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TT bikes for the vertically challenged
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I know there have been various threads on here about tri bikes for us shorties but here comes the topic again. I'm signed up for my first IM next year and am going to treat myself to a new tri bike. Er, correction, FIRST triathlon bike, since all I have is my entry level road bike. Anyway, I've pretty much got it narrowed down to a Felt or a Quintana Roo and was wondering if there was a general consensus about one over the other? I'm 5'2", more leg than torso. I've been on a 48cm Felt and the size was good and I am going to ride a friend's 48cm QR to check that out. Any thoughts or experiences with these bikes would be appreciated, Thanks!
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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I'm 5'3", I have a QR (purchased in 2003) and I love it.
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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I'm 5'3" and I love my Felt B2 (48cm)


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Pacific Multisport
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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If you decide upon the felt please let me know as my wife is selling her S25- ( Santa bought a new P3C!!) Thanks Graham

Graham Wilson
USAT Level III Elite Coach
http://www.thewilsongroup.biz
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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I am 5'2" and ride a 48cm Cervelo P2C. Love it!
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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I am 5'2" ,used to ride a QR 48", moved on to a Felt B2 48", got hit by a car and replaced it with another Felt B2 Carbon, love the Felt's!!!!!

It could always be worse.....
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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Okay, while I am not all that short (a hair under 5'10"), I AM more leg than torso. I know that when I was shopping, I had a hard time finding bikes that were tall enough but short enough, if you know what I mean. The Felt, in particular, didn't fit quite right...if I got one that was tall enough, I was wwwaaaaaaaaay too stretched out. If I found one that was short enough, I needed a shitpotful of spacers, and my seat was as jacked up as it would go. I can't speak for the QRs, as I haven't ridden one in a long time, though.

I found good luck with Trek TTX and C'dale (the new one, the Slice), and also Specialized (which I ended up getting).


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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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5'3" (and 7/8!!!) and am all leg and no torso.

2007 Specialized Transition Pro- I ride a medium b/c of my leg length, but they run small... the Transitions do that is.

I've been sized and would be on a (mens b/c the colors are better for me...I like darker colors) 48 in a Cervelo, 50 or 51 in Trek, Giant, etc.

good luck!



Tiger for Life -- War Eagle!

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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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I'm 5'2" and am currently on a 48 Cervelo P3 (Al). It fits well, but I still regret selling my first tribike -- the QR Kilo. I think back then they came in odd sizes, and mine was a 47 (or a 48, if they were even-sized). It was a great bike, and it fit me like a glove! I signed up for IMLOU 2009 and am giving some serious thought to getting an XS Lucero. Don't get me wrong -- the Cervelo is a great bike, and I love my RS! It's just that after multiple fittings, I just can't seem to get comfortable on the P3 for hours on end, and QRs appear to work for me.

Have you thought about the Kestrel Airfoil? It's supposed to be AWESOME for short riders. Dan did an article on small bikes a while ago and really sang the Airfoil's praises. I know colors shouldn't matter, but I think the Airfoil is super-ugly this year, else I'd be considering it, too.
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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I am a hair under 5' and "normal" proportion for a woman. I have a QRoo Dulce in size XS. I love this bike :) I love that it came with a compact crank. At first I didn't love the "girlie" baby blue and white paint scheme, it has since grown on me. I did have shorter aero bars put on.

For my roadie I have a 44cm Cannondale Optimo. I didn't know that Slowman highly reccomends this bike for shorties until after I bought her, but that bike fits me perfectly.
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [vmandel] [ In reply to ]
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I'm 5'4" and was on a QR Tequilo size 49cm from 2001. It fit really well and was very comfy even in IM. I have on the way an '09 Specialized Transition (size small) pro frameset. My husband and I ran the numbers and looks like we can get a same fit on the Specialized. I plan to put a compact crank on it as I love the one on my road bike (Trek 5900 size 50 or 51?). The area Specialized rep said he's fit women on the transition as small as 5 feet tall, and fit them nicely. For me, I was glad my husband ran through the numbers with me.
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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Appreciate all the feedback. And I'm glad to hear their are a few others out there that care about colors! I know it's not supposed to matter but come on, if you're going to spend $2-3K on something, you better like how it looks!
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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I'm 5'7" but need a size 49 for my short torso and size 54 for my legs. I need a smaller bike than a lot of 5'2" women. I wanted 700 wheels and ended up with a size small QR Lucero. I had to put a long seat post and a high rise stem on it to handle the leg length.

