New Bike

[Trekhawk]

Kenda -

If you are 5'4" but have super long legs (longer than your DH), then you are probably not an 'easy' fit. I'm the opposite of you (5'4" with extremely short legs and a long torso) and I had much trouble getting set up on a bike that was comfortable for me. I was afraid that I'd only get the right fit by going custom and I couldn't afford it!

Anyway, I bought a bike with a geometry as close to what "should" work for me, and then I went to a fit specialist. I was terrified that I was going to be told that my bike wouldn't work, but luckily, I was very close. They did some tweaking and now I have abnormal love for my bike!

Here's a brief but interesting article about these specialized fit places. The one I went to is mentioned, but they've since closed up shop. They also mention the one Trekhawk posted.

http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadin...pecialist.html

I didn't see any mentioned in OK, but this might give you an idea of what to look for in your area.

Good luck!!

Hey GLC - thanks for posting the article it is very interesting.

[kdskaggs]

GLC, thank you for the article! I'll read it and see where to go from here. I did write Serotta about my poorly fitting bike and amazingly, they wrote me back. They recommend going back to Wheatridge, in Colorado, because one of their teachers now does bike fits. He's supposed to be one of their top fitters. If I knew for sure that I wanted another Serotta, I would probably do that, even though it entails 20 hours of driving for each trip there. There is a Serotta dealer about 3.5 hour drive from here but I'm not sure how good of a fitter they have and I really don't want to repeat my past mistake. I do love my bike though so maybe I ought to get another one.

This is way too confusing for me. At least I know Wheatridge has many bikes to test ride.

Kenda

[kdskaggs]

Hi, GLC, I measured my pubic bone height, according to Rivendell's method. It is 80cm or 31 1/2 inches. Rivendell recommends the following if I want one of their bikes:

Rambouillet - 54cm
Saluki - 54cm
Bleriot - 55cm
Atlantis - 53cm if you run big volume tires, or 54.5cm if you plan on
something no larger than a 1.5" tire

I have never seen one of their bikes and there is nowhere anywhere close to test ride one so I doubt this will be my choice.

Kenda

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have never seen one of their bikes and there is nowhere anywhere close to test ride one so I doubt this will be my choice.

Kenda

If you are in CA or MA, you could drive to their headquarters in CA or else go to Harris Cyclery near Boston. You don't say where you are though...

[Kathi]

Kenda,

I'm wondering if the source at Serotta is confused. The person who is teaching was at Wheatridge and now is at Sports Garage in Boulder. There may be someone from Wheatridge who is teaching but they are not listed on the Serotta website.

If you decide to come to Colorado I recommend working with Sports Garage, they're top notch, fitted me for my Serotta and really know their stuff. After I got my bike I didn't change a thing, that's how well I was fitted.

Wheatridge is good too. They fitted me on my mtn bike and the fit was perfect.

Also check out the Serotta forum. http://www.serotta.com/forum/index.php? The posters there are very knowledgable and they may help you find a good fitter closer than Colorado.

If you check the serial no. on the bottom of the frame there is a series of letters then a number, mine says 49p, I believe that is the frame size.

Good luck and don't give up on your Serotta just yet.

[kdskaggs]

Hi Kathi,

I just checked the underside of my Serotta and it is a size 50. Rivendell's method puts me at a 54 or 55. No wonder it seems so small, it is! I'm not giving up on it fitting me but I'm not very optimistic. I'll email the guy at Serotta tomorrow and get him to double check where he really is. The teacher/fitter's name is Chris Bohannon. Do you recall the name of the person at Sports Garage that fit you?

Thanks for your help!

Kenda

[kdskaggs]

Hi Lisa,

I live in Oklahoma. I'd love to find a place in Dallas, if possible, since it's just a 4-hour drive from here. I'll drive as far as Colorado but probably not much further. California and Massachusetts would be a heck of a road trip from here.

Kenda

[Kathi]

Hi Kathi,

I just checked the underside of my Serotta and it is a size 50. Rivendell's method puts me at a 54 or 55. No wonder it seems so small, it is! I'm not giving up on it fitting me but I'm not very optimistic. I'll email the guy at Serotta tomorrow and get him to double check where he really is. The teacher/fitter's name is Chris Bohannon. Do you recall the name of the person at Sports Garage that fit you?

Thanks for your help!

Kenda

The person who fitted me is Chris Jacobson. From what I understand he was one of the original Serotta trainers. If you look at the Serotta website his picture and bio is there under SICI staff. Chris B is also there although he is not listed with a shop affliatiation.

Be aware that sizing from company to company is not the same. Hpwever, a50 for someone your size sounds small. I'm 5"1.5 and my custom frame is a 49I have a 44cm Aegis and a 47 cm Cannondale. It seems there should be consistancy among frames but thats not so.

You may also be a good candidate for a custom frame.

Do you remember who was at Wheatridge when you bought your bike?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

[QUOTE=kdskaggs;246208]Hi Kathi,

I just checked the underside of my Serotta and it is a size 50. Rivendell's method puts me at a 54 or 55.

Kenda, Riv's sizing method tends to put women on bikes that might be a "touch" too big. I am 5'5" just like you. PBH of 80cm. My Riv Rambouillet is a 54cm and although it *does* fit me, I think I would have been a bit better on a 53 (which they don't make). If i had followed their recommended sizing chart I would had bought a 55 or 56cm....which would have been too big for me actually.