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Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes?
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Hi all, seeking advice for my fiance, she is looking for an upgrade on her road bike, currently she's on a felt women's aluminum bike which has all the lowest components and is limited in fit for her. Rather than spend money on upgrades, she just wants to upgrade the bike looking for anything up to may 2-3k. I've been trying to find aero road bikes that have a viable option for someone who is 5'1" but that seems to be tough. Definitely am not finding anything with 650c wheels either.

So far, the best option I've seen is the Liv Envie, does anyone have feedback on that bike? If you are of a similar height or smaller, any other aero road bike options out there?

Thank you in advance

808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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Is she on a Felt ZW 650c? I've looked at that bike used.


As you have found, there are very few small road bikes. The only two I know of are a Dolan (in the UK) 650c carbon bike (frameset, or built bike with standard sized components), and a 650c aluminum bike from Culprit (in Taiwan)--the Junior 2. The components, from the shifters to the cranks, on the Culprit have been appropriately sized down.

To date, my experience has been that Culprit owner Josh has been very responsive to questions. This is in contrast to Dolan, which hasn't responded despite multiple requests. That lack of responsiveness leads me to feel quite nervous about any follow-up service that might be needed from Dolan.

Good luck in your search. Let me know if you find anything else out there.

No coasting in running and no crying in baseball
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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I am fairly positive that Canyon makes their Aeroad in a XXS/XS, but obtaining it might mean a little bit of a wait. It retails for $3.5k, but you could sell the wheels it comes with to bring it into your budget range. Have you thought about the new Tarmac at all? Even though its not an aero road bike, it is substantially more aero than the previous Amira or other climbing bikes.
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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at 5'1", she is on the bubble in regards to Fit, and needing a 650 wheel or not. It is getting more and more difficult to find production bikes with a 650c option.

If she is comfortable with the setup of the Felt, get the handlebar X/Y numbers and compare to the brands you are looking at.

If she is not comfortable with her setup, or you really want to get good numbers, go get a professional fitting. I have fit a lot of "STW" (Super Tiny Women), and I"m 5'2". I do not consider myself an STW. I ride a 50cm Cervelo S3.


Liv Envie Reach is 369mm for a XS, and 365 for an XXS (700c wheel)
Cervelo S series Reach is 360 at a 48cm frame (700c wheel)

Felt does offer a 43cm frame, although not an aero frame

Anne Barnes
ABBikefit, Ltd
FIST/SICI/FIST DOWN DEEP
X/Y Coordinator
abbikefit@gmail.com
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [ABarnes] [ In reply to ]
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ABarnes wrote:
at 5'1", she is on the bubble in regards to Fit, and needing a 650 wheel or not. It is getting more and more difficult to find production bikes with a 650c option.

If she is comfortable with the setup of the Felt, get the handlebar X/Y numbers and compare to the brands you are looking at.

If she is not comfortable with her setup, or you really want to get good numbers, go get a professional fitting. I have fit a lot of "STW" (Super Tiny Women), and I"m 5'2". I do not consider myself an STW. I ride a 50cm Cervelo S3.


Liv Envie Reach is 369mm for a XS, and 365 for an XXS (700c wheel)
Cervelo S series Reach is 360 at a 48cm frame (700c wheel)

Felt does offer a 43cm frame, although not an aero frame

Thanks, yeah she says she is 'OK' on the Felt which to me means, she hasn't felt anything better (pun not intended) yet. She got her fit from the best possible option in NYC (Jonathan Blyer) but he gave more endurance options than race options and no aero road options. I don't think she needs 650c but given she is less confident about her skills than most, I figure the smaller wheels gives her more control, not sure if that's correct thinking.

Thanks for that, I don't know why I never looked at the S3, especially since she has a P3. Didn't think of Canyon either which she could wait for if it works.

808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [Tri3] [ In reply to ]
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thanks! I was hoping for this kind of response with the relatively unknown brands. Will look into those!

