# A little venting



## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

On another women's cycling forum we have a a guy (a new poster) asking about buying a WSD frame. He wants to build up a frame for his girlfriend. His heart is in the right place but he keeps answering questions that demonstrate he doesn't have good knowledge about fit (reach and stack), frame materials, ride characteristics, or handling. The worst? He doesn't really know what his girlfriend wants and he doesn't appear to want to know. 

Don't get me wrong. Some guys will bend over backwards trying to figure out how to make their partners happy by asking the _partner_ and then researching. Then there is this type who doesn't really want knowledgeable advice and certainly doesn't understand that his GF will be happier with input into the bike. She'll think he's the best thing since sliced bread if he builds her the right bike, but he won't do that on his present course.

He's currently on a course to buy a too big frame that will probably have faster handling than she's ready for.

Arg, just have to vent a little.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

I think that in cases like this one of the most helpful things a guy can do is to take her to a couple of his favorite bike shops so she can test ride some bikes. This way she can check things out and decide for herself what works best for her. 

NTTAWW a guy trying to make his girl happy.


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

We finally got him to fess up that part of the problem is shops that don't carry smaller frames (in the 51 cm TT range). We then got him to tell us he's in Southern California. It's been painful but we're getting closer.

il sogno, you're in SoCal, right? Any shops you know that stock smaller bikes and have good service (i.e, fitting knowledge)? So far the shops he's gone to have told him to do the research on the internet and come back and they'll order it. Big help.

Budget is $1,500 tops.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

SadieKate said:


> We finally got him to fess up that part of the problem is shops that don't carry smaller frames (in the 51 cm TT range). We then got him to tell us he's in Southern California. It's been painful but we're getting closer.
> 
> il sogno, you're in SoCal, right? Any shops you know that stock smaller bikes and have good service (i.e, fitting knowledge)? So far the shops he's gone to have told him to do the research on the internet and come back and they'll order it. Big help.
> 
> Budget is $1,500 tops.


Now that's a tough one. I was a Cynergy Cycles in Santa Monica this past weekend. When I was there last month they had a Specialized Ruby - the $5500 one with Dura Ace - in a size 49 and I wanted to test ride it. Well they had sold it by the time I went there this past weekend. 

One time I was able to test ride the new Orbea Diva at Helen's Bicycles in Santa Monica. Bicycle John in Burbank has good quality bikes and if they get lucky he might have something close to her size. I've seen smaller bikes at InCycle over in Pasadena. 

Sigh...it really is hit and miss.


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

Thanks. It is so frustrating because my favorite local shop (obviously a long way away for him) tries to keep in stock and on the floor a decent selection of Specialized, Cannondale, Pinerello, Cervelo and Look in small sizes. They'll even set them aside if you make a fitting appt. They brought in a Time once for me to ride. I'm so spoiled. I wish everyone had a shop like this.


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## kaotikgrl (Dec 14, 2006)

.....<o></o>


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

kaotikgrl said:


> Now, if that strategy fails miserably and I can easily see that they find contributions to solving a problem irrelevant, I’ll usually smile, disengage or if needed for my sanity at that precise moment ask a why question, like, Why are you such a#[email protected]$% idiot? Maybe in a more eloquent way if I have the time to think about it. <o></o>
> Since I’m not getting visual cues I’m much less patient on the net on these matters.<o></o>


That's why I had to vent here.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

It's hard to get guys like that to realize that it's not about them. 

If he's in the greater LA area and he can't find any small frames/bikes for his girlfriend to try it's because he doesn't really want to.


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## Spinfinity (Feb 3, 2004)

*Who decided that she wants to ride?*

Sounds like he's driving her train.


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## whateveronfire (Sep 27, 2005)

The Helen's in Arcadia is great in smaller sizes. We took a friend there to buy a bike and had a good experience. My S.O. bought her Orbea at Agoura Cycles. They have lots of small Giants and Orbeas and are really nice folks.

I have to agree with Eric. Sounds like he's not trying very hard.


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

Thanks for the shop recommendations. He's now decided that only 10 spd will do as "9 speed is pretty much obsolete and almost impossible to find parts for unless its DA9. Finding a new 9 speed 105 cassette is a lot harder than finding a 10 speed 105 cassette." Apparently he hasn't really learned to use the internet, or heard of SRAM, Miche or IRD. 30 secs and I found 105 cassettes in two locations.

He also has not identified his location with more specificity than Southern California so providing shop recommendations is just a waste of energy. He has not responded at all to our encouragement to place the priority on getting his GF _happy and riding _on a properly fit bike than on his own little ego/bike building project.

If he ever "gets it" I'll post your shop recommendations. I do appreciate them but I'm done banging my head against a brick wall.

Thanks yawl.


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## whateveronfire (Sep 27, 2005)

He's not trying at all. Laying aside ebay, where there are so many new 9 spd cassettes that you could trip and impale on them all, Performance has both Ultegra and Dura-Ace 9 spd cassettes available. 

Sorry he's spoiling the fun wherever it is.


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## kaotikgrl (Dec 14, 2006)

.....<o>
</o>


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

You sleuth. 

It's weird the way he is so vague in his answers to questions, but so set in his misconceptions. I think part of the problem is he says he wants a frame as he has some parts, but then wants a bike with a group on it already. 

I kept hoping he'd post here so you all could pitch in your 2 cents also, not that he'd understand the value of your 2 cents . . . 

I just hope the GF is happy and rides.


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## orbit (Feb 7, 2007)

*Silly boy...*

...such a shame and a waste of his nice idea of getting his girlfriend a bike as it seems its really all about him, not her.

Good on you SadieKate for your persistence in helping him out. :thumbsup:


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## Kawboy8 (Feb 26, 2006)

*He should...*

Buy her a bike without asking her anything, sort of... I just buy my wife that match mine...only in her size. I have Heckler...so I bought her a smaller one. I have a Bullit, so...she has a smaller one. We got into road bikes...I bought a Felt...then bought her a smaller one. They all fit her well...and she like matching (chicks dig that). 

Actaully....if she wanted something different then I would be all for it. But she trusts me...and I do my best to make sure her bike fits her style and abilities...and it has worked so far.


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## vonteity (Feb 13, 2005)

SadieKate said:


> You sleuth.
> 
> It's weird the way he is so vague in his answers to questions, but so set in his misconceptions. I think part of the problem is he says he wants a frame as he has some parts, but then wants a bike with a group on it already.
> 
> ...


He probably doesn't even have a GF and isn't even buying a bike. He's just trolling to piss you all off. And if he really is buying one for his GF, who cares what he buys? It's her problem, not yours. It would be nice if more women got into cycling, but you can only let it bother you so much.


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## Kawboy8 (Feb 26, 2006)

vonteity said:


> He probably doesn't even have a GF and isn't even buying a bike. He's just trolling to piss you all off. And if he really is buying one for his GF, who cares what he buys? It's her problem, not yours. It would be nice if more women got into cycling, but you can only let it bother you so much.


True...lol.


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