I too am a shorty with a 28-inch inseam and have very few choices when it comes to clearance on bikes. I did a lot of research online on the Racer X and could not find any bad reviews. I looked at the geometry and it seemed like it should fit. There is nowhere near me that carries them to try, so when I found one on Ebay, I went for it! I am so glad I did!

I had been riding a Fisher WSD hardtail, but being a 50-something new rider thought I would like to try a full suspension bike. I find that I can ride over alot of stuff that I was picking my way through before. I'm glad I started on the hardtail to get a feel for mountainbiking, but I figure at this stage of my life I deserve some good equipment to hopefully help with the learning curve. Descending over the rough stuff is much more secure and I am able to climb better on it as well. My skill level no where matches the quality of this bike, but she doesn't seem to mind!

Yes, it was a costly purchase, but one that I figure I will have for as long as I'm able to ride the trails. Depending on the components it can run anywhere from $3000-$5000. I got SRAM x9/XT components for 3300 on a like-new used bike. (Only ridden on paved bike paths by a 60-year-old woman).

I bet you'll love it when you try it!

Linda