An XS in either of these bikes.

http://www.quintanarootri.com/bikes/2017-kilo

http://www.quintanarootri.com/bikes/2017-dulce

I would love to set her up with the Dulce especially since she wants pink and bad, but I'd rather start her off on a road bike.

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

With 54mm of trail and 385mm chainstays it will handle like a road bike.

It's just a tad long though.

Road or TT bike? If TT then you need to look for bike with 650c wheels IMO.

Road if I can help it. She's never taken a pedal stroke in anger so I'd rather us not drop $ on a single purpose bike until she's raced a couple times. Then she can always use it as a bike just for fun.

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

ebay is your friend then IMO. I would look for used xs small frame from any know manufacturer.

I'd vote for the Premier Tactical XS. Build on 650 wheels too. Perfect for what you are looking for.

I would like to keep things entry level. Rather not spend 6k with a disc wheel and a super aggressive position or someone who's a beginner.

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

My first thought when I see these threads...

1. But doesn't she have a functioning brain?
2. And why can't she use the internet?

Because she is so much more likely to be invested in this if she's the one driving the purchase.

I know you think you're being super nice and this terse reply probably seems out of left field, but it's a long-running pet peeve that has just boiled over for me. Sure, you probably bring more knowledge to the table, but do you think you'd be as into this long-term if someone else had bought your first bike for you?

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http://www.extramilenutrition.com

My father helped me buy my first road bike because he has decades of experience, and now I have my own decades of experience because of him. It can go either way.

To the OP: my wife is 146cm / 4'9.5"

We researched a lot of "junior" 650c bikes and went with a Fuji Ace Pro 650c. It's a perfect fit. There's an Aussie youtuber who built it up with DA and Zipps for his racing son, but the initial package is only a few hundred.

Fair enough - because the father/son relationship is where it’s appropriate to be paternalistic in that way. So if the OP were asking about his kid, it wouldn’t be the same discussion. With a girlfriend though? I’m over it. I want girls to buy their own damn bikes.

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http://www.extramilenutrition.com

Is it a crime to help someone out? I was looking for suggestions and since like other perspective tri newbies she couldn’t tell you the difference between a BTA bottle and an SPD cleat I thought I’d ask a question. Especially since she doesn’t have a slow twitch account. I wish I had someone to guid me through my first bike purchase I just walked into the LBS and hoped for the best.

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

My wife is on the shorter side and I found her a 43cm road frame and built it up myself, they are kinda rare, but can be found.

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ishi no ue ni san nen | Perseverance will win in the end. | Blog | @nebmot | Strava | Instagram |

I bought my girlfriend (now wife of 5 years) her first bike because I knew she would never spend the money on herself. She loved it. We got to spend a ton of time riding together, and I would do it again in a minute.

Sorry that it's a pet peeve for you, but I don't think it's fair to criticize someone doing a bit of research for their S/O.

https://www.ebay.com/...0:g:gNoAAOSwWLBZ8keC

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ishi no ue ni san nen | Perseverance will win in the end. | Blog | @nebmot | Strava | Instagram |

No, of course it’s not a crime. It took on the tone more of making the purchase for her rather than just asking for an XS frame to look for. When I read, “I want to spend _____” or “I’m looking for ______” I wonder why it isn’t at the very least the pronoun “we.”

It’s not specifically you - it’s a trend in these threads. I think there’s a compelling argument for helping a beginner buy a bike like a beginner. Help them go to a shop or two, look at a few bikes, ride different bikes, see that they don’t come with pedals, notice the stock saddle is crap, and (!) pay retail. Then maybe the next bike they have the background to really use your consultant knowledge and do it the smart way.

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http://www.extramilenutrition.com

Not criticizing research or trying to offend every dude who bought his lady a bike. Hoping to throw it out there that women would be better served to be more involved. And doing the research “for her” takes away a really fun part of making a big purchase. Learning from that makes the bike special in a different way. But if I’m alone in this sentiment, I’m out.

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http://www.extramilenutrition.com

I'm basically the same height. My comment, stand over matters and because of it she needs to go try lots of these so called XS models. Many people told me they could fit me on a off the rack bike and then I tried to stand over it. NOPE. I went custom knowing I would be riding this bike forever. 12 years later I am still riding that Seven. Also invested in a TT bike-a Parlee. Neither were cheap, but I won't' be buying another bike in this life time.

Token Woman Speaking in the Main Forum here:
Let's take it down a notch, and separate the two discussions here.
OP asked a fair question, and GreenJP is also bringing up a good topic (but is not directly anwering OP question)

The first question is: where/how to find bikes for shorties. Let's not limit ourselves to finding bikes for "shorties". FIST protocol is non-gender specific, and the system is designed to find anyone of any human height a bike. Of course, 10% of the population will be on the far side of the bell curve, and be in the Special Needs section where a particular brand/model works where others to not offer. Then there is the world of Custom. The answer to OP is, or should be: Go get a Fitting. Do not 'ride bikes around the parking lot'. Do go to a couple of LBS and seek out experience and attitude towards the needs of the GF.

Jlloew: thank you for bringing your lovely lady into the sport. There is a ton of information and expertise on the forum here. Over on Da Womens' forum gents like yourself have asked this exact same question. Generally speaking for first timers' the question is road bike vs tri bike. You and she may have already had this discussion. The bike is a tool to get a job done - she, like everyone else, is on a timeline of development. Is she looking to specialise and only what a 'thing to ride' for triathlon, or does she want to become 'a cyclist' and use the bike for fun not just training.

GreenJP I entirely agree with your feelings about getting the women more involved, and I've certainly had the interaction with the couple where The Man insists on talking to me about what his other half wants. (I've also had Men refuse to talk to me on the sales floor, but that's a whole 'nuther thing).

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Anne Barnes
ABBikefit, Ltd
FIST/SICI/FIST DOWN DEEP
X/Y Coordinator
abbikefit@gmail.com

Nothing wrong with wanting to help out your partner. I bought a bike for mine (now hubby) so that he could have a more enjoyable ride over his old second hand clunker from the 70s ..

I'm a midget also so if she's after a new roadie - she can have a look at the 44cm / XS frames from Trek or Specialized. I've had a 47cm Trek which was too big for me so switched over to 44cm Specialized - perfect. Depending on her budget, aluminium frame will be <$1k whereas carbon will be over. Sales will knock off a few hundred or she can get a second hand .. I chose not to as I'm not a bike mechanic and didn't want to inherit someone else's probs.

My suggestion is to have a look at the websites with her to check out the specs and then go to the shop and test ride the bike/s, with plenty of questions. Make sure she gets a proper bike fit, that'll make a huge diff in how comfortable her ride will be. Hope this helps.