Short Lady Requires Advice re First Road Bike: update

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Not bad lol!!! theres 5 tyres compared to over a 100, road 700 tyres to choose from. I think a very limited selection would be a more accurate description really.
The ladies choices are either get the 650 and have a rubbish choice despite the spin on here or get a 700 wheel and have good choice but learn how to deal with toe overlap.You get used to it and learn to keep your foot back when making slow tight turns.
You pay your money and you makes your choice lol.
Nobody here has said 650 is intrinsically "better" in any way, other than the obvious size and fit issues, which will be relevant to some riders but not all. That's what this post is all about: realistic suggestions and solutions for the OP. Nobody is making YOU switch to 650.
As for 700s, as I already said, toe overlap is the most obvious "disadvantage" but I agree, it is by no means the most serious.
You might like to read THIS and/or THIS.
 
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Not bad lol!!! theres 5 tyres compared to over a 100, road 700 tyres to choose from. I think a very limited selection would be a more accurate description really.
The ladies choices are either get the 650 and have a rubbish choice despite the spin on here or get a 700 wheel and have good choice but learn how to deal with toe overlap.You get used to it and learn to keep your foot back when making slow tight turns.
You pay your money and you makes your choice lol.

Ok so there's not many but at least they are decent tyres(conti gp4000 and Schwalbe ones),not like you can only get marathons:rolleyes:.

It's like anything though,supply and demand.
 

T4tomo

Guru
Yes... Buying jeans... One of life's most frustrating occupations when you're my height... But regular length Gap crop kicks are just the ticket. ;-)

I've been thinking about second hand for a while, but out here in the boonies, you don't tend to see too many SH bikes up for grabs. When you do, they're always for someone a foot taller, and anything my size is pink, sparkly and princess-y... It was spotting the Wiggins Rouen in a window display that got me thinking about the junior bikes in the first place.

My nearest Halfords is in March - a 45 minute drive away. Am heading off to March on Monday anyway, so will probably drop in and have a gander at the suggested options. At £150, the Triban looks good, plus would leave me some budget to get nicer accessories, but my nearest Decathlon is in Harlow :-(

Only thing is a question about carbon forks. CFRP has low elasticity and dissipates energy by breaking, whereas metal has more give. Some of the roads out here here aren't the best (made from concrete slabs with gaps between the slabs), so wondering about longevity...
Carbon forks reduce some of the road buzz / vibration so make for a nicer ride. Aluminium is worst in that respect, steel, as it flexes, makes for similar (or sometime arguably better albeit heavier) comfort than carbon. Don't worry about longevity, they will take a lot of abuse. Do decathlon do mail order?
 

cm2mackem

Über Member
Location
Chelmsford
At £150, the Triban looks good, plus would leave me some budget to get nicer accessories, but my nearest Decathlon is in Harlow
If your going you Harlow you may as well go to the mega branch at lakeside, bigger selection and an indoor track to try the bike on , when it's not full of kids making you look bad
 

wanda2010

Guru
Location
London
Wanda2010 finally checking in ^_^

I've made a return to running as well as spending time in the gym and my (aged) body is protesting muchly, so tiredness takes longer to get lost :ohmy:

Anyhoo, I am 4'11 with 28 in inside leg. I have three bikes with 650c wheels and whilst none of them are the perfect fit, I have made the following adjustments:

  • all the stems are 60cm so I'm not too overstretched
  • I tweak the saddle nose down a bit, depending on my riding style on each bike
  • I have compact handlebars so the width matches my shoulder
Trek 1.2 - bought in 2010
Fuji junior track bike - my commute/everyday bike (I put a tube extender so I could get a more upright riding style during my commute)
Fuji junior road bike

I also bought an Islabike - Luath small which has 700c wheels, but I'm now going to sell it as I can't get on with it. Too big for me despite the tweaks.

