Quick survey -how much room do you have?

[Crankin]

CSR, my bike is pretty much the same as you describe; I am 5' 1", petite, but my arms are average length and so are my hands. I had been riding a Trek 5200 wsd 47 cm. The bike was small, but it just didn't fit me right, always having pain. I now have a 51 cm Kuota, with a compact frame and a sloping top tube. There isn't that much clearance, but i can't tell you the exact number of centimeters. I feel comfortable on the bike, though. As far as stopping on a hill, I don't think I could do that well on any bike! (well at least to get started again). I did have to do that last week when my shifter cable snapped going up my street on a 10% grade. I was able to put one foot down and clip out like always. Then I scooted across the street to a more level driveway and that was where I took off from, in a pretty high gear for a hill.

[KnottedYet]

I don't have a whole lotta clearance on either of my bikes. Maybe 1 inch? Both are cyclocross geometry. (Waterford X-12 and Surly Cross Check)

But I'm a "long cool drink of water" and feel cramped on anything smaller.

[madscot13]

But I'm a "long cool drink of water" and feel cramped on anything smaller.

As we say in my house, I am short snort! My next bike will be WSD probably for height issues alone. On my current bike my standover hight, for lack of better words, has a bit of rub. Riding this bike really promotes safe riding if I ever want to have children. Accidents will be bad.

[twinkie]

But now I just feel disproportionately short. I"m just shy of 5'1" in my bare feet, and I'm on a 43cm bike. I tried out a 47cm WSD, but I have to stand on the very tips of my toes in order to clear the top tube. I'm guessing that's not such a good idea (even though I wish I could "graduate" to the 700c wheels!).

Or, do you feel that the "reach" is more important than clearance?

[csr1210]

Hi Twinkle - I suppose reach IS more important, but the tip toes thing would scare me to death -- I am NOT graceful on many of my stops/dismounts! How do you feel on your curent bike? I'm pretty set on 700cc wheels too, but I honestly can't give you a really good reason -- maybe just because it's "standard"

[emily_in_nc]

I am 5'2.5" with a 28.5" inseam and can just barely stand over my 46 cm road bike (Aegis Swift). It has a flat top tube (not slanted) and a higher-than-average bottom bracket, I think because it was aimed for the tri market, though I am not a triathlete, nor do I have aero-bars.

Frame size doesn't always tell you anything about the top tube height; it's all in how the seat tube is measured (center-to-center or not), how high the bottom bracket is, and whether the top tube is slanted or parallel with the ground. I test rode a 47 cm Trek 5200 WSD that gave me a lot more clearance than my 46 cm bike. Yet the top tube was .6" longer.

Emily

[Crankin]

The sloping top tube is what allows you to put the 700 wheels on a lot of small bikes. When I went on a Trek Travel tour in Europe, I rode a 47 cm Madone, which was essentially the same as my 5200 WSD. It had a sloping top tube and the 700 wheels, where my 5200 had 650 wheels. It took about 2 days to get used to feeling "high up" and now it feels natural.

[northstar]

I've got about an inch of clearance over my top tube. It's nice. I have scary memories of riding my uncles cool new bike when I was in junior high and babysitting their kids...then trying to stop... It's important to feel comfortable with your standover height!