# Fiance needs a road bike



## CaliBuddha (Jan 3, 2007)

my fiance is wanting to get into cycling b/c thats what i do but were having trouble finding her a road bike that fits her... Shes small, about 4' 11, 100 lbs so we are looking for something kinda small for her to start out on but nothing crappy that is going to discourage her, any help is appreciated!


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## vonteity (Feb 13, 2005)

CaliBuddha said:


> my fiance is wanting to get into cycling b/c thats what i do but were having trouble finding her a road bike that fits her... Shes small, about 4' 11, 100 lbs so we are looking for something kinda small for her to start out on but nothing crappy that is going to discourage her, any help is appreciated!


Custom or WSD. It's tough to fit a 4'11" woman. Kerry Litka is a road/cyclocross racer who is (I believe) that exact height. I recall being nearly a foot taller than her, anyway. She has some info on her site: http://kerrylitka.com/revisebikeguids.html

But most importantly, your fiancee should be getting into cycling because she wants to, not because you do it. That's my disclaimer!


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## CaliBuddha (Jan 3, 2007)

haha yea i know, she wants to b/c she says it looks fun and its a good workout. Thanks for the info... What would be a good custom builder? nothing expensive, just basic


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## vonteity (Feb 13, 2005)

CaliBuddha said:


> haha yea i know, she wants to b/c she says it looks fun and its a good workout. Thanks for the info... What would be a good custom builder? nothing expensive, just basic


Try to fit her stock if you're going basic. I wouldn't go custom unless she CAN'T fit stock comfortably for some reason, which really shouldn't be the case. There are tons of custom builders out there... ask around for what's local, but expect to pay more than stock. I'd say if she likes riding and plans on sticking with it after a year, you can upgrade her to custom.


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## innergel (Jun 14, 2002)

you might check out spicercycles.com. Gene may have something really small in stock in an aluminum frame. if not, he can certainly build you something at a reasonable cost. my track frame is the very large blue one on the Custom Aluminum Track Frames page. he can do small too.


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

CaliBuddha said:



> my fiance is wanting to get into cycling b/c thats what i do but were having trouble finding her a road bike that fits her... Shes small, about 4' 11, 100 lbs so we are looking for something kinda small for her to start out on but nothing crappy that is going to discourage her, any help is appreciated!


Look into Specilaized. My wife is 5' tall and she rides a 48cm frame and she has a tad little extra room. It's a Dolce Comp. 105 drivetain with Ultegra RD. They make 44cm for the Dolce and the Ruby line.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="402" width="484"><tbody><tr><td class="table" align="left">*Size*</td> <td class="table" align="center">*44*</td> <td class="table" align="center">*48*</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Seat Tube Length, Center to Top</td> <td class="table" align="center">390mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">430mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Seat Tube Length, Center to Center</td> <td class="table" align="center">325mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">390mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Top Tube Length (Horizontal)</td> <td class="table" align="center">496mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">506mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Top Tube Length (Actual)</td> <td class="table" align="center">479mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">489mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Bottom Bracket Drop</td> <td class="table" align="center">73mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">73mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Bottom Bracket Height</td> <td class="table" align="center">267mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">267mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Chainstay Length</td> <td class="table" align="center">405mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">405mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Seat Tube Angle</td> <td class="table" align="center">76°</td> <td class="table" align="center">75.75°</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Head Tube Angle</td> <td class="table" align="center">70.5°</td> <td class="table" align="center">71.25°</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Rake</td> <td class="table" align="center">51mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">51mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Trail</td> <td class="table" align="center">66mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">62mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Front Center</td> <td class="table" align="center">574mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">579mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Wheel Base</td> <td class="table" align="center">967mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">973mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Standover Height</td> <td class="table" align="center">679mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">715mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Head Tube Length</td> <td class="table" align="center">105mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">115mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Handlebar Width</td> <td class="table" align="center">380mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">380mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Stem Length</td> <td class="table" align="center">75mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">75mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Crank Length</td> <td class="table" align="center">165mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">165mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="table" align="left">Seatpost Length</td> <td class="table" align="center">300mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">300mm</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> <td class="table" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="6" class="table" align="right">TT is measured horizontally from center of HT to center of ST</td></tr></tbody></table>


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Cali, what's your budget?


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## Ernesto67 (Feb 13, 2007)

The new line of Giant women's bikes are a great fit and come in sizes down to XXS. Giants are competitively priced.


