked for me. So definitely give them a try, but I'd say be open to the reality that the fit may not work out.

Coincidentally, I ended up with a LeMond. A Reno for me, but I'm now regularly eyeing Zurich frames on eBay. I loved every LeMond I test rode, the Reno was just the one that fit best into my budget at the time (also I didn't want to drop loads on a road bike when I hadn't even been on one at all in fifteen years or so).

Good luck!

[rapid cycler]

Have you given any thought to a recumbent?

I have, actually, especially after I saw that Calfee makes a carbon fiber model available in a generous sampling of sizes, but I have one significant barrier between me and such a steed: I live in Los Angeles, where even high-profile cyclists take their lives in hand when pedaling the crazy roads.

Interestingly, I had mentioned the idea of getting a recumbent bike during a chatty moment in therapy several weeks back. At the time, my therapist had trouble visualizing what I was talking about, but this week when she saw me she immediately forbade me to buy one, saying that she had nearly hit one on her way into work that very morning.

I'd love to try a 'bent someday, and I'd like to do so on sleepy country roads, pedaling past nothing but idyllic cow pastures and vineyards.

[sklarewc]

You could get a custom-fitted titanium Serotta for a little under $3,000. I've never ridden one--I have the Litespeed Bella (and love it)--but I see a lot of them in my club and think the custom-build route might work best for you. Also, although the ones they have on their website don't look all that exciting, you can choose the paint scheme & colors, w/in certain parameters.

[rapid cycler]

Coincidentally, I ended up with a LeMond. A Reno for me, but I'm now regularly eyeing Zurich frames on eBay. I loved every LeMond I test rode, the Reno was just the one that fit best into my budget at the time (also I didn't want to drop loads on a road bike when I hadn't even been on one at all in fifteen years or so).

Good luck!

My partner got a great deal on the steel/carbon 2005 Zurich in a bike store, about $700 off if I remember right. This was about a year back, but I still see them pop up here and there on clearance. Keep those dreamy eyes peeled.

[rapid cycler]

You could get a custom-fitted titanium Serotta for a little under $3,000. I've never ridden one--I have the Litespeed Bella (and love it)--but I see a lot of them in my club and think the custom-build route might work best for you. Also, although the ones they have on their website don't look all that exciting, you can choose the paint scheme & colors, w/in certain parameters.

Mmmm, Serotta. I like me some of that. I thought it would probably run me more like 5K to get there, but I'll definitely investigate.

[bike4ever]

I'm currently on a 49cm Lemond Buenos Aires. This is a men's frame since my torso is longer, and I feel like I am falling off of the front of Lemond's WSD bikes. My bike is the steel/carbon spine model; however, if I were purchasing this year I would definitely go with their Triumphe carbon. I rode those last August at Trek World and absolutely loved the ride.

Since you have some back issues, I would stick with carbon, steel or titanium. Aluminum would probably be way too uncomfortable.

Good luck - have fun test riding.

[Kathi]

I have a custom Serotta and it is so beautiful and such a joy to ride. Besides fit Serotta did a great job of building it proportionally. I'm 5'1" and have short arms so I needed a very long headtube. Because the headtube needed to be long compared to my Standover height I thought my bike would turn out to be a sloper, like a lot of the WSD frames. However, Serotta was able to build the bike to my needs without an extreme slope of the top tube. The slope is only 1 degree!

Btw, the fun of building your own bike is that you chose the level of components that you want, not what some company thinks you need.

A good custom fitter can work with your physical needs to build a frame for you.

Here's pics of my Serotta