TL/DR - if 5 feet or under, get a bike with 650c wheels or consider one with 26" wheels. Ignore anyone who comments that those are kids bikes. Unless they are willing to pay for a custom bike (which is 'our' ideal), their opinion does not count. Reach is a more important consideration than leg length as you can raise or lower the saddle and change the cranks to 165mm or 155mm. Consider using a short stem, but that might the bike more 'twitchy'. A bike fit is a nice to have as you get information you can use to guide you when making future bike purchases.

Tyres - Continental, Vittoria are two brands that I use. Regular tyre checks to remove debris helps to lengthen tyre life and reduce punctures.

As much I'm happy with my 'titch' bikes I am well aware that my ideal would be a bike (or bikes) with a shorter top tube. I'll only get that with a custom bike.

As already reported, that Triban is a good deal, but do your best to test ride it first.

Shout if you need more info :okay::okay:

Now back to sleep........
 

fimm

Veteran
Location
Edinburgh
Well, no, of course a short person is never going to be given as much choice -- for any product where size is relevant -- as the average height person. That's rather the point of this thread, isn't it?
FTFY
Having spent ages hunting through the extensive mens jeans section in Next to eventually come out with one pair of jeans that fitted my 5'5" short legged boyfriend, I can confirm that the not-standard-size problem does apply to men too.
(There are, of course, plenty of clothes out there for people who are 5'5". It is just that most of those clothes are for women...)
(I totally accept that getting a bike for a person of 4'11" is a whole lot more difficult than getting one for someone of 5'5".)
 
FTFY
Having spent ages hunting through the extensive mens jeans section in Next to eventually come out with one pair of jeans that fitted my 5'5" short legged boyfriend, I can confirm that the not-standard-size problem does apply to men too.
(There are, of course, plenty of clothes out there for people who are 5'5". It is just that most of those clothes are for women...)
(I totally accept that getting a bike for a person of 4'11" is a whole lot more difficult than getting one for someone of 5'5".)
What you say is absolutely true but not the point I was making. :okay:
 
OP
OP
Reynard

Reynard

Guru
@wanda2010 - thank you so, so much for your post :-) I really appreciate the advice. Same goes to everyone else who has offered thoughts on where to go.

Looks like the junior bikes with the 650 wheels are probably the most logical choice (Wiggins, Boardman, Triban). I won't dismiss some of the bigger wheeled suggestions (Carrera, Pendleton) out of hand just yet as I've not had a chance to sit on any of the bikes never mind give them a try...

I'll be down in the Big Smoke soon, so I'll mosey down to the Decathlon in Surrey Quays to check out the Triban - assuming they have it in stock...

Am not in any major hurry to choose (yes, I have dragged my old MTB out of storage and have been re-acquainted with how much I hate it) but I want to get it right first time and not end up back in the same situation that I'm currently in.
 
OP
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Reynard

Reynard

Guru
Well, Halfords in March was a total bust; a tiny place with an even tinier selection of bikes. Only two road bikes, and both intended for 6ft plus blokes, and only one junior bike. That one junior bike was a full suspension mountain bike, £79 in the clearance. Thought I might get that as a temporary measure so that I can ride safely in the mean time. Then I picked the damn thing up and almost ruptured myself... It was waaay heavier than my current bike, which I hate because it's too heavy. So it stayed where it was in the rack.

I've just looked up the spec and it is 19kg :blink:

Anyways, I'm in the Huntingdon area tomorrow and I have to go past another Halfords on the way home, so will duck in there for a looksy.
 
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Well, Halfords in March was a total bust; a tiny place with an even tinier selection of bikes. Only two road bikes, and both intended for 6ft plus blokes, and only one junior bike. That one junior bike was a full suspension mountain bike, £79 in the clearance. Thought I might get that as a temporary measure so that I can ride safely in the mean time. Then I picked the damn thing up and almost ruptured myself... It was waaay heavier than my current bike, which I hate because it's too heavy. So it stayed where it was in the rack.

I've just looked up the spec and it is 19kg :blink:

Anyways, I'm in the Huntingdon area tomorrow and I have to go past another Halfords on the way home, so will duck in there for a looksy.