808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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You should reach out to Jon Blyer because he's really good and can give her options based upon the work they have already done together. In regards 'endurance' options vs 'aero' options, if she already fits on a 48cm Felt, then she fits on a 48cm Felt AR series (aero road). The Reach of the Felt AR is within millimeters of the Womens' Endurance series. Generally speaking there is not a huge geometry change between "endurance" and "aero" other than 2cm less of stack in the frame. Everything else is marketing.

Would not agree that 650 wheels give her more control. Correct weight distribution (from the fit) and tire pressure will do it.
If she is on the smaller side of large, and under 170lbs, she should be running about 100psi (on 700c wheels) and her saddle setback should be somewhere between 4-6cm behind the BB.

Anne Barnes
ABBikefit, Ltd
FIST/SICI/FIST DOWN DEEP
X/Y Coordinator
abbikefit@gmail.com
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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I'm 5' tall and I've found that all of Liv's XS bikes fit me well: I have an XS Pique (full suspension MTB), an XS cross bike that I race, and the XS Avail which is their non-aero road bike. I suspect the Envie would fit me also.

In addition - you could check out Cervelos 48 cm bikes. My tri bike is a 48 cm P2C and it's a great fit.

---
IM Coeur D'Alene 2011
IM Wisconsin 2011
http://alexaharding.blogspot.com
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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Smaller wheels WILL give her more control over toe overlap. Only shorties like me who actually have to negotiate this understand how undermining for your confidence this can be. While you're in the middle of making a sharp turn or something goes wrong, while you're fighting in that instant for control, your foot gets in the way and it makes you want to give up cycling because the risk is too high.

By all means, get a bike AND wheels that fit her diminutive frame. I may not be an authority on much, but being short is in my "wheelhouse" as a specialty ;-)

DFL > DNF > DNS
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [SallyShortyPnts] [ In reply to ]
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SallyShortyPnts wrote:
Smaller wheels WILL give her more control over toe overlap. Only shorties like me who actually have to negotiate this understand how undermining for your confidence this can be. While you're in the middle of making a sharp turn or something goes wrong, while you're fighting in that instant for control, your foot gets in the way and it makes you want to give up cycling because the risk is too high.

By all means, get a bike AND wheels that fit her diminutive frame. I may not be an authority on much, but being short is in my "wheelhouse" as a specialty ;-)

Thank you! Confidence is the only thing holding her back so I absolutely love this. I am advising her to give up on the aero piece and just find a 650c bike because of that. She isn't someone who will ever be fully confident in her biking (kinda like even Gwen herself never developed full confidence in her bike handling skills, well I guess until she did that camp before Rio) so there's no point in trying to gain a few minutes of aero savings if she'll lose it on every turn and descent being afraid.

JustJumpIt17 wrote:
I'm 5' tall and I've found that all of Liv's XS bikes fit me well: I have an XS Pique (full suspension MTB), an XS cross bike that I race, and the XS Avail which is their non-aero road bike. I suspect the Envie would fit me also.

In addition - you could check out Cervelos 48 cm bikes. My tri bike is a 48 cm P2C and it's a great fit.

Thanks! We were told both bikes fit her so she is trying to decide but as I said above, I am now trying to push her towards a 650c option even if it isn't an aero roadie.

808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo
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Re: Liv Envie? Or other small aero road bikes? [SallyShortyPnts] [ In reply to ]
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Agree totally on the toe overlap problem. It is a terrifying feeling in the moment, and I am a very experienced and confident cyclist.

I had the toe overlap problem on a Trek cyclocross bike, solved on a Felt. I would never go back to a bike that has any toe overlap.

I am 5'2" on a XS Cervelo P3 for duathlons, which has 650 wheels. Zero toe overlap.

Sorry I don't have any road bike advice, but wanted to reiterate that the toe overlap IS a big deal.
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