Specialized Myka FSR Comp - opinions?

[Irulan]

I agree 100% with Irulan. I'm glad you are going to be able to test ride the bike to get a feel for it. I am also 5'3.5" and ride a Spec Era Marathon in a medium and it fits a treat. I'm a bit short in the body but with longer legs and gorilla arms. I believe when I had my fitting session we went one size shorter in the stem even so.

One other thing to carry in the back of your mind is that I think that women who have been roadies (guilty as charged your honour) and more particularly women roadies who have always ridden "men's bikes" often under-estimate the effect that too long a top tube on an MTB will have.

We are used to a more laid forward and stretched out position and may be inclined towards thinking that the WSD bike in the right size is too short for us. I found it weird feeling how upright and over the bars I was on a WSD MTB. But once I started to realise how much you need to be able to be mobile over the bike and shift your weight so far forward and back, I realised that in the stretched out position of a longer top tube I would never have been able to get far enough back and still control the bike!

great explanation of the issues with changing from a road type fit to a mtb fit.

[athenarides]

I have this bike and I love it! I got the 2008 model for a steal at my LBS (less than $500). I ride it to work every day and anytime I have to go somewhere within the city. Even though I'm not using it for the traditional MTB purpose, it's still a great bike.

Let us know what you think!