Planet X womens frame size question

[l4dva]

Hi all,


Apologies if this has been done before, but I’m getting confused with all the differing frame sizing guides on the internet so far.


I’m looking to buy my wife a road bike, in particular I’m looking at Planet X pro carbon bike. She is about 5’3” tall. I know there are lot of variables and it’s hard to determine without actually getting on the bike and trying it, which is why I’m thinking I might just make a day of it and drive to Sheffield to try them out but I wanted to see what you guys think.


Planet x web site suggests at 5’3” she would need a 44cm for the pro carbon frame but if I look at the RT-80 frame they suggest a 50cm frame, which is quite different. To confuse things further if I look at the Geometry of both frames and the way they have measured the seat tube length its different on both frames. The pro carbon is measured from centre of BB to the very top of the seat tube but the RT-80 is measured from the centre of BB to the central point at which the top tube joins the seat tube. So if we comparing like for like the recommended 50cm on the RT-80 would actually be a few cm’s longer if we you measured right to the top.


Looking on other websites like Evans bikes suggests different frame sizes as well for female riders at 5’3” tall.


Does anyone have any experience of ordering planet x bikes online and have any tips on selecting the right size?


I think I may just end up going there to be certain but I thought I’d ask here if others have found the suggested sizes on the site to be accurate or a waste of time?


Thanks

 

[Citius]

Seat tube measurement is not a good guide, especially as the Pro Carbon has a sloping top tube and the RT80's is more level. Top tube measurements of both are pretty similar - which is the measurement you should be considering. Consequently, either of those two frames - the pro carbon in 44cm or the RT80 in 50cm, would be suitable.

 

[vickster]

@Saluki

Or why not phone PX and ask for advice and have them get one ready for your trip up there

Look at the top tube measurements, I would think a 48cm might be about right for 5'3 assuming normal body dimensions? And look at the unisex and wsd model of the pro carbon as they will have differences. Talk to PX about bar width and crank length too of course

The wsd s cheaper I think and has SRAM rival, good hood shape for smaller hands (for me certainly and I'm not exactly petite)

But as ever if unsure, go there Sheffield is in a lovely part of the country, have a weekend away in the peaks

 

[l4dva]

Crank length is another good question. What ever size frame you select on the planet x site it will default to 172.5 crank, you can of course select different on your order. Looking at other brands they do go smaller or larger dependent on frame size, and I've found a few good sites that offer fairly consistent advice on crank size. I will of course ask about this when I contact planet x.

Sheffield is a great place, I went to uni there a long time ago so I wouldn't mind a visit. Just need to find a free weekend.

I think I'm more excited about this new bike than the wife is!

 

[vickster]

I think a 172.5mm crank is quite long assuming she is not abnormally long legged and big footed. I'm 5'10, size 9 feet, 33" inside leg and ride 172.5mm cranks based on several fits

I'd get them to custom build myself, or buy the frame (v cheap in sale) and diy . Might cost a few quid more but worth it to be right!

Call them

Oh, btw is this the bike your wife wants or you think she should have...the former is the important thing

 

[Citius]

Worth pointing out that none of the PX frames are actually 'women specific' as such. The 'women's build' just gets specced with shorter stem and a female-spec saddle, as far as I can tell...

 

[vickster]

Fair enough, it's £150 less though

 

[l4dva]

She dose want a road bike, but she doesn't have a clue about specs or anything like that. She just likes the nice shinny blingy ones that you see in bike shops. At the moment she rides an old hybrid. So any road bike that comes in a nice color will go down well with her.

I like the planet x bikes, a few at my tri club ride them and speak highly of them, prices are very good too. I'll be buying with my cycle to work scheme so self build wont be an option but I think the rival specced bike at £850 is perfect - so long as its a good fit and comfortable ride.

She won't be racing or riding it to the limits but I do think a nice bike will encourage her to ride more and hopefully make it more enjoyable too.

 

[vickster]

Sounds good, the bright blue is a lovely colour

How can you buy her a bike on your c2w? What is the hmrc take on that? Is it permitted in your works particular scheme?

 

[velovoice]

I think a 172.5mm crank is quite long assuming she is not abnormally long legged and big footed. I'm 5'10, size 9 feet, 33" inside leg and ride 172.5mm cranks based on several fits

I'd get them to custom build myself, or buy the frame (v cheap in sale) and diy . Might cost a few quid more but worth it to be right!

Call them

Oh, btw is this the bike your wife wants or you think she should have...the former is the important thing

All of this, in spades. @vickster knows her stuff.

FWIW, I'm 5'4", size 8 feet, 32" inside leg and ride two very different road bikes, both set up to fit me based on a series of professional fittings:
1 - custom built frame w/ 51cm seat tube, 52.6cm effective top tube, so very compact geometry and very tall headtube (it's all about getting enough stack while not compromising my need for shorter-than-"average" reach)
2 - standard 50cm size Surly Cross Check, built up to replicate fit position as close to the custom build as possible.

Both have 160mm cranks. (Yes, they're out there and worth the effort finding, for the shorter rider.)

I don't want to confuse you with a lot of data but I have written about fit/geometry extensively on my blog, including a good look at the widely divergent sizing methods used by bike manufacturers. Sad to say, women in the height range of your wife (and myself) are not well served.

Happy bike shopping.

 

[HarryTheDog]

@14dva Coming from a family of shorties with a 5.0 ft tall wife and a 5ft 3 daughter I have pored over many geometries of many bikes. My daughter is classically female, long in the leg and short in the body. As others have mentioned the effective top tube measurement is key. She struggled on with a 52cm for over a year top tube but was perfect on a 50cm top tube.( professionally fitted) On looking at planet x the new pro carbon small has a 53cm top tube and the RT80 a 51.5cm one. So I would say the RT80 would be a better fit. However if she is fairly short in the body as my daughter, a 50cm may make all the difference, depends on her own geometry. Both my wife and daughter ride Kuota's ( Kuota KOM air, Kuota KOM evo and a Kuota Lite all now no longer made) they still do small like the K-uno at 49.8 cm top tube. Fuji, Colnago, and specialised ladies range do as well plus others.
Planet X may be cheap but may be not the best bike for her. Try a site like this to measure her up to give you a idea. ( and boil your head with reach and stack as well)
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/Store/catalog/fitCalculatorBike.jsp?

 

[l4dva]

Good question, I did mention to HR that the bike was going to be for my wife, they didn't question it so i presumed it was fine. I will double check just in case though.

Don't want tax man coming back to bite me later on...

 

[l4dva]

Thanks Harrythedog and velovoice...taking a look at those now!

 

[vickster]

@velovoice big feet and long legs!!

 

[velovoice]

@velovoice big feet and long legs!!

Yep! "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Toe Overlap".