Help! Carbon bike choices for me?

[Triskeliongirl]

IMO, you probably need a bike with 650 wheels. Smaller bikes with 700c wheels are going to have steep seat tube angles (75-76 degrees), which will tend to put you in a more aggressive position that might not be comfortable.

A quick glance at the Trek & Specialized websites indicates they're not using 650 wheels in the small sizes. Felt is using 650 wheels on their small women's bike but for reasons inexplicable to me still have steep seat tube angles.

Not carbon, but the Merlin Camena (and Litespeed Bella) has a slacker seat tube angle and 650s on it's smallest sizes. You should at least ride one for comparison.

Wow, thanks for the tip on the merlin. I wish I knew about it when I was buying. Do you know of any carbon bikes with slack STAs in smaller sizes? I assumed I'd need to go custom for that. I ended up with terrys with 24" front wheels in order to get a 73 degree seat tube angle together with a shorter top tube (but 700c rear for 'normal' gearing). The problem I have with all the bikes these gals love, is the seat tube angles are so steep I can't get set up properly, my knee will be too far forward of the pedal axle even with a super laid back seatpost. And, BTW, wheel size does not dictate speed, its a combination of the wheel size and gearing. To see, go to sheldon browns site and plug in different wheels sizes and gear combinations. It will take virtually the SAME ENERGY to push the same gear ratio, but it will take a diff. gears to have the same gear ratio on bikes with different sized wheels. Its true that smaller wheels have slightly more rolling resistance, but its very slight and made up for by the closer drafting advantages. To me the only down side of smaller wheels is the reduced availablity of wheels/tires, and non-standardness of tubes and wheels, if you race. But the FIT advantages for smaller people are tremendous. And if you don't race, there are plenty of good wheel/tire options in both 24" and 650c, just not as many very high end ones as in 700c (I love the schwalbe stelvio, comes in all the odd sized, 20" for a bike friday, 24" for a terry or airnimall, 650c, etc., very high pressure and light, rolls real nice).

[batsheva]

i am same size as you - ride the cannondale synapse fem 47cm on a triple - though would be happy with a double also-- fabulous - 700 wheels and no issues with toe overlap - full 105 and the shaimano's womens specific brake/shifters are ultegra inside. love it. can easily keep up with the boys :-)

bat

[Kathi]

I'm the same size as you and I enjoyed my Aegis Swift. However, because of my short arms the head tube wasn't long enough. Aegis has a model called the Victory that might work better.

To get optimal fit I gave up on stock frames and bought a custom frame. I'm much happier because it solved some of the fit issues I have and the ride and handling of the bike is so much better.

Unfortunately, small, custom, carbon frames are tough to find and I'm not sure how custom they really are.

650c wheels are often not available in the trendy wheels that people ride. However, a 650c wheel is 25% stiffer than a 700c wheel of the same build. In most cases those trendy wheels are overbuilt for a small rider. The best thing you can do to get a good set of wheels is to find a good wheelbuilder to build a set of wheels appropriate for your weight.

On my custom frame I chose 650c's. I was told that the company probably wouldn't have put 700c on such a short tt, 48 cm.

[roadie gal]

Have you looked at Jamis? A 5'1 1/2" friend of mine rides one. It fits her very well. They go down to 48". The Xenith is their carbon bike.

[wavedancer]

I am 5'1", 28-inch inseam, riding a Ruby Expert with full Ultegra...Love, love, love it! I was riding a Cannondale WSD with 650c wheels before that and noticed a distinct difference in my ability to stay with the pack on our club rides when I upgraded to the Ruby. Don't know if it was the change in wheel size or just the overall geometry and 1-pound weight loss of the bike that made the difference, but I feel like it was a match made in heaven

[ilima]

I think LeMond makes an aluminum/carbon that has a 74 degree STA in the smallest size. It's just baffling to me that bikes that are made with 650 wheels don't have the STA slackened up a bit. What's the point?

Custom steel is an option that isn't necessarily a wallet buster.

I did notice on Independent Fabrication (which does only custom now) has some 'reference' traditional geometries, and the three sizes with 650c have STAs of 73.

Another thumbs up from me on the Schwalbe Stelvio; they're light but not too delicate. I bought a set of the pink ones from teamestrogen to match my pink King headset. I always get (positive) comments on them.

Wow, thanks for the tip on the merlin. I wish I knew about it when I was buying. Do you know of any carbon bikes with slack STAs in smaller sizes? I assumed I'd need to go custom for that. I ended up with terrys with 24" front wheels in order to get a 73 degree seat tube angle together with a shorter top tube (but 700c rear for 'normal' gearing). The problem I have with all the bikes these gals love, is the seat tube angles are so steep I can't get set up properly, my knee will be too far forward of the pedal axle even with a super laid back seatpost. And, BTW, wheel size does not dictate speed, its a combination of the wheel size and gearing. To see, go to sheldon browns site and plug in different wheels sizes and gear combinations. It will take virtually the SAME ENERGY to push the same gear ratio, but it will take a diff. gears to have the same gear ratio on bikes with different sized wheels. Its true that smaller wheels have slightly more rolling resistance, but its very slight and made up for by the closer drafting advantages. To me the only down side of smaller wheels is the reduced availablity of wheels/tires, and non-standardness of tubes and wheels, if you race. But the FIT advantages for smaller people are tremendous. And if you don't race, there are plenty of good wheel/tire options in both 24" and 650c, just not as many very high end ones as in 700c (I love the schwalbe stelvio, comes in all the odd sized, 20" for a bike friday, 24" for a terry or airnimall, 650c, etc., very high pressure and light, rolls real nice).

