I'm 5'6", also with puny arms, and I don't have a problem getting the bikes onto the roofrack on my Outback. If I were closer to 5'0", I think it might be a little awkward (as it is I sometimes end up stepping up onto the door frame). Raising the bike above your head is much easier than you expect if you haven't done it before. At the gym, I do shoulder presses with weights that are a good deal heavier than my bike.