WSD steel/making it fit (long, lots of ?s)

[KnottedYet]

I kind of like this article about frame geometry http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadin.../geometry.html

Georgena Terry did a nice little video about frame geometry, but I can't find it.

ETA: here it is. "If it'd been a snake it woulda bit me." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pot6W8eQcv4 She made several, and I like them all. Don't miss the Frame Design series, here's Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD7rq...eature=related

[Catrin]

In my limited experience I have had two bikes. One was my Trek 7.6 FX WSD, and I had the smallest 15" size. The reach was just too long, the bike was too big for me and it was eventually sold. It fit well enough to learn how to ride, but caused agony with rides longer than, say, 20 miles.

My LHT, on the other hand, is certainly not a WSD design and while there was an expensive conversion from road bars to mountain bars/trigger shifters that conversion had nothing to do with my reach. The bike fit fine.

I am 5'3" in my stocking feet - and it is ironic that my only experience with WSD didn't work for me. It just goes to show that it doesn't "need" to have that design to have something that will work for you - I think it depends a lot on the manufacturer and bike design - and it also helps to have access to a very good fitter. Just my 2 cents worth - and others here have far more experience from which to draw.

[Owlie]

Thanks, everyone, for the food for thought and the interesting reading assignments.

I guess the next step* is for me to go find the shops that sell Jamis and Surly and go test some bikes! For comparison, I've also got an Obea Aqua Dama, a Cannondale Synapse Feminine, two Trek models, and two Specialized bikes in my "to try" list.
The Cannondale and the Specializeds are sold by the same shop, but everything else is somewhere else. I have a bit of driving to do. Maybe I'll persuade DBF to make it a date...

That Terry Isis is pretty sweet...but would need to be de-pinked. I cannot pull that off!

I think the (silly) reason I have my little heart set on that Surly Pacer is that it's steel and British racing green. Remember that post I wrote last summer about my dream low-key bike? That fits at least a few of the criteria, and I can find that honey Brooks and leather bar tape! I agree with Muirenn, though, that the Jamis is probably the best bang-for-buck. Ah well, one day...
*Besides coming up with the $$, of course.

[Cataboo]

What's the purpose of this bike, Owlie? Is it going to be a go fast bike or is it going to be a errand, whatever bike?

My surly pacer had a ridiculously short top tube for a unisex bike. I'm not a wsd person and at 5'1, I like a 520-540 cm top tube. The pacer had a 490 cm top tube. So that being said, it never really fit me well, so my comments on the bike might be entirely off base since I never rode it more than about 45 miles (painful ones). So I think the fit of the pacer will probably be fine.

Surly's seem like heavy burly frames to me, and I think they're great for touring, commuting, beating up, urban whatever - But I wouldn't buy them for a go fast bike. Maybe look at lemond or bianchi if that's more your plan. Test ride some titanium if that's in your price range. But not all steel is created equal, there's thin, light high quality tubing, and then there's heavy stuff. If you want a go fastbike, look for the former, if you want bombproof errand bike, go with a surly.

[Owlie]

What's the purpose of this bike, Owlie? Is it going to be a go fast bike or is it going to be a errand, whatever bike?

Is it wrong for me to say "I don't know"? My current bike is supposed to be a go-fast bike, though I've mentioned it'd not be worth upgrading, so I may want a nicer go-fast machine. On the other hand, I'd also like a bike that I can beat up a little, or take on long, slow rides, or ride around town on. I'm not a speed demon and have no pretensions of being one.

[Cataboo]

It's not wrong for you to say you don't know, but probably you should figure out what you want Because it would suck buying a 3rd bike because the first 2 aren't quite what you really wanted. Not that I don't have 6 bikes, but I really try to make myself justify what the purpose of each bike is (not matter how lame)

Go test ride them all and see what feels right anyways.

If you are mechanically inclined and want to buy all the tools, working on your own bike isn't hard. And you can sometimes pick up pieces used and the rest of that to make it not such an expensive endeavor.

[eofelis]

My surly pacer had a ridiculously short top tube for a unisex bike. I'm not a wsd person and at 5'1, I like a 520-540 cm top tube. The pacer had a 490 cm top tube. So that being said, it never really fit me well, so my comments on the bike might be entirely off base since I never rode it more than about 45 miles (painful ones). So I think the fit of the pacer will probably be fine.

Interestingly, I'm 5'2" and the top tube of the 42cm Pacer (first it was mine, then it was yours) was just right for me, I thought it was about 50cm. 52cm is about the longest I can go, and I try not to go there. I did centuries on that same exact frame with no problems. I guess I'm a WSD rider. My 44cm Spec Ruby fits me well.

[Cataboo]

Interestingly, I'm 5'2" and the top tube of the 42cm Pacer (first it was mine, then it was yours) was just right for me, I thought it was about 50cm. 52cm is about the longest I can go, and I try not to go there. I did centuries on that same exact frame with no problems. I guess I'm a WSD rider. My 44cm Spec Ruby fits me well.

I'm definitely not! I had a 130 cm stem on the surly trying to make it long enough.

I have a bizarrely long torso or something apparently.

[eofelis]

I'm definitely not! I had a 130 cm stem on the surly trying to make it long enough.

I have a bizarrely long torso or something apparently.

I had an 80cm stem on it!

[Artista]

That Terry Isis is pretty sweet...but would need to be de-pinked. I cannot pull that off!

That's funny. The pink is part of what I like about the Terry Isis. I see it as a "serious, ride like a girl" pink. Not a prissy, little princess, pink.

Guess that's why there are so many bike manufacturers out there so that everyone can find their perfect bike - like something in British Racing Green

[Owlie]

Cataboo, part of me wants a tank, because the roads around here are crap. Part of me wants a ZOOM! bike. I'm going to do my serious shopping wherever I go to graduate school, since I don't want to have to move two bikes until I need to.

My plan for the moment is to go try some out and see what I fall in love with...I feel like my current bike was sort of an arranged marriage.

Good to know that the Pacer has a relatively short top tube...

That's funny. The pink is part of what I like about the Terry Isis. I see it as a "serious, ride like a girl" pink. Not a prissy, little princess, pink.

That's what I mean. It's that "I ride with the boys and beat them every time" pink. I cannot pull that off. I'm a slowpoke.

[Cataboo]

Owlie,

Get a surly & a go fast bike. Sell your avail so someone else can fall in love with riding. You've been wanting to change the avail ever since you got her practically, so after the initial, oooh my bike, you won't miss her

[Owlie]

We'll see once I've gotten that fitting. If I can persuade her to work with me, then I'll buy that Surly (if it fits!), keep her for a while (as a go-fast in summer, trainer bike in winter), change the parts I want as they wear out, and see what I want to do with her once I've gotten that next go-fast bike (stay on as trainer bike, fair-weather commuter, backup road bike, sell.)

If not, I'm buying a new go-fast bike, then replacing the bar tape and plugs (there's a chunk out of one of them!) on the Avail and selling, I think.