time for a carbon upgrade - HELP

[Doc on a bike]

I have happily ridden my Specialized Sequoia (54 cm) for two great years, on flat territory here in Florida. No hills where I live. Finally time for an upgrade. Looking at carbon frames - after visiting several LBS, I have tried Specialized RUBY, Roubaix, Amira; Trek Madone (several models), Felt ZW6 (would prefer a 4). Going to try an Orbea Onix tomorrow. ANY ADVICE? I need help from anyone willing to offer help. I'm confused because I was originally "fitted" to a 54 cm, (I'm 5'4" tall), but recent fittings in the past few days place me on a women's specific 51 or less. HELP!!!!! I'm so confused!!!! My budget is up to $3500 with some flexibility for the PERFECT bike. I want distance with comfort. Not so interested in racing or tremendous speed.....

[Koronin]

My husband and I actually just bought a Felt F5. (Two bikes, one each). I'm getting one at 48cm and my husband is getting one at 51cm. He's 5'5" if that helps you any. I'm 5'0" with an inseam of 27inches. Don't know if that helps any or not.

[Becky]

Every brand sizes a little differently....don't go by the number. It's kinda like clothing....the number will get you close, but you may need to size up or down after trying it on. I don't place too much stock in the size, but focus more on the reach to the bars. For me and my short torso, that's the key dimension.

Have fun test riding!

P.S. At 5'4" with long arms and legs and a short torso, my bike size is anywhere between 46cm and 50cm, depending on the geometry.

[Seajay]

At 5' 4" I would think a 51 Specialized Ruby would be a good place to start fitting wise. I'd doubt you could get into ANY brand's 54 mens or womens fit.

[CAL]

I'm 5'3 and have a Trek 1.2WSD in a 50 cm and a Madone 5.2 WSD in a 50 cm. Test ride the same bike in different sizes, if available, and see what feels best. Have fun and enjoy.

[turbojackie]

I am 5'6" and was fitted for a 51cm mens. I have short legs and a very long torso. In the road bikes, the WSD seemed to crowd me. I was more comfortable on the men's, due to my torso. So, you really don't know until you are on the bike and being fitted

[grey]

I'm 5'6" and ride a 54cm men's Fuji Team. I have long arms and legs, but even so I have had to tweak it to fit smaller, as I fall right between a 54 and 52.

Don't know if that helps much, just seems 54 would be a bit big for you. As someone noted earlier, no two frames are the same size. When you find the right size and bike, you will know.

[pinsonp2]

I am 5'5" on a good day. I have a Specialized Dolce Sport in a 54 cm and it fits great. However, my two Treks, a 2.1 WSD and a Madone 5.2 WSD, fitted by different shops, both are 52 cm. So, as stated above, there are differences in brands. Go with what feels/fits best and makes you smile and want to ride more.

P2

[Catrin]

I am 5'3 and ride either a 46cm or 48cm, it very much has to do with reach as much as inseam. If we just went by my inseam I would ride a 51cm, but I would be stretched out far too much, assuming I could even reach the bars For me it is also about back flexibility and arthritic hands that can't bear much weight - so I've other things going on.

+1,000 on going with what feels the best and makes you smile the most

[Hi Ho Silver]

I'm 5'5" with a 30" inseam and a relatively short torso. The Specialized carbon fiber bikes that I looked at were the Ruby Apex (size 51cm) and the Roubaix Apex (size 49cm). The dimensions of these two bikes are nearly identical. The Ruby has a slightly shorter top tube, a slightly longer stem, and a slightly taller head tube.

I chose the Ruby version mainly for the color scheme and the women's saddle. The 51cm size fits me perfectly.

[Veronica]

5'5" and I ride a 51 Cervelo and 53 Rivendell. I had to put a shorter stem on the Cervelo.

Veronica

[Roadtrip]

Another similar rider here and I ride a 51CM Ruby. Fitter said ideally I'd be on a 50CM bike, but the Ruby comes in a 44/48/51/54/57CM frames. I have short legs and 5'5" with an inseam of around 27" or there about. I forget the exact measurement.

Shannon

[Becky]

I looked at a geometry chart for a Ruby. There is no size on the chart that corresponds to any measurements for that size frame. It's a virtual size, as near as I can tell. I would call their 51cm a 44cm, using the "old rules". (Not picking on Specialized...just an example.)

Historically, bikes were sized by measuring the seat tube (either center of BB to center of top tube, or center of BB to top of seat tube- depends on brand) and using that number. With the advent of much more compact frames, it sure seems like manufacturers are attempting to correlate size to the old way of measuring, and coming up with these confusing "virtual sizes"...

I subscribe to the old method, and when I say that I ride a 50 cm frame, I'm referring to that seat tube meansurement (C-T). (Don't get me started on S/M/L designations like Fuji uses...)

And this is why bike sizing and fitting make me crazy. (Sorry if that sounded a little too much like a rant....I'm just excited.)

[macski]

I'm 5'5" and I ride a Specialized Amira in a 51 and a Cannondale Synapse in a 48. I feel more comfortable on the Synapse but I'm not stretched out at all on the Amira. Put them side by side and they are almost identical.

This is why having a good bike fitter is essential because there is such variation between manufacturers.

[Cynedra]

This is not regarding the bike size, but more about spots where you can get a little bit of hill training. San Antonio Cycle in East Pasco County has good maps of roads with hills you can ride in East Pasco County. The Suncoast Parkway north of State Road 50 in Brooksville/Spring Hill area has some nice hills (south of that is very flat), and if you ever drive over to Clermont, there are some nice hilly roads and Lake Mineola trail is pretty hilly - not like mountainous places, but pretty good for Florida.