Need help on bike size!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I agree about getting a bike that fits - I will end up spending about $3000. Buying a frame and building it with Campy Chorus/Record and using her Tri Bike (A Felt 56 B2, by the way - too big for her but she wanted something where her h-bars would be about the same height as saddle for her Ironman race Aug. 9) training wheels. $3k is a lot to spend on a bike that's not a perfect fit, but I'm concerned there may not BE a perfect fit out there.

Just my humble opinion....but if I had $3000 to spend, I'd get a custom frame made exactly to my body measurements, and if necessary I'd sacrifice the Campy and put Ultegra components on it instead in order to pay for the custom frame that fit me perfectly. You can always further upgrade components later on, but you can't change the frame geometry.

[mountainpics]

Just my humble opinion....but if I had $3000 to spend, I'd get a custom frame made exactly to my body measurements, and if necessary I'd sacrifice the Campy and put Ultegra components on it instead in order to pay for the custom frame that fit me perfectly. You can always further upgrade components later on, but you can't change the frame geometry.

Checked out the Luna website - was hoping to go all Carbon fiber, though. She's already had an aluminum road bike and I wanted to get her something super light and pretty much top of the line all the way around - a bike she'll keep for a long long time.... any suggestions on custom carbon bikes?

[TxDoc]

Checked out the Luna website - was hoping to go all Carbon fiber, though. She's already had an aluminum road bike and I wanted to get her something super light and pretty much top of the line all the way around - a bike she'll keep for a long long time.... any suggestions on custom carbon bikes?

Well, I just saw your last post - and now my suggestion is really to go with BMC. You can call any of their US dealers, they will give you the list of measurements you need to take. You can go to your local bike shop to take the measurements, and then send them to the BMC dealer. They will send them out to Switzerland and in about 2 months (probably a bit longer now in the Summer) your new custom carbon bike will be in the dealer's store - and they can send it to your local bike shop.
Those are really great bikes, worth every penny - or every Swiss Franc...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Checked out the Luna website - was hoping to go all Carbon fiber, though. She's already had an aluminum road bike and I wanted to get her something super light and pretty much top of the line all the way around - a bike she'll keep for a long long time.... any suggestions on custom carbon bikes?

I hear you. But can you get an all carbon custom (actually-made-to-your-specific-body-measurements) bike with CampyRecord components for $3000?
And hopefully she won't crash an all carbon bike because then it won't likely last her "a long long time" (which I think of as perhaps 20 years or more). Carbon can crack under crash stress, and is not easily repaired if it does.
But hey carbon bikes are cool too, and certainly very lightweight...I'm just an old fashioned steel girl...but I'd like to learn more anyway about the custom made carbon ones.

Is it possible to get a custom titanium Seven for $3000? I suspect not, but i'm no expert. That would be pretty cushy.

[TxDoc]

Is it possible to get a custom titanium Seven for $3000? I suspect not, but i'm no expert. That would be pretty cushy.

I think the custom Ti Seven range from $6k up for a complete bike - not sure but I remember looking them up last month because I was thinking of buying a custom Titanium bike.
From what I recall from my own search last month... I think the only custom Titanium bicycles within a $3k budget were Habanero, their custom Ti frames are less than $1500 so a complete bike under $3k is feasible. http://www.habcycles.com
Sorry the correct link to custom is: http://www.habcycles.com/custom.html

[Flur]

The Seven Alaris frame is $2400, but that's just the frame.... that plus the campy will be over 3k. It's the full titanium frame. The full carbons are a bit more.

[aicabsolut]

And hopefully she won't crash an all carbon bike because then it won't likely last her "a long long time" (which I think of as perhaps 20 years or more). Carbon can crack under crash stress, and is not easily repaired if it does.

Bah. Aluminum, steel, and ti frames can all fail in the right crash. Many crashed carbon bikes live to see another day. It all depends on the circumstances of the accident.

To the OP, have her sit on a lot of bikes. Try 52-56. Try different brands. You can get a good bike with Chorus for $3k. The important thing is the frame, as you know. Do a bunch of test riding and fitting and shopping, and then order something comparable or get a different brand of frame locally to build up.

