Long Torso, Short Legs.

[kelleil]

I'm in the market to purchase my first road bike! YAY!

I looked at Orbea's but they are for short torsoed, long leg people. I tried a Specialized Ruby and would need a longer stem, but the leg situation was great. Any recommendations of how to deal with this particular fit issue?

Thanks!

Kel

[Eden]

Actually you are the opposite of a fit "issue" Most bikes are made for your build.

Unless you are super short and just cannot ride a 48 or bigger my suggestion is to stop looking at "WSD" bikes, which are built for short torso, long legs and start looking at standard fit bikes, which are made for your build. If you liked the Ruby, check out the Roubaix. It will probably fit you better out of the box.

[kelleil]

Well now I'm confused.

I did like the fit it gave my tush on the Ruby. So I'd have to swap out seats and bars if I went to the Roubaix.

HEY MY BF has a ROUBAIX. I'll try his.

Thanks!!

[Owlie]

I agree with Eden. Unless you're really short, go look at non-WSD bikes. They're generally for short-torso'ed, long-legged people. You have a load of options--Giant, Cannondale (though they've improved their women's road bike offerings of late. Never thought I'd be able to ride one.)

I rode a Roubaix. Nice bike. Specialized's saddles are actually pretty similar between the men's and women's. Just swap out the bars.

[TigerMom]

I'm 5ft 1in and on a 48cm Amira Elite, but I have a long torso and short legs for a woman (I'm built like a gymnast). So my girl parts are touching (but not jammed into) the top of the bar and when I stop, I usually tilt the bike sideways when I put one leg down just in case. I have always tilted the bike when I stop since I am very short, but this doesn't bother me much.

I tried the 44cm Ruby, but I my back curled up when I rode the bike and was very uncomfortable. I rather be comfortably riding and be minimally uncomfortable getting off of the bike. I did not buy a man's bike because Specialized company said that the man's bike is heavier than a woman's bike for the same sized bike.

Also because I have wide shoulders and wanted to swap out for carbon handlebars anyways, I got a slightly wider carbon handlebar than the original stock alloy handle bar that came with the 48cm Amira Elite.

It's really hard to figure out what is comfortable as a newbie. So, as everyone else on Team Estrogen usually says....try out all the bikes in your price range of various sizes, brands, men/WSD.


_______________
2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

[MGM]

Actually you are the opposite of a fit "issue" Most bikes are made for your build.

Unless you are super short and just cannot ride a 48 or bigger my suggestion is to stop looking at "WSD" bikes, which are built for short torso, long legs and start looking at standard fit bikes, which are made for your build. If you liked the Ruby, check out the Roubaix. It will probably fit you better out of the box.

Agree! The "unisex" or "mens" version is usually built for shorter legs longer torso. The men's Roubaix would have a longer stem, too.

I have a Ruby and I love it! But I also rode and loved the Roubaix.. go to a good shop that can fit you properly and help you determine which geometry is right for you. Bars, stems, saddles, are all easy swaps.
Oh, and the Specialized shops usually have the BG Fit system.

[Koronin]

I'm another to say to look at the men's or unisex bikes and not the WSD bikes. I'm 5ft 0in and chose a Felt F-5 (there is no WSD version of the Felt F series). I love the bike. Mine's a 48cm. I also have shorter legs with a longer torso. I did swap out the seat, but it's for a different men's saddle, just one that is much more comfortable than what came on it. Also I've kept the handle bars because for me they are comfortable. The ONLY WSD bike that I even looked at and would be comfortable on is the Specialized Ameria.

[kelleil]

I know 44 is too small and I'm best at the 48 in specializes. I was leaning towards Ruby. What do you think of the Amira?

[kelleil]

I only ride a redline 925 which is unisex. I just had a great waist down experience with the Ruby. Not so much waist up.

I'm going shopping on Saturday. I'm soooo nervous!

[Koronin]

The Ameria is the ONLY WSD bike I like at all. It has a geometry that is more like the men's/unisex bikes than what the Ruby and Dolce has. I did a test on both the Dolce and the Trek Lexa and felt cramped (waist up) on both of them. I did not test the Amira (no one has one in a 44cm in stock that I knew of). I think the Amira may solve some of the issues with the waist up issue if if the issue is of a more cramped type feeling. The Amira has a bit longer top tube than the Ruby.

[Eden]

Really.... I just recently switched from an old style Ruby (pro '05) to an Amira (pro '11). I was worried, because I already have reach issues - I have *really* short arms, I had a 70 stem on my 44 Ruby... The Amira actually feels better to me than my Ruby did (I still have the 70mm stem). The "cockpit" feels shorter (and I get less neck discomfort too!), even though looking at the measurements it seems like it shouldn't.

I'm guessing my legs must be relatively long for my height. I don't have stand over issues at all with compact frames. I have tons of clearance. Even with my old 19" Trek with a traditional straight top tube I could still clear without feeling like I was in danger....

[TigerMom]

Be excited and not scared.

I would recommend that your sales person is a certified fitter so that maybe they can throw in a qualified bike fitting for free when you buy your bike.

I love my Amira and feel that the handling seems less ackward than on the Ruby. Also, you might want to get the carbon handle bars to decrease road vibration. Because I changed stock immediately before I took the bike out of the store, my very nice local LBS gave me some store credit back for the stock alloy handle bars and for the handlebar tape (I changed from the white stock handlebar tape to black).

However, there are a lot of Ruby lovers and Cannondale Synapse lovers out there. So enjoy trying out all the bikes this weekend. Maybe if you can write down what city,state you are in, some of the Team Estrogen members can recommend good LBS shops.
_______________
2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

[kelleil]

The specialized guy I talked to was trying to talk me into the Ruby as opposed to the Amira. I'll have to ride to see. I did appreciate the whole Zerts situation with Ruby.

For some reason I'm anti-trek and cannondale. Can someone talk me out of that? Its so lame.

The other thought was Bianchi....

Anyway, so my legs are sorta long for someone who is 5 foot, 1. My torso from the hips to the rib cage is long. I lose a couple of inches between my chest and my shoulders. So I'm a bit odd. So I'm mostly long torsoed. Arms are... normal?

I'm at a 730 standover and a top tube of 515 with my commuter, both which place me between the 48 and a 51 on the specialized. The Roubaix 49 may indeed be the better fit, which is 730 and 518, respectively.

When I was on the Ruby I felt comfortable on the hoods but not comfortable in the drops. I wanted to stretch out slightly more.

Ya'll are awesome!

[Jo-n-NY]

I also love my Amira. I have the 48cm. Loved my Ruby although it is a 2007 and since then Specialized has fine tuned the handlebars on the women's geometry bikes. I was not comfortable in the drops of my Ruby at all and it was a 51. I am very comfortable in all postitions of the Amira and the bike just rides awesome. +1 on all Eden said about it.

I am also not a fan of Trek not that was always the case. It is just my personal opinion of the company, customer service etc. So I cannot help you in to go in that direction.

[Koronin]

Sorry can't help you with your issue with Trek. My issue with Trek is that the men's bikes don't come in the 47cm frame anymore and Cannondales are too big for me.

I love my Felt F-5 and would say to check Felt out if you have a dealer semi close by. Our store that has Felt is also our Specialized dealer. When I told them what I was looking for and what I prefer and all, they felt the Amira was the better choice for me over the Ruby (if I went that way) because the Amira does have more of the men's geometry vs the Ruby. Then we also looked at the Felts both the Z and the F series and the F series was what was best for me. I love my Felt. The Felt F 5 has a slightly lower standover height (48cm) than the Amira (44cm) with a longer top tube and wheel base.