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## djg (Nov 27, 2001)

I saw a woman on a very small Cannondale the other day--obviously I don't know whether it would fit your fiancee, but it was definitely in the ballpark. I'm not even sure of the model (it was all aluminum), but it might be worth checking their web site.


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## sarah (Jul 29, 2004)

*Terry bicycles*

You might want to check out terry bicycles. They make bikes for women.

www.terrybicycles.com

I don't know much about them but have known a couple of smaller women that have a Terry bike. Might be worth looking into.

Sarah


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## QuiQuaeQuod (Jan 24, 2003)

Bianchi makes an Eros Donna in 44 and 49 (IIRC). Nice bikes, used to be $1000, I think current list for this year is $1200-1300, somewhere in there. Add that to your list if it is in the price range.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

One of our group riders is about that height (I think just about or just under 5'0"). She rides a Trek Pilot Size 47 and loves it. It has 700CC wheels on it still which are nice also.


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## IronDad (Oct 7, 2003)

She does not need a custom bike and it always amazes me when I hear that. A Cannondale Feminine frame in a size 40 or 44 will fit her perfectly. The two frames are almost identical in every way except for standover, with the 40cm size having a dropped top tube. The geometry is spot-on with a 48-49cm top tube and it has 650c wheels like a frame that size should. Additionally, the Cannondale Feminine frames are spec'd better than any other bikes in their price range.

Any bike with 700c wheels will be built with all sorts of compromises to make the wheels fit and compact frames like the Giant's have top tubes that are way too long. My daughter races these bikes and has test-ridden every WSD, Feminine, Dama, etc. women's bike and none of them handle like the Cannondale does.

Here's a picture of my 4'9" 70pound daughter on her size 40 Cannondale feminine (with the legendray John Cobb who fitted her on the bike). As you can see from the exposed seatpost and 80mm stem it's a perfect fit:











As a matter of fact she's been on that size frame since she was 9-years old and around 4'6" tall:










I know Kerri and have spoken with her about this at the CX Natz last year and both laughed at the responses to questions like this on forums and what people think "fit" is for smaller women... trust me, get her the Cannondale!


.


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## CaliBuddha (Jan 3, 2007)

thanks for the info! ill show her that bike and see what she says... and one of the lbs sells cannondale too


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## venus (Apr 27, 2006)

Most every major bike manufacturer makes a woman’s specific bike. Just make sure you don’t get 650 wheels.


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## CaliBuddha (Jan 3, 2007)

why not 650s???


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## IronDad (Oct 7, 2003)

Curious response... so I'd like to know why you say no 650's as well


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## Doggity (Mar 10, 2006)

dr hoo said:


> Bianchi makes an Eros Donna in 44 and 49 (IIRC). Nice bikes, used to be $1000, I think current list for this year is $1200-1300, somewhere in there. Add that to your list if it is in the price range.


2nd the Eros Donna! My wife's 5'0", and a 47cm Donna fit like a custom, from the git go.
If even a 47's too big, I'm betting the 44cm wouldn't be. Nicely appointed bike for the price we got it for ($950).


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## JayTee (Feb 3, 2004)

I disagree with the comment about 650s. Sure, in a perfect world we all want 700c wheels so that when we need a tube or a tire or a spoke, ours is the most common size. But when you get a bike fame under about a 47 cm or so, geometry gets all screwy in an effort to keep 700c wheels, often there is dramatic toe overlap OR too much headtube or funky fork rake, etc. etc. 

A rider 5'11" is likely to wind up on a bike 46 or smaller and should expect (indeed, even want) 650c wheels.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

I don't know Jaytee, I'm 5'11" and would look awefully funny on a size 46cm bike   .


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## JayTee (Feb 3, 2004)

Ridgetop said:


> I don't know Jaytee, I'm 5'11" and would look awefully funny on a size 46cm bike   .




Ruh Roh. I clearly must have meant *6*'11" ... or perhaps we are sizing bikes for Ringling Bros/Barnum and Bailey!


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## IronDad (Oct 7, 2003)

Jay Tee is right... the consensus among frame designers is that a frame under size 50cm should have 650c wheels for those exact reasons.

Here's a good resource (although for triathlons it still has some relevant information):

http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/product2007/tribikes/tribikesmall.html#Anchor-There-49575


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## CaliBuddha (Jan 3, 2007)

AH HA! so that is why my wheel hits my foot on my 49cm! i never woulda guessed


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