Need your opinions on a new bike!

[ASammy1]

Happy to oblige!

My husband has the 2011 Aurora in Sangria. It's a lovely color in person. Mine is the 2010 in whatever blue they were offering. It's nice, but I like my husband's better. Oh well.

We're planning a tour along the Katy Trail for Sepember--hence the bikes.

That sounds fantastic! Do you find that you are in a more upright position on the Aurora?

[indysteel]

To be honest, I haven't been able to ride it much since getting it this fall, so I can't honestly remember. My regular road bike's geometry isn't all that aggressive, so if I am more upright on the Aurora, it's not by much. Of course, with a different stem, I could change that to some degree. Certainly, I'm much more upright on my my MTB.

One thing I'll say about the Aurora is that it's not as heavy as I feared it would be. It's not road bike light, but it's not a beast, either.

[Rebecca19804]

+1 on Surly. I am 5'3". LBS tried to get me onto a 46cm Cross Check which I insisted was too small. Went with a 50cm (from a different shop). Perfect fit. And it's a terrific bike.

I truly believe fit is more about reach while actually cyling than standover height when your feet are on the ground.

[indysteel]

+1 on Surly. I am 5'3". LBS tried to get me onto a 46cm Cross Check which I insisted was too small. Went with a 50cm (from a different shop). Perfect fit. And it's a terrific bike.

I truly believe fit is more about reach while actually cyling than standover height when your feet are on the ground.

I agree, although as a practical matter, you do need to be able to stand over your bike. As it is, I have very little clearance on any of my road bikes. My 29-inch inseam at 5'4 is proportionally really short. One of my bikes is a 47; the other a 50. My MTB is a WSD 15 inch.

[aicabsolut]

Is it pretty smooth packed dirt? (not like singletrack and/or full of roots and stuff) If so, even if it's a bit rutted, I would just ride the road bike. Maybe use wider tires for more comfort and a lower PSI if it's bumpy. Packed dirt is pretty pleasant to ride on with a road bike compared to gravel.

[ASammy1]

Is it pretty smooth packed dirt? (not like singletrack and/or full of roots and stuff) If so, even if it's a bit rutted, I would just ride the road bike. Maybe use wider tires for more comfort and a lower PSI if it's bumpy. Packed dirt is pretty pleasant to ride on with a road bike compared to gravel.

It's a limestone trail. I need a new bike anyway as my road bike has too aggressive geometry for me. I'm looking for something a bit more comfy.

[redrhodie]

As Becky mentioned earlier, I got the Soma Double Cross DC and I love it. I'm a hair shy of 5' 5", and I got the 48 cm. The model without the disc brake mounts (the Double Cross) comes in even smaller sizes. Soma uses Tange Prestige steel tubing.

I really wanted a bike that could take studded tires, disc brakes, drop bars, and rack mounts. This frame fit the bill perfectly at a great price. I feel really comfortable on her. She's the perfect year round commuter, and I'm sure she'd be great on trails since her tires can go as wide as 38 mm. She isn't available as a complete bike, so you'll have to build her. That can cost more, but you'll get exactly what you want.

I highly recommend this frame! I can't think of anything I don't love about her (she's even a pretty color). If I were going to do a long tour, this would be my ride.

[Kubla]

I'd say a 46 cm Surly Cross-Check or Jamis Aurora might work out fine for you. (At 5'4" you are not *that* short.)

By way of comparison, I am 5'6" with relatively short legs and long torso. I loved the 50 cm Cross-Check I test-rode last year-but went with a 50 cm Aurora because I could not get a good deal on the leftover 2009 in beef gravy brown. Both bikes fit and handled great; I would have been thrilled with either one.

My Aurora gives a really smooth ride over the rougher roads in my area and I found my rides getting longer each time. I just didn't want to end the ride!

That said, I'm going to have a hard time avoiding the Cross-Check this year in that pretty blue color...

[ASammy1]

Thanks Kubla. It sounds like we are built similarily. I too have short legs and a longer torso. I'm going to definitely check out the Surlys and Jamis Aurora. Probably this weekend, if I can get the hubs on board

[ASammy1]

So I just wanted to update everyone and let you all know that I ordered the Surly LHT tonight in Blue Velvet! Thanks to everyone for all of your sound advise

[Catrin]

So I just wanted to update everyone and let you all know that I ordered the Surly LHT tonight in Blue Velvet! Thanks to everyone for all of your sound advise

Congratulations and welcome to the dark.....errrrrr fun side Seriously, you will love your LHT!

[ASammy1]

Thanks Catrin!


Oh, the icing on the cake is that I found a really great bike shop in the process too. Sighhhhh of content...