# Bike Fit for unusual body type ?



## eswilson (Sep 30, 2012)

I am a tallish woman 5'8" with very long legs (34" inseam on my pants) and a short torso and not particularly long arms. This means that I often feel over stretched on a bike. I was riding a 1996 Gary Fisher Nirvana hybrid bike that I no longer have, and am looking to get a better fit on my next bike and am quite baffled by the choices. 

I have some back issues: stenosis in lower lumbar so want a bike that will absorb the road bumps. I will be using the bike for riding around town (Washington DC which is hillly) on shopping trips, and for recreational riding both alone and with my spouse who is a more serious cyclist. 

I just test rode a Bianchi Metropoli (51 cm frame) but can find no reviews on this bike anywhere. 

Any suggestions?


----------



## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

eswilson said:


> I am a tallish woman 5'8" with *very long legs* (34" inseam on my pants) and a* short torso* and not particularly long arms. *This means that I often feel over stretched on a bike*. I was riding a 1996 Gary Fisher Nirvana hybrid bike that I no longer have, and am looking to get a better fit on my next bike and am quite baffled by the choices.
> 
> I have some back issues: stenosis in lower lumbar so want a bike that will absorb the road bumps. I will be using the bike for riding around town (Washington DC which is hillly) on shopping trips, and for recreational riding both alone and with my spouse who is a more serious cyclist.
> 
> ...


I suggest checking out some WSD (women's specific design) bikes. Generally speaking, they'll have both proportionally taller head tubes (minimizing saddle to bar drop) and shorter effective top tubes - which better accommodates your shorter torso/ reach.

FWIW my SO is shorter than you, but proportioned similarly, and couldn't find a well fitting bike until she rode some WSD's. 

Trek, Giant and Specialized are just a few brands offering this geometry.


----------



## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Try a slightly larger frame - perhaps a 53cm frame and use a shorter stem, say a 70mm or 80mm stem.


----------



## Kernyl (Dec 23, 2011)

Are you looking for more of a commuter bike (flat bars, slightly wider tires and less aggressive riding position) or a more typical road bike? 

I have similar issues with longer legs and a shorter reach. I ended up actually going with a smaller size and WSD to get a shorter reach. I didn't want too short of a stem, I have had them in the past and I feel as though it makes the handling a little squirrely, so that's part of why I went with a smaller frame. 

I ended up going with the the Jamis Endura Comp, a road bike, but less aggressive than racing geometry.The stand over ended up being a little "short" for me, but I got over it. Once I'm on and riding I feel good and can ride comfortably for hours, so who cares about stand over at that point?

For your back a less aggressive riding position may help. A shorter reach will give you that and you can raise the handlebars a little to help. Also pay attention to frame materials, some absorb a little more vibration than others, although there is sometimes a trade off.
For example steel can be more comfortable than aluminum, but it is also heavier.


----------



## QED (Aug 11, 2011)

I also have long legs for my height and a shorter torso. I bought the Jamis Quest femme because it just fit right. I test rode about 30 different bikes before coming back to that one. So my idea for steps to purchasing a bike: 1) Read some reviews slated for people with your specific fit and needs. Mine was for a women's specific design and I wanted steel and I had a budget. 2) Find some bike shops that have the 5 or so models you are looking at. 3) Then go test ride them. And in the process tell the LBS what your issues are. See if they can suggest a fit depending on what you are looking for. 4) When you find a bike you like, come home research it and ask for advice about that specific design. 5) Then when you have narrowed it down, go ride it again along with any other bike still in the running. 6) buy a bike

The process took me about 6 weeks. But the result is that I am in love with my bike and it fits me perfectly.


----------



## Kernyl (Dec 23, 2011)

I looked at the Quest too, but decided to go carbon. It's a beautiful bike!!!


----------



## litespeedchick (Sep 9, 2003)

Get carbon for the road-feel, and not the fanciest/lightest/stiffest carbon either. should save some money! When I switched from an older, heavier carbon frame to a very light ti frame, I couldn't believe how much more I felt every bump in the road. (also I went faster up the mountains)

I'm short, but also have long legs. This is apparently what WSD is designed for, but I couldn't find one that suited me. Thus, I have a zero setback seatpost, a short stem, WSD handlebars, and I keep my hoods as far up the curve of the bar as possible. These mods to a regular men's compact geometry frame have made me reasonably comfortable, although more "stretched-out" than the average modern rider. 

BTW, how did that 51cm feel? I'm 5'2" on a 51cm compact.


----------



## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

Have you considered a cyclocross bike? Sounds like the geometry might be a good fit for you, and they make great commuter/all around bikes with their wider knobby tires. You could buy some larger higher volume tires which would help absorb smaller road imperfections, or switch to more of a road tire for more serious road rides. Most come with a carbon fork, and you can get steel or aluminum frames for a decent price. Most are starting to come with disk brakes too which are nice. The penalty for this of course is weight.


----------



## ParadigmDawg (Aug 2, 2012)

My wife didn't want a WSD bike as most of the colors were to "girly" for her taste. We tried about every men's bike we could find but couldn't get the darn things fit right. She finally agreed to get a WSD if we could find one in non-girly colors. It wasn't an easy task, in our budget range but we finally got it all worked out. This is her first road bike so I didn't want to spend a lot and she already has a zillion dollar MTB.


----------



## QED (Aug 11, 2011)

ParadigmDawg said:


> My wife didn't want a WSD bike as most of the colors were to "girly" for her taste. We tried about every men's bike we could find but couldn't get the darn things fit right. She finally agreed to get a WSD if we could find one in non-girly colors. It wasn't an easy task, in our budget range but we finally got it all worked out. This is her first road bike so I didn't want to spend a lot and she already has a zillion dollar MTB.


Nice!!! That is a pretty bike! Tell her congratulations and I hope she has many happy hours riding.


----------

