Any suggestions???

[Zen]

aluminum is known as a bone-shaker but i've had no problem on the dirt/rock/rooty trail I've been riding the FX on.
It does have a steel fork, though

[rij73]

that's great! thanks. do you happen to have a good bike shop rec? i am in gowanus. i went into R&A on 5th Ave and the guy there kinda turned me off. have been meaning get to the place on Union near the co-op. and went into a place on 7th Ave near 13th street but their inventory didn't work for me at the time of my visit.

Yeah... They are extremely snobby at R&A. They cater more to the high-end market. I wouldn't count on them to be too helpful. Here are 3 Brooklyn shops I've been to that have some flat-bar road bikes, and where the people are friendly and helpful:
Bay Ridge Bicycle World
Mr. C's Cycles
Roy's Sheepshead Cycle

Unfortunately, they are all a bit of a haul from Gowanus. Best if you have a car. Dixon's on Union by the co-op is not advisable, and that place on 7th is really small.

[AJH]

I am about to make my first purchase and am looking at flat bar road bikes. At almost 5'1", it seems that 13" is my size. However I recently spoke with an experienced biker, also my height, who chooses to ride a 15". She likes the larger wheels and also that the bigger bike allows her more room to extend her upper body. Does anyone have an opinion on riding a bike that is your size versus one that is bigger? I took the 15" for a spin (Marin Mill Valley) and liked it but there was no 13" available and I wonder if I'd be making a mistake to go for the larger size.

[Blueberry]

You can't necessarily decide what size you ride based on what size someone else your height rides. First, look at the geometry charts for the 2 sizes - there may not even be a difference in reach (sometimes there isn't - breezers are like that). If her torso is longer than yours, you won't be as comfortable on a bike with a longer reach. If your torso is longer, it might be a better fit for you. Generally speaking, too big isn't better than too small (IMO). You need the right size. What did the shop say about the fit?

[mayanorange]

+1 on Jamis I think for the price you get a great bike. I had a Cross Country that I loved but had to leave in CA and now I have one of their road bikes- Ventura Sport (aluminum w/ carbon fork- not all Jamis are steel). Also they seem to be little hidden gems that no one knows in the general public or something- both mine I got ridiculous deals on as brand new 2 yr olds. Or maybe they were just waiting for me to find them.

As stated above, the geometries of same sized (ie 13, 54, etc) will vary even within brands- just ride a bunch and one should feel right.

[rij73]

Sizes vary among brands. Go with what's comfy. Was it at Bay Ridge that you tried the Marin? When I went in there they really pushed those Marin's. Nice bikes, though!

[AJH]

The person who said she chooses to ride a bigger bike is also the person who does the fitting in the shop. And yes, it was in Bay Ridge.

[beccaB]

I have a Trek 7.3 fx, I think someone mentioned that series in this thread. It is a terrific all around bike, around $500. If I ever get a faster road bike, depending on the shoulder issue, I'll still keep this one. I love it.

[AJH]

What is a shoulder issue?

[Zen]

What is a shoulder issue?

She means her shoulder. As in rotator cuff problems or whatever.

For what it's worth I'm 5'2",my FX is a 13" and it feels good to me.

[AJH]

Thanks. I think I'm going to end up going small (fitting well rather than big) because I'm worried about clearance.