If you can get to Cambridge there is a bigger Halfrauds,an Evans,a few Rutland stores(one of which is a Giant store),there's Ben Hayward(it's in the Scotsdales garden centre plot in Horningsea;Haywards have been around for a while(used to be on Kings Parade) and they sometimes have second-hand stuff in too.

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/?gcli...FjDD6J-d3sCLVdOASIqos8kiGHhwPwlEhAaAmbT8P8HAQ

http://www.benhaywardcycles.co.uk/



There's also Ely Cycle Centre,not a lot of stock but they do Orbea,Orro(and Pinarello!) among others and Mark(ex cyclo grass track champ) is very good at bike fitting;dunno what they'd have in your budget though.

Oh and there is supposedly a Decathlon opening as well but dunno when this will be(part of the Grafton Centre re-development).
 
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Reynard

Reynard

Guru
Today's efforts were much more fruitful. The Halfords in Huntington had the full range of Wiggins bikes in, as well as the Carrera TdF that was recommended by a previous poster. Chap in the shop let me try out a few bikes for size.

I have to cross the Carrera off the list, however. Shame, it felt nice when I was in the saddle, but I'm a couple of inches too short in the inside leg department when I try to put my feet on the ground... :cry: Looks like fully-fledged ladies' bikes with 700c wheels are too big for me.

In comparison, the Wiggo Rouen 650 felt really comfy, and I had enough inside leg to straddle the top tube and put my feet flat on the ground. Bars felt a bit narrow at first, but then I'm coming from a MTB... Was nicely me-sized :smile:

Also sneaked a try of the Wiggins Chartres 26 hybrid. That one was very nice too. :blush: Wish I could afford both, but I can't... :cry:

In a couple of weeks I'll have the opportunity to check out the Triban (I hope) and then we'll take it from there.

@Elybazza61 I appreciate the heads up on the shops - am familiar with several of them (the look at the price tag and quietly walk away kind of familiar). What they have is nice, but far beyond my budget :-( There's a place in Littleport that does secondhand bikes, but all they ever seem to have in are extra large mountain bikes. Useful to know that Ely Cycle Centre does bike fitting though.
 
@Elybazza61 I appreciate the heads up on the shops - am familiar with several of them (the look at the price tag and quietly walk away kind of familiar). What they have is nice, but far beyond my budget :-( There's a place in Littleport that does secondhand bikes, but all they ever seem to have in are extra large mountain bikes. Useful to know that Ely Cycle Centre does bike fitting though.

No problem:okay:.

Mark at Ely Cycle Centre is good;he might come across a bit stand-offish but that's just his way;think a bike fit there is about £80 if it's your bike.

Might be worth trying some Livs and others in case something comes up second-hand.
 

wanda2010

Guru
Location
London
@Reynard - am glad to see your research is going well. Was intrigued with the Wiggins Chartres bike you mentioned so had a quick look and I may well visit Halfords for a test ride. Would be nice to have a bike with fatter tyres AND it looks like it can take a rack :whistle:
 
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Reynard

Reynard

Guru
@Elybazza61 I suppose I could try out some more expensive bikes in the hope that something might turn up used. Am not above buying secondhand :smile: And if you ever do spot a short lady huffing and puffing on a battered red MTB in the Downham / Littleport / Pymoor area, then that'll be me :heat:

@wanda2010 The Chartres is very nice. Worth giving it a spin. I'm still leaning towards a road bike for the sort of cycling I do / plan on doing, but if I decide that a road bike isn't for me, then I won't need to look any further. And it's not heavy either - it's about 3kg lighter than what I currently ride. The Rouen feels like a feather in comparison...
 

Hacienda71

Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
Make sure the Decathlon you are going to has the Triban in stock. I bought a 48cm for my son collected at Stockport, but it had to be sent from Sheffield. Took a couple of days.
Imho a cracking bit of kit for £150. My lad has been out on his every evening this week. :smile:
 
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