Small Rider, Small Hands

[Cataboo]

I'm 4'11" with tiny hands as well.

I run Shimano Ultegra levers with no problems (yes, with the Specialized shim in them), but it does matter what bar I'm using. I really like my Specialized Women's Pro Road Ergo bar (they also make it in an aluminum version which is cheaper). It's short reach, so I have no problems getting to the brakes from the hoods, but it has a normal drop that really allows me to get my hands in and grab onto the brakes when I need to (typical "short and shallow" bars have too short a drop for me to do this).

Yes, the other option would be SRAM which does have a different hood design which is shorter.

do the shims affect how easy it is to use the brakes from the hoods at all?

[MartianDestiny]

do the shims affect how easy it is to use the brakes from the hoods at all?

Yea, they make it possible to use the brakes from the hoods!!!

[aicabsolut]

When I have the proper handlebar, I don't need shims. I prefer a short reach/shallow drop bar. And unlike what Eden said, I find that I get the right reach in all positions if I have the hoods up high on the bends (near the tops) and then I rotate the bars downward until the hoods are level (i.e., brake levers not pointing forward but down).

[Eden]

We may be functionally talking about the same thing? I can't stand drops the are not level - so first and foremost I need the ends of the drops level or nearly level, then I like to have my hoods level too. I find that this combo is the most comfortable for me and I can still reach everything. I have standard DA levers.

[aicabsolut]

Maybe. It probably depends on the bend of the bar and how deep the bend (and how long the reach). I'd guess for some bars, the only way the lever could get close to the bend of the drop would be for it to be relatively far down.

I didn't mean to suggest that you'd have the levers pointing slanted relative to vertical. It just sounded like you were advocating putting them farther down on the bend of the drops than I do. That could be more or less effective for reaching with small hands, given different bar shapes.

I still have my hoods up higher than what would make the levers the closest to the drops, but I can still reach them fine in the drops. It makes for a shorter distance from the corners to the hoods. I like those huge Shimano hoods up high. That may not work as well for different hood shapes though.