Bad neck...can I still ride?

[fixiegrrl]

I too am of wee stature and bike fit is no small matter because, as you've experienced, it may lead to unexpected problems. There are several name brand quality bike makers that have a womens specific design (WSD) for both road and MTB. Check out these pages if you're interested:

www.fujibikes.com
www.specialized.com
www2.trekbikes.com

They have smaller compact frames that should hopefully fit you. I think some of them go down to a size 44cm depending on brand. For example, I'm 5'4" with a 29ish" inseam. For road, I ride a 43cm Fuji Track SE bike that is a really good fit. I had a Trek road 48cm and it just didn't "feel" right. I could ride it with no discomfort but it just wasn't the same. Kinda like a pair of shoes 1/2 size too big. There was no "feeling like one with the bike." If I were to go with gears, I'd probably ride a 44cm or the closest thing to it. For MTB, I have a size 16 Surly 1x1. If you're interested, I would recommend getting a more professional opinion from a reputable dealer. In my experience, some of the mega-bike store chains were not very knowledgable and more concerned with selling me a bike, any bike, so long as it pushed sales and didn't help me get a good fit. Plus, ride a few models and see what suits you best. There are lots of other types of bikes on the market and plenty to choose from.

Good Luck