Thanks, ladies...

Muirenn, good idea; I think I will take the issue to Trek, yes. They might throw it back at me that I took two years to discover the problem, but it's worth a shot.

Knotted and JennK...that's really discouraging, that people consistently sell bikes too small! I mean, I don't like to have it done to me, but it's worse to hear it's done that often. It reminds me of something that happened to my partner...when I met him he happened to have this pair of sneakers that was really big. So much so that I could tell by looking at them that they couldn't fit his feet. I asked him about it, and apparently he had gone to some foofy running store in town where this was the only pair left in this style, and the salesperson just kept encouraging my partner to buy them. Now, leaving aside the fact that my partner was crazy to do so , what kind of shoe salesperson sells shoes two sizes too big?? This type of thing makes me insane.

Some specs on the bike (and me): The guy today said it was a 15. I'm 5'3" (petite! really!) but with a longish torso and shortish legs. I don't know my inseam right now (but will before I go fit another bike!). He didn't recommend any specific brand because he wasn't trying to make a sale, which I appreciate (and couldn't make right now anyway), but said he'd recommend a 17 at least. I don't have many add-ons to the bike (just saddle, stem, bar, grips, assorted other doodads) but to _me_ it feels like a lot, since this is the first bike I bought as an adult, I never bought a bike I didn't just accept all the components on before, and I've spent a decent amount of time (and money) in various shops trying to get it all worked out. Not very encouraging to a newbie to have this experience, let me say.

And yet, even though it's been disgustingly humid for weeks, we had such a nice ride today! I swear, if I ever get the fit of a bike worked out I'll never get off the thing.