I must be built funny.

[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.