The thing about the varied answers in this thread is true of all bike size questions on forums: Bike size may follow some rules of thumb based on factors like inseam, but everyone is different. There's inseam length. Relative femur to calf length. Flexibility and effective reach. How aggressive the person wants to be in terms of saddle to bar drop. How low the person can go and still look up down the road without hurting his/her neck. The type of riding, racing, and training to be done. So yeah, we don't really know what she needs any better than you, but have her try some "men's" frames and WSD frames. As many as you can get your hands on.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Bah. Aluminum, steel, and ti frames can all fail in the right crash. Many crashed carbon bikes live to see another day. It all depends on the circumstances of the accident.

Bah yourself.
Yes, of course ANY frame can become a total loss in 'the right crash'. And yes, everything depends on the circumstances of a crash. But the fact is that carbon frames are the least repairable after significant crashes that damage the frame, aluminum second least repairable. Steel is the most often successfully repairable after significant crash damage.

[aicabsolut]

Bah yourself.
Yes, of course ANY frame can become a total loss in 'the right crash'. And yes, everything depends on the circumstances of a crash. But the fact is that carbon frames are the least repairable after significant crashes that damage the frame, aluminum second least repairable. Steel is the most often successfully repairable after significant crash damage.

Tell that to Calfee.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Tell that to Calfee.

Thanks, but I have higher priority tasks in my life at the moment.

[tulip]

Checked out the Luna website - was hoping to go all Carbon fiber, though. She's already had an aluminum road bike and I wanted to get her something super light and pretty much top of the line all the way around - a bike she'll keep for a long long time.... any suggestions on custom carbon bikes?

Lunas are not aluminum. They are steel. Mine is Columbus Ultrafoco steel (very light, teardrop tubing) with carbon fork and seatstays. Ultegra components. Within your $3k budget. It is made for me, it's the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. I will be keeping it for a long, long time. There's no other bike like it.

What bikes are your girlfriend interested in?

[Aggie_Ama]

I don't know how much they cost (I have an off the shelf carbon bike) but there was a custom carbon builder in Bicycling Magazine. Crumpton Cycles out of Texas, I think it will set you back way more than $3,000. I think any completely custom bike will set you back more than $3,000 for the frame.

I personally have my eye on a Lynskey custom Ti Bike, I do not desire another carbon bike. If she is looking for comfort Ti or Steel would fit the bill as well and you would be surprised how a bike that fits can be fast because it works with you.

Wonderful gift but I think you should let her pick what she wants. Orbeas are sexy bikes but if they don't fit they are worthless IMHO.

[Triskeliongirl]

Crumpton is an excellent carbon builder, but they cost much more than $3000. I have seen his bikes, they are light and beautiful.

Since there is so much uncertaintly can you drive to a city with more bikes she could test ride?

[rij73]

What a fun thread... You are probably totally overwhelmed by now, but I'll throw something in.

I know she waaaaaants a blue Diva. It's a gorgeous bike. However, she should try a bunch of bikes out to get an idea of the right geometry. I tried a bunch of bikes, figured out what worked number-wise, and bought a bike sight-unseen that I hadn't tried based on the measurements. It worked out great for me. The key is to try at least 5 bikes with different geometries and take notes on the comfort of each. Then, buy a bike similar to the comfiest you tried.

All that said, sounds like her needs are quite extreme. The Madone geometry looks better at a glance than the Orbea. For a 521 top tube, it has a centimeter longer seat tube and a half-centimeter longer head tube. Still might be too compact for her, though.

The very best-fitting stock bike for a woman with long legs vs. torso are the Terry Isis bikes. 521 Top tube, 546 Seat tube, 805 Standover. If her needs are what you say, that fits the bill perfectly. Unfortunately, I don't think she'll like how it looks if she likes Orbea so much. That gets you back to thinking about custom.

[mountainpics]

Crumpton is an excellent carbon builder, but they cost much more than $3000. I have seen his bikes, they are light and beautiful.

Since there is so much uncertaintly can you drive to a city with more bikes she could test ride?

Yeah, I did see Crumpton's website...frames alone are in the $4k's. When she starts racing and wins the Women's Masters road race, she'll be ready for that, but I have to be reasonable about how much bike she actually NEEDS. I am actually considering driving with her up to Little Rock (7 hours away -lots of gas used for something that's not NECESSARY - would feel VERY much like we're giving the big middle finger to the environment, but I digress) to demo some bikes at Competitive Cyclist. Baton Rouge is 1.5 hours away (I live in New Orleans) and there are a couple more shops. I called all of the Orbea dealers within 200 miles and no one has the Diva in stock.