I must be built funny.

[indysteel]

I can't provide a link to it at the moment because I'm on my Blackberry, but you might look at Peter White's website. He has a discussion on bike fit that might be helpful. Just Google his name and "bike fit."

But looking at your existing bike's geometry is a good place to start to determine what does and doesn't work for you. You mentioned feeling too stretched out on it, but have you ever worked with a fitter to tweak its set up? Even if you're determined to get a new bike, it's far easier to make informed decisions if you work first with what you already own as a frame of reference.

[OakLeaf]

Never been there, but HubBub in the Cleveland area has a rep for doing good fittings.

[Owlie]

I've heard of the shop...doesn't help because I'm moving back to Cincy.

So...It turns out that the Dolce I tried out was a 51 (oops). That would explain why the top tube felt better, but that might be pushing the "small" end, considering that my femurs probably need a 54 or 57.

[indysteel]

I've heard of the shop...doesn't help because I'm moving back to Cincy.

So...It turns out that the Dolce I tried out was a 51 (oops). That would explain why the top tube felt better, but that might be pushing the "small" end, considering that my femurs probably need a 54 or 57.

Sometime tells me that you do not need a 57. Heck, my husband is 6'2 and rides a 59-60. I am oddly proportioned, too. I have really short legs, but proportionally long femurs. I'm also long waisted with regular length arms. I'm a nut, basically. I'm 5'4 and more or less ride bikes in the 48-50 cm range. My main road bike--a 50 cm WSD Bianchi--has a relatively short top tube and a seat post that offers quite a bit of set back. Even with that, my saddle is pushed back to the limit on its rails.

As you look at bikes, you gotta remember that the frame itself dictates only part of the bike's geometry. There are other things you can tweak--stems, seat posts, saddles, handlebars, and stack---to accommodate weird proportions, at least within reason. That's why I'd really like to see you work with a shop that's going to do more than eyeball your standover and just plop you on a bike. You need to work with someone who actually understands the dynamics of bike fit.

[ultraviolet]

I am not a fit expert, but I'm going to make a guess that you should take a look at bikes with a fairly slack seat tube angle--something less than 74 degrees. Also probably with a tallish headtube--140mm or more.

Check out the Cervelo RS. I've know lots of women who always rode WSD frames because of reach issues that tried the RS and fell in love. The Cervelo RS has a 73 degree STA across all of its sizes, whereas most other companies vary STA with size.

I don't know the actual #s, but every degree of increase in STA translates to something like needing an centimeter of difference in top tube length. So, even if at first glance at the geometry charts you think the RS won't work, it's probably worth your time to try one out even if just to get another reference. Besides...it's a pretty sweet ride.

[Owlie]

But looking at your existing bike's geometry is a good place to start to determine what does and doesn't work for you. You mentioned feeling too stretched out on it, but have you ever worked with a fitter to tweak its set up? Even if you're determined to get a new bike, it's far easier to make informed decisions if you work first with what you already own as a frame of reference.

I've been meaning to. I have about half of it (service costs, anyway) in birthday/Christmas money. The other half...(well, I probably spent it stocking up on yarn to feed my other hobby...)
There's a few things that I know need to be done (cleat adjustment, stem swap, saddle), and one thing I can think of that might need to be done (swap out for bars with shallower drops).

I think you're on to something with the smaller frame size, provided there's enough "travel" in the seatpost to make up for it. Maybe I'll take a little trip over to the shop this week or once I'm officially back in Cincy. I think they have a Ruby in a 54, so I can compare.

[OakLeaf]

I think you're on to something with the smaller frame size, provided there's enough "travel" in the seatpost to make up for it.

Seatpost is almost never an issue. Handlebar height can be with a smaller frame, though - that's why I suggested a fork.

[Becky]

Seatpost is almost never an issue. Handlebar height can be with a smaller frame, though - that's why I suggested a fork.

Oak is onto something here. Keep an eye on the head tube length of the frames that you're considering. If (like me) you need a lot of seat post showing to get the right combination of saddle height and reach, a slightly taller head tube make a big difference in comfort.

[indysteel]

The seatpost itself is usually not an issue--as you can typically swap it out for one with more set back, but STA can be an issue, especially on smaller frames, which often have steeper STAs.

[Owlie]

Seatpost is almost never an issue. Handlebar height can be with a smaller frame, though - that's why I suggested a fork.

Oak, can you explain what you meant by an uncut fork?

[OakLeaf]

A new fork comes with a really long steerer tube. When you buy a complete bike, the tube has already been cut to a height that will work for most riders on that size frame. To be able to set your handlebars higher without a super steep stem (that could adversely affect handling), you'd need a longer steerer tube, thus a new fork, and a lot of spacers.

[Owlie]

I was wasting time at the LBS yesterday evening, looking at road bikes. I was talking with one of the employees about what I didn't like about my bike, and he suggested a closer look at the Specialized bikes (Cannondale apparently has the same problem as Giant--they think that shaving a centimeter or less off the top tube of each size makes it WSD...). The floor models were all 48cm or 51, but he found me a built-up 54cm Dolce. The reach is still a little bit long but easily in the "new stem" range.

I took it out for a test ride.

Oh dear.

While there aren't any appreciable hills near the LBS, my trip up the little incline felt so much easier. It felt faster. And my arms didn't ache!
I'm thinking a 54cm Ruby might be a nice graduation present after I finish this master's degree...

The bike shop employee also mentioned that he'd recently come back from the BG fit classes from Specialized. They want him to do a few practice fittings. He knows I'm in the poor-student boat, so if I'm willing to be a guinea pig, he's okay with trying to work something out at a reduced price to put band-aids on my giant. I love my LBS when they do things right.

[Kathi]

[QUOTE=Owlie;579234]I was wasting time at the LBS yesterday evening, looking at road bikes. I was talking with one of the employees about what I didn't like about my bike, and he suggested a closer look at the Specialized bikes (Cannondale apparently has the same problem as Giant--they think that shaving a centimeter or less off the top tube of each size makes it WSD...). The floor models were all 48cm or 51, but he found me a built-up 54cm Dolce. The reach is still a little bit long but easily in the "new stem" range.

I took it out for a test ride.

Oh dear.

While there aren't any appreciable hills near the LBS, my trip up the little incline felt so much easier. It felt faster. And my arms didn't ache!
I'm thinking a 54cm Ruby might be a nice graduation present after I finish this master's degree...

QUOTE]

I agree with Ultraviolet, you may need a slacker seat tube angle. My niece is picking up her new bike today. She had a bike fit before buying. She was leaning toward the Specialized Dolce, but, after the bike fit the Dolce's seat tube angle would have been too steep for her. Instead, she bought an Orbea.

BTW, you have one of the best bike fitter's in the country in Cincinnati. She's a Serotta Fit Institute trainer and really understands women's issues. Her name is Kathy Krumme and she's at Oakley Cycles in Oakley. I too loved my bike shop in Cincy when they did things right but Kathy straightened out their mistakes for me. BTW, I ended up spending more money than I would have if I had seen her in the first place.