anyother bikes like the surly crosscheck?

[tinycities]

So like most of you ladies, i'm on the short side at 5'0/5'1. I've been trying to find a bike that i could still ride decently fast on, not feel like i'm about to hit my chin on the concrete like on my current ride, but still be great for communting.

i'm really into the cross check's versatility [ the horizonal drop outs, the wide chainstays, fender/rack mounts ] however, i'm not into the weight or the color choices and i'm not sure i want to spend an extra 200 on powdercoating. not to mention i'll probably be using this as my main transportation so i'm trying stay away from anything toooo expensive [ incase something happens. ]

i came across the pake c'mute, but it doesn't come small enough. nor does the salsa cassaroll.

anyone know of any other options?

for those of you with crosschecks, is the weight really that bad?

[Kalidurga]

The Cross-Check's geometry doesn't work for me, so I'm now considering a Soma Double-Cross. Don't know if that will work for you, though, if weight's an issue. It probably weighs about the same a the Cross-Check.

The Specialized TriCross is also a great do-anything bike. My current ride is a 2006 TriCross and they now make much smaller frame sizes than when I bought mine.

[NbyNW]

What kind of terrain/distance are you looking at for your commute?

It might be worth your while to check out some of the folding bike threads. I'm about the same height as you and when I had a commute I was on my folder. The low stepover of the design was great not only because of my short inseam but also because I had been working through a back/hip injury that made getting on my regular bike a bit awkward.

Bonus: I could stash the bike under my desk, as my office did not provide a secure place for bicycles during the work day.

[KnottedYet]

I've never noticed my Cross Check to be heavy. It's certainly not appreciably heavier than my Waterford X-12 or my Giant RS940.

(it is quite a bit lighter than my Kona Smoke, but that's comparing apples and oranges)

My Cross Check is my commuter. My commute is 42 miles, and while I've wished for many things on that commute, a lighter bike isn't one of them!

If the Cross Check doesn't feel right, try the Soma Double Cross and the Jamis Aurora. Lots of people on here like the Aurora, and I came close to buying one myself.

[VeloVT]

Bianchi Volpe goes down to 44 cm.

http://www.bianchiusa.com/10-bicycle.../10-volpe.html

It's a steel bike, kind of a tourer (they used to market it in the CX line, but it really wasn't, and they seem to be marketing it more as a tourer/all purpose bike now). It's not especially light, but there are a few peeps on TE who have Volpes and like them.

[ridebikeme]

I am building a Soma Doublecross now, and it looks like a great bike! The welds are done very well, and you can build with it whatever budget you may have. Check on the their website and see if the specs are close to what you need, and if you should need help again, check here with your questions.

Have fun in your quest!