Does this bike exist?

[emily_in_nc]

I am considering having my Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD gearing changed to mountain gears in the back for some of the monster hills we climb. My 30x25 gear just does not cut it for a lot of the places we ride, so I end up riding my Bike Friday on really hilly rides. I love my Bike Friday but am just not as fast on it -- I want to be able to keep up with my DH better and prefer the comfort and light weight of carbon. So, I might have a shop re-configure my bike to handle mountain gearing, assuming this can be done. However, the bike is a 2006, so I am possibly considering the possibility of a new road bike.

It's been so long since I've been in the market that I honestly don't know what is out there these days. Here are my requirements:

Full carbon frameset
Small frame (44-47 cm depending on how measured and frame geometry)
Short top tube
Drop bars
Nothing too aggressive -- I need to be a bit more upright for comfort
I like 650 wheels but think they aren't used as much as they used to be. I can live with 700s though usually end up with toe overlap with those.
Really low gears for climbing mountains

Is anything like this even made, or am I looking at custom if I were to go new? I don't know what my budget would be at this point. If I do this, it will be next year, since we bought the motorhome this year and budget will not allow for a new bike.

Would appreciate any suggestions of manufacturers/models to look at.

[Crankin]

Yes, yes, yes! You do not have to go custom. The industry is responding to the needs of those like us. The only difference is that these bikes have compact doubles. It is fine, believe me.
My Trek Silque has an Ultegra rear 32, road derailleur (although I had to have a a 34 mountain derailleur put on my custom Guru, as it was before they made lower road gears) and now they make a 34 rear road derailleur. There are Silques at many price points, so you have to really research to decide what you want. I have 47 cm, with a short top tube, WSD narrow bars (although I swapped the Trek bars for Specialized). It is an endurance road bike, so more upright than traditional race bikes. The 47 cm has 700 wheels and I have never had toe overlap. I cannot say enough about how happy I am with this bike. Before I got the Silque I had swapped my rear derailleur on my Kuota from a 25 to a 27, then to a 28...
The Specialized Ruby is very similar and also comes in small sizes.

[emily_in_nc]

Thank you, Crankin! I was really hoping to get a response like this. I would be happy with another Trek. I didn't realize there were compact doubles that handled that low a gear. My old Aegis Swift, which I had built up from the frameset in 2004, had a compact double, but the largest cog in the rear was 29. Still, much better than my current 25-tooth cog (especially when coupled with the Aegis' 650 wheels, making the effective gearing even lower). But I could certainly handle steeper climbs on that bike than on my Trek, and I was a lot younger then as well.

I will take a look at the Silque (and the Ruby) and dream...thank you!

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin -- I am finding the Trek site very hard to use. I couldn't find anything about gearing at all. I googled and found out some information, but it doesn't cover all the models. For example, for the 2015 Silque SL, this site (http://road-bikes.gearsuite.com/l/67...Trek-Silque-SL) states: "The Silque SL has a minimum gear ratio of 34/28 (35 gear inches). This minimum gearing is pretty high and will make climbing long stretches or steep ascents very tiring." Uh, yeh, that is what I am trying to avoid.

Did you have to spec out the 32 inch rear cog, or did that come spec on your SSL? I know they have some new models since then, but I can't find that kind of detailed information on their site. They sure are pretty, but the website is crap IMO. I want to know all the techie stuff!

ETA: I just found the Silque SSL on the same website, and they say the same about the gearing (34/28).

Ooops, sorry, one more edit: Now I wonder if that site is even right. I found a review of the SL on Bikeradar, and they state a 32-cog in the back. http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gea...-womens-50094/.

It sounds like a wonderful bike!

[Crankin]

The Silque comes with the 28, but I opted to have the 32 put on. I don't think it cost any more. Yes, the Trek site is very difficult to use. My suggestion is to go to an LBS and have the person look in the "big book" from Trek to find what you want. I had written down the geometry of the older WSD Madone I had on my tour in Portugal. That was the predecessor to the Silque. By doing that, the LBS owner could look in the book and find the newer Silque version. It took some work, but what you want is not difficult to get.

[emily_in_nc]

The Silque comes with the 28, but I opted to have the 32 put on. I don't think it cost any more. Yes, the Trek site is very difficult to use. My suggestion is to go to an LBS and have the person look in the "big book" from Trek to find what you want. I had written down the geometry of the older WSD Madone I had on my tour in Portugal. That was the predecessor to the Silque. By doing that, the LBS owner could look in the book and find the newer Silque version. It took some work, but what you want is not difficult to get.

Thanks, Crankin. If and when the time comes, I will certainly seek out a Trek shop. It sounds like I could get what I want by going Trek. I can't recall, did you get the Di2 shifting? I didn't know anything about it so did a little research, and I must admit, it sounds realllllly good. I was a skeptic until I started reading some of the reviews.

I also looked at Specialized Rubies, but in the price range where I'd probably end up (middle of the road for a Ruby, I'd want Ultegra), the bikes are white, and I don't want white since I've had a white Bike Friday. They show every speck of dust and grease, and I'm tired of that. Of course, by next year they may change up the color! They also go from a 44 cm to a 48 cm, so I don't know if either size would work as I've never ridden anything as large as a 48, but the 44 might be too small. Depends on the geometry, though.

I guess because I've had a Trek, and my DH has enjoyed his Trek 5200 since 2002 (he is also very ready for a new bike and more deserving than me with all he rides), I am just more comfortable with the idea of Trek. His has done so well for him for so long that I know the quality is there. But I know a lot of women love their Rubies as well.

