I hear you....I'm 5'1". It's tough being short. I bought my road bike before they came out with the WSD models. I too am beginning to shop for my touring bike and hope that I find a good fit.
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My partner and I are thinking about doing some long distance touring in the future. I would like to get all our ducks in a row (bikes, gear, etc.) and start with some short tours next summer. We live close enough to Banff/Jasper that I think that's where we'd start.
I've been through all the relevant threads here, and I've done lots of backpacking in the past, so I think I can figure out the gear part. I'm stumped on the bike.
I'm 5'2". I have ridden both unisex and WSD. My most comfortable bike is a WSD Cannondale bike. I need short reach brakes/brifters. I think I want steel because the buzz from my aluminum road bike bothers me after a couple of hours. Custom is probably out of the budget. I know there are a few bikes to choose from that fit, or could modified to fit, all these criteria. (i.e. one of the Surleys, the Trek 520, Jamis Aurora)
Here is my dilemma: I have an LBS that I LOVE. They don't sell any of those bikes that I know shorter women have made work. The only touring-specific bike they sell is the Rocky Mountain Sherpa, and they don't actually carry one in the shop. Even if they did, I'm sure it wouldn't be a 47 cm frame!
Has anyone tried a Sherpa? How did it fit?
2010 Scott Speedster Limited/Bontrager Inform RL
2008 Cannondale Rush 2 Feminine/Terry Butterfly
2005 Cannondale F400/Terry Butterfly
I hear you....I'm 5'1". It's tough being short. I bought my road bike before they came out with the WSD models. I too am beginning to shop for my touring bike and hope that I find a good fit.
We do not take a trip; a trip takes us - John Steinbeck
Hi Ambikes, I just put up a post on my Rocky Mountain Sherpa. I am considerably taller than you. I have the 50cm. I see that the 47cm is the smallest Sherpa size. If you read anything of people who owned the Sherpa, most bought a size smaller than their normal road bikes. If you have the patience, here is a forum thread on the Sherpa that may help:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=Sherpa
I tried a 53cm Jamis Aurora and I was a bit too stretched out on it. The smaller size brought the head tube far too low for me. I already struggled with the 53cm. The Sherpa fits me very comfortably. I have short fingers and have no problems with the brakes/brifters. I even like the sloping top tube.
I think the Sherpa 47cm has a 520 length top tube. How is that length for you in general? Check out the height of the headtube and see if you can try a comparable bike for size. Include mtn bikes too.
Thanks for the reply wny!
I'm optimistic about the 47cm fitting. Even thought I'm only 5'2", I normally ride a size bigger frame than other women my height. I'm not really sure why, but I think it's related to the fact that my body type is somewhere between that of a 'typical woman' and a 'typical man'. My MTB has a 16" WSD frame, my commuter has a 16" MTB frame, and my roadie has a 49cm frame.
I checked out the geometry on my roadie frame. It has a 515mm top tube and a 110mm head tube (compared to 520/105mm for the 47cm Sherpa). Really, the two frames seem fairly similar, except the standover on the Sherpa is 12mm higher.
I think I'll head to my favorite LBS this week to talk to them about the Sherpa. I would have to order the 2011 model, which is kind of disappointing, because all the 2011s will have lower quality steel for the frames according to the Rocky Mountain website.
2010 Scott Speedster Limited/Bontrager Inform RL
2008 Cannondale Rush 2 Feminine/Terry Butterfly
2005 Cannondale F400/Terry Butterfly