# Entry level road frame for petite wife



## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

My wife wants to try road riding, and I've been doing my own wrenching for a long time, but the difficulty is that my wife is quite small--about 4' 8". By the Competetive Cyclist fit calculator she should have about a 45-46 cm frame with a top tube of 51cm. Any suggestions where I could start looking for such a thing? I would be building this up with Shimano parts, probably 105 group.

Thanks in advance!


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Unfortunately I think this is the last year Trek was building the 43cm bike. Maybe see if there are still any around you could get? I'm 5' and actually just got a Felt F 5 48cm frame. (The F 5 are only in men's frames). Specialized's WSD bikes start at 44cm, but they are similar in geometry to Trek's 47cm frames. Check out the Felt ZW series.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

The ZWs are interesting--my own bike is a Felt. Thanks!


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

Generally, you can't find "entry-level frames." Entry-level frames almost always sold as part of a complete bike. Also a 51cm TT sounds long. I'm 5'4" with longish arms and my 49cm frame has a 52cm TT.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Too bad I didn't see this question about 8 hours ago. Bonktown.com (one of those short-term, always changing, deep discount sites) had a Terry womens bike on sale this morning for about $550. It had very small sizes, some with 650c wheels.

That said, I don't think you'll have to look too very far to find a WSD bike w/ a 44 or 48 cm seat tube and a 50-51 cm ETT. My wife, who is 5-0 and a very inflexible 57 years old has the second to smallest Specialized Dolce frame and I didn't have any problem getting her comfortable. Sure, it took an 80mm stem angled up w/ all spacers underneath, but it's not a bizarre fit. 

Her bike has a 48 cm ST and 50.5 ETT. They make a 44 cm seat tube w/ a ~50 ETT, which I believe would get you in the ballpark.

The Giant Defy XS has similar dimensions. My daughter, about the same size, has one (actually an older OCR), and it also fits a small person very nicely.

These frames are 700c wheels w/ a sloping top tube. Pretty nicely built, imho.

I'm not specifically recommending this bike - although we're very happy with it. I believe you'll find other makers with similar dimensioned bikes, and you should also consider a 650c wheeled bike. Either way, I don't think it will be tough to find what you need.


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

Camilo said:


> Too bad I didn't see this question about 8 hours ago. Bonktown.com (one of those short-term, always changing, deep discount sites) had a Terry womens bike on sale this morning for about $550. It had very small sizes, some with 650c wheels.


RealCyclist.com still has the bikes. The 44cm comes with 650c wheels. At $664 still a good price.

Terry Bicycles Symmetry - Women's from Realcyclist.com


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Trek is making some good bikes now. Definitely check them out.


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## SlowJoeCrow (Sep 3, 2009)

It may be a little out of the box but Redline makes 44cm cyclocross frames with a 51cm TT in several grades. My wife is 5'1" with short arms and rides a Redline for cross, although her Orbea Onix road bike is a 49cm. I just looked up Orbea's numbers and they actually make a 47cm too. At the ultimate extreme, I have seen some beginner women racing cyclocross on Redline's 24" wheel kid's model.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

Thanks to everyone for their input! 

I'm seeing some crazy good deals on the Kona Lisa road bike, which comes in 45cm and is fitted out pretty much top to bottom with Shimano 105. This looks good, but my one hesitation is the aluminum frame--is it going to have a harsh ride in such a small frame? Does anyone have experience with this? I would jump on it, but I'm wondering whether I would be better off in the long run to hold out and save up for a carbon frame. 

Thanks!


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## S2H (Jul 10, 2005)

il sogno said:


> trek is making some good bikes now. Definitely check them out.


+1!!!


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