[emily_in_nc]

Try one of the Pinarello Easy-fit models, too. Not sure which model, as they change them from year to year, but they actually make very good women's bikes. Easy Fit have higher head tubes and shorter reaches.

Thanks, Sheila! I'll look at those too!

[north woods gal]

Emily, I'd be very surprised if your bike shop couldn't do better than a 25 on your Pilot's cassette. They should be able to at least go with a 30. My 2013 Domane WSD compact 10 speed came with a 30 and I recently had my bike shop go to a 32 on one of my Tiagra 10 speed compact bikes and it works, fine. A lot of the new 11 speeds come with a 30 on the cassette, too, and have heard of folks going with a 32 on those, also. Of course, if you want another bike, I get that.

I am a firm believer in going with a WSD when, possible. Until WSD came out, I was constantly changing out handlebars, stems, seats and all the other tricks needed to get standard bikes to fit me the way they should. Fortunately, I am on the tall side - almost 5' 10" - so I have a lot more options bike sizing.

I love drop bar bikes. The lowest geared drop bar bike I have is a Salsa Fargo. It has a 42-28 front and an 11-36 in back, so it does get me into MTB gearing. Not what you're looking for, what with those big 29er 2.3s for tires, but mentioned it to show that there are drop bar bikes out there with real low gearing. Was wanting the similarly geared Salsa Vaya which is a touring bike with 700x42s, when I went shopping, but it was out of stock. (May still get one.)

I like carbon, too, but being the old gal biker that I am, my favorite remains steel. Just like the feel better than any other material. Each to their own, though, as always.

[Crankin]

Emily, I did not get the Di2, but DH did get it on his new Time, which he got after the settlement from his crash. I used it on my tour in France last year. Fun, but I don't see as necessary. DH loves it.

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks for the replies!

NWG, I will definitely look into what could be done to lower the gears on my Trek. I have a triple crank, not a compact, btw. It seems like the last time I researched it, it would require changing the rear derailleur for a long-cage and some other mods as well. But it certainly might be doable, and I'd like to see what it would cost vs. a new bike. Since it's a 10-year old bike, even though it fits me, I'll have to decide how much more to put into it vs. buying new. I do like steel (and that is what my Bike Friday is made out of), but I don't want a touring bike or a cross bike or a utilitarian bike (I consider my Bike Friday to be all of those things and will always keep it for those reasons), I want a performance road bike (with a more comfort geometry, tho) that is as lightweight as I can afford. I am petite and weigh < 105 lbs myself, so the lower I can get my bike as a % of my body weight the easier I can climb and attempt to stay with my DH, who still climbs like a mountain goat at 62, darn it!

Sheila, I looked at the Pinarellos briefly, but the gearing isn't low enough. One really nice women's model I was looking at was a 36/50 (or 52) compact in front and only a 25-tooth large cog in back...eeek. I know that can be switched, but often at an additional cost, especially since I'd want both front and rear to offer lower gears. I found their website fairly hard to navigate, though, so I might have missed a bike with lower gearing.

Crankin, I agree that the Di2 is not necessary, and it will probably be out of my price range too, but it does sound pretty sweet!

[Crankin]

Yeah, at a certain point, it is probably better to invest in a new bike. I lowered the rear gearing on my triple Kuota twice, but I after I got the Guru, with the 34-34, I wanted lower on my other bike, too! Plus, as you do, I wanted more endurance geometry. My bike is smooth as silk, which is why, I am sure, it's called a Silque! I also love the feel of steel and my Guru, which is titanium is smooth, but even though it is custom, I don't like the geometry as much.

[north woods gal]

For sure, it is always more cost effective to get the gearing/group set you want, up front, rather than adding, later. I would like to see the bike manufacturers offer more lower geared performance/endurance class bikes like Emily wants. Seems like they just assume that if someone wants a high end road bike, they must be Tour de France competitors. Or maybe they think we're all young males.

I do okay with a standard compact double 50/34 up front and 11-30 on the back on my Domane WSD for the country we have here, on the roads I bike, but I still find myself bottomed out on some of our steeper hills, even now after getting back into prime bike shape. Be nice to have an extra gear or two in reserve. If heading out into new, unknown territory, though, I opt for my Fargo with its more MTB like gearing. Out in real mountain country, though, I'd only go a triple up front and I'd still be looking hard at the gearing on any particular model.

Best of luck, Emily. I may be doing the same kind of shopping at some point. Be very interested in what you find.

[Eden]

I can't imagine having to recharge my bike… I can't remember to recharge my phone or my lights (which is why I have at least one that uses AA batteries at all times..) on particularly consistent basis… I'd be stuck with no shifting or not being able to ride too often. I think I'll stick with cables.

[north woods gal]

I'm iffy on gearing, at best. I live at sea-level, and not much applies. That's why I thought a frameset would be better, but that can be a pain.

FWIW, Trek has great women's bikes. Dialed in, backed by a lot of research.

Very true. My Domane 4.3 WSD is one of the very few bikes I've owned that fit me right, no mods or ad ons needed. All I had to do was adjust the seat height and start riding.

[Crankin]

Eden, it's not a big deal according to DH. I think he only recharges it a few times a year, and he rides about 3k a year. If you don't keep tabs on it, there's a yellow warning light and it puts the bike into a low gear, so you can get up hills without having to shift. I didn't get it because I thought the extra money was frivolous, but he says it eliminates any having to mess around with fixing temperamental shifting. My Ultegra is perfect, so it's just not an issue.