Cyclocross bike for 5 foot 4 inch man?

[Eden]

I know Redline goes down to a 44 with their cross bikes - one thing to remember is that the bottom bracket is higher on a cross bike so the stand over on a comperable sized road bike will be a less, since they are measuring the length of the seat tube only. If you are really stuck and the smallest sizes don't fit Kona and Redline both make a 24" wheel version for kids that has a 39cm seat tube. I'm thinking you're probably much too tall for that, but its something to consider if all other options seem closed.....

[Kalidurga]

I'm 5'3" and I love my 49cm Specialized TriCross. I bought the TriCross in order to do the same sort of riding you described, but I've ended up branching out with it to do more road riding and a litte mtb. It's terrifically versatile. I tweaked the fit a bit as far as the stem/bars, but the frame size has been just fine. Sorry I can't post a link to info about it, but I'm at work and snuck on-line for a few minutes

[RoseC]

I got a Bianchi Volpe about a month ago - my first road bike. Coming from mountain bikes, the cross bikes just seemed a bit friendlier, plus I liked the idea of being able to take it on dirt trails if I wanted, with just a tire change.

I'll hit 400 miles today, and so far, I love it!

[SalsaMTB]

I don't have any suggestions, but just wanted to give a word of caution...

Many times as you get smaller and smaller in frame size, toe overlap can become a problem. Be sure to check for toe overlap while test riding. Not sure what size feet you have, but if you need a smaller bike and have big feet, if could be a problem.

[madisongrrl]

Redline Conquest Pro is a great bike. It might be a little out of your price range, but I'm not sure because I had my build up with the componets I wanted and didn't purchase the stock model. I'm a smaller woman, the bike fits me like a glove and most importantly, it doesn't have any toe overlap issues.

[Tuckervill]

I'm 5'4", too, and I ride a 54 cm Trek 1000. I know it's not a cross bike, but the standover height is just fine. Am I to understand that if this were a cross bike, I wouldn't have a good standover?

I really wanted a more versatile bike than a road bike--really wanted a steel touring bike, but this was in impulse purchase--a good deal at the time, and I'm not ready to invest in the touring bike, yet. The bike fits with adjustments to the stem, but I'm interested the differences in the standover height between a cross bike and road bike. I hope someone who knows will post more about it.

Thanks,
Karen

[Eden]

I'm 5'4", too, and I ride a 54 cm Trek 1000. I know it's not a cross bike, but the standover height is just fine. Am I to understand that if this were a cross bike, I wouldn't have a good standover?

I really wanted a more versatile bike than a road bike--really wanted a steel touring bike, but this was in impulse purchase--a good deal at the time, and I'm not ready to invest in the touring bike, yet. The bike fits with adjustments to the stem, but I'm interested the differences in the standover height between a cross bike and road bike. I hope someone who knows will post more about it.
Thanks,
Karen

Cross bikes are made so that the bottom bracket is higher off of the ground - to clear rocks and other obstacles better. The "size" of a bike is generally the length of the seat tube, usually measured from the center of the bottom bracket to either the center of the top tube or the top of the seat tube depending on the mfg (just to make it even more confusing...) So, since you are started off already higher off of the ground on a cross bike the height of the top tube (and thus the stand over height) on the cross bike will be greater than on a road bike with the same length of seat tube. Ususally everthing else is bigger too - so top tubes, chainstays etc. are longer than on a road bike of the same "size" also.