The thing I found looking for a very short top tube is many brands smallest bike was still too long for me. Most others came with 650 wheels.

If the QR wouldn't fit the next best option for me was a custom Guru but it was real expensive.

You could go with either the Felt or QR - both are great brands. Check ito some of teh Women Specific models since they are designed for people "more leg than torso" and often have a narrower bar if your shoulders aren't very broad.
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [JBird] [ In reply to ]
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I've also posted here before about finding a tri bike for my 15 year old -- Katie is barely 5"1' and only 92 pounds so she gives new meaning to "small." Katie has been on a 3rd hand Quintana Roo with 650s -- she was really running out of gears and a larger chain ring wasn't solving the problem (it was probably just creating more problems since the shifting was unreliable). At her last race we happened to meet a rep from Blue who was also pretty short. She was on a custom fit Blue with 700 wheels and she was having none of the gearing issues -- she thought something similar might work for Katie. So that is the route we have chosen to take. The frame is an XS and with a few adjustments of parts it looks like it's going to fit her perfectly. It's still being built so I'll reserve a total thumbs up until she actually rides it, but she rode the rep's bike on the trainer and loved it. I have never really seen Blue mentioned as an option when bikes for short folks are discussed, so I really wanted to mention it as a possibility. To me -- a very unknowledgeable bike person -- the custom build part seemed to really make the difference as far as getting rid of the gearing issues she faced with 650 wheels. Just food for thought -- but since bikes aren't exactly a small budget item I thought you might just want to consider these options. We did consider a Felt, a Cervelo, and a new QRoo, but this just worked out a lot better for her.
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [whitneyjune] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
I've also posted here before about finding a tri bike for my 15 year old -- Katie is barely 5"1' and only 92 pounds so she gives new meaning to "small." Katie has been on a 3rd hand Quintana Roo with 650s -- she was really running out of gears and a larger chain ring wasn't solving the problem (it was probably just creating more problems since the shifting was unreliable).



I am curious as to what gearing your daughter had on the bike - was it a compact crankset with a standard 12-25 or 12-27 cassette? The reason that I ask is that with 650c wheels and a standard 39/53 chainring and 12-27 cassettte, she is not likely to "run out of gears". At least, on the low end she won't. A 53x12 with 700c wheels is a 116.1 inch gear, and a 53x13 is 107.4 inches. The same cassette and chainrings with 650c wheels yields a 107.1 inch gear for the 12x53. So, yes, the 53x12 on the smaller wheels is nearly equal to a 53x13 with 700c wheels, but do you mean to say that your 91lb daughter is spinning out the 700c equivalent of a 53x13? There are not too many full size adults who can do that.

The reason I ask is that I am 4'11" and 93lbs and ride a 650c bike with standard 39/53 chainrings and a 12x25 cassette and I never, ever run out of gears. Unless the bike is poorly designed such that the chain stays are misproportioned, which would prevent shifting into the extreme ends of the cogs, there really is no limit for a person riding that gearing/wheel combination. I've raced for 10 years and raced both 650c and 700c in a variety of combinations (including 55x12 on the 650c) and I find that with 53x39 and 12-25 cassette I am fully competent on 650c wheels. I average between 21-23mph in my time trials and am primarily a cyclist (although I did spent the last season racing mostly tris) and I never, ever run out of gears on my 650c bike.

There is a myth that 650c wheels limit your gearing. Remember, the people who pioneered the 650c tri bike design and discovered that they needed larger chainrings were professional males, not 91 poiund girls. If your daughter is truly running out of gear, check the cassette and chainrings. She should not exhibit any problems with a standard set up.
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Re: TT bikes for the vertically challenged [determination] [ In reply to ]
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I know this is an old post, but I want to see if 'determination' is still around. I am bike shopping and was riding the Specialized Transition today. I'm 5'4 was riding a 2001 QR Tequilo and wanted to know how the new 09 Transition is working. I'd be getting the Transition Comp but upgrading the components (they don't have a small in the other transition frames, and I wouldn't get the sale price if I ordered one. So any comments on your new ride would be awesome to hear. Thanks!
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