[mixie]

Orbea just announced that the 2008 WSD line up will now include a 46cm size with 650 wheels. I believe they have 2 CF models. Im so excited, I already want to test ride one. I feel your pain in the bike search. I'm an hair under 5' and ride a 44cm Dolce. It was neigh impossible to find a bike in stock in my size anywhere I can't even fit two bottles on the frame. However, she does fit in my compact car with the front wheel off so she can always ride in the car with me

I can't wait to test ride a Orbea Diva...I think Im in love

http://www.orbea-usa.com/fly.aspx?mi...duct&taxid=524

[Kathi]

My custom frame has a 74.5 sta. Why? because I have a short femur and ideally could use a 76 sta. Even with the steeper sta I need a zero degree seatpost and my saddle as far forward as it can go to get the proper positioning over the pedals.

A steeper sta will put you closer to the center of the bike, I have a mtn bike with a slack sta 72 degrees and I feel like I'm on a recumbant bike. The power that I have closer to the center of the bike is not there on the mtn bike.

Maybe by using a steeper sta the companies can fit a wider range of riders. It is also used for optimal geometry and to prevent toe overlap.

BTW, when I was looking for a new bike I demoed a bike with 700c wheels. I was able to take it on a 10 mile ride with hills. I didn't descend or climb any faster on 700's nor did I ride the flats any faster. I ride my custom bike faster because it handles better on downhills and corners better. 650's accelerate faster than 700's. I keep running into my so when we slow down and accelerate. Riding faster is often the engine, not the machine.

[Triskeliongirl]

I think manufacturers make these bikes with super steep STAs to fool people that don't understand the relationship between STA and TT length, making them think they are getting a bike with a shorter reach if the person is only comparing the TTs on two bikes, and not correcting for differences in STA. You are right, supposedly they started steepening the STAs in order to fit a 700c rear wheel, but heck, I have three terry bikes with 700c rear wheels and 73 degree STAs in sizes 44-48 cm! It should be eaiser with 650c. Furthermore, those same bikes they make with 76 degree STAs in small sizes come with 73 degree STAs in big sizes (look at a madonne geometry chart, for example). What's up with that? If the steeper angle was critical for performance you can be sure the guys would get it! I am maxed out at 73, even 74 is too steep for me, but its about balance on the bike. I need a slack STA to feel balanced, but I can see how someone with a shorter femur would be better balanced on a bike with a steeper STA. Lets not even talk about what they can do to HTAs on smaller bikes........ Lets just say I love my terrys.

[amy]

I'll start by saying I'm 6' with a 34" inseam, so my problems were nothing like the ones you present. But I absolutely LOVE my 2007 Trek Madone 5.0! I've only had it a week and love it more every day. I had to have the 56 men's frame and swapped out narrower handlebars and stem. But the WSD version comes in a 47 if you can still find one. The 2008 has been completely redesigned, so the 2007's are going at great savings.

[ilima]

I need a slack STA to feel balanced...

Yep, for me it's about balance. I owned a tri bike with a steep seat tube angle and short top tube (sold it to fund my current ride, a Merlin). To me a steep STA = too much weight on my hands. That didn't matter when I was riding in the tri position, but it was horrible to ride when not in the aero position.

One 'test' I use is whether I can ride no handed. I can't do it on a bike with a steep STA; my weight falls forward. It's much more comfortable when my weight is on my bum.

[LBTC]

Today we stopped in a BS in a nearby city and found an XS 2005 Argon Krypton (full CF) 105 groupo with American Classic CR 420 wheels.....for $2K. Since the wheels new would be around $900, it seems like a good deal. I didn't want Grandma to wait while I test drove it, so I don't know how exactly she *feels*, but she looks very sexy, and standing over her, she seems like a good size for me. Two potential downsides: she's got a 9 speed cassette, not 10; and she's blue. All of my bikes are black. hmmmmmmm

Any thoughts on Argon bikes?

H&B
~T~

[Bluetree]

I can't even fit two bottles on the frame.

Side loading cages will allow you to put two 24 oz. bottles on that frame:

http://www.cycleco.com/index.asp?Pag...ROD&ProdID=145

[crazycanuck]

Sorry to interrupt this thread

Bluetreeeeeeee So nice to see you!!!!
C

[Bluetree]

Sorry to interrupt this thread

Bluetreeeeeeee So nice to see you!!!!
C

Hey CC, how're they hangin'?

BTW, it may be out of most price ranges, but Colnago makes 45cm frames with a sloping top tube and 700c wheels. I was looking at their Cristallo but the eff TT was a tiny bit long for me.