Bikes for small women & gearing questions

Jun 8, 08 15:32

Post #1 of 25 (7660 views)

Hi everyone,
I purchased a new tri bike about 5-6 years ago. I haven't been really satisfied with the bike because I feel that it is too big for me and it is not really comfortable. I have had it fitted, etc and don't have alot of power or speed because of this issue. Someone mentioned that the bike would fit me if the seat were lowered, however, it is as low as it can go......I am 5' tall and weigh approx. 105 lbs.....

On a whim over the winter I purchased a low end Trek road bike (43 cm) for just out and about winter hill training and was surprised that the bike fit me (with some minor adjustments) and it is more comfortable. My only drawback to the Trek is the gearing...it is a triple without the big gears that I am use to for speedy downhills, etc. Someone mentioned that I could swap out the gears for a 55 or other bigger gears, etc. and just add clipons for aerobars.

Or I could purchase a new tri bike..only back to the first issue of finding a tri bike that is as small as I need it to be...Any ideas or suggestions? I am training for IM Wisconsin and it is my 10th IM.

Thanks! Happy training!

Can you hear me now?

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 9, 08 8:36

Post #2 of 25 (7596 views)

I think there are more bike choices for small women than in the past. I have an older QR that is an XS frame size. I'm 5'3". I think Austin79 rides a Guru and she is very petite, MonicaB a Felt, and Instigator a a Cervelo, they are also vertically challenged. Do a bit of reserach and I'm sure you'll find some options.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 9, 08 12:57

Post #3 of 25 (7558 views)

I feel your pain! I am 5' 1" The bike that I have found that works really well for me is GURU. Excellent company. Awesome bikes. I ride an older frame... GURU TriLite.

I would never ride a road bike in a long distance triathlon. Even if the aero bars are clip ons and you can change the triple to a double. That is just me. The geometry is different. All the other adjustments you would need to make would really defeat the purpose of saving money. (forward seat post, steeper stem, different saddle, etc.) I would keep your road bike for winter and trade in your tri-bike for one that fits. =)

Heather Sweet
http://thesweetsadventure.blogspot.com/

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

blueraider_mike

Jun 9, 08 15:44

Post #4 of 25 (7539 views)

Standard on bikes is a 53/39; some say if you ride a 650 bike you should look into a 55/42 set. I am small as well; 5'4" and ride a 48cm P2C - fit is great.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 9, 08 20:08

Post #5 of 25 (7514 views)

I second the Felt; they have a great range of sizes in their tri bikes.

I ride a Felt road bike with clip-on aero bars (I'm a sprint and Oly gal). I'm 5'3" and have a 48 cm frame, although for my next bike I'll probably get a 50 cm. Last year I swapped the triple front crank for a 53/39 double, and while I've lost some hill climbing power, it's a much better arrangement for 95+ percent of my riding (flat northern IL and rolling southern WI, much like the IM Wisconsin terrain).

The 48 and 50 cm sizes are on 650 wheels. I'd buy another Felt in a heartbeat.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 9, 08 22:47

Post #6 of 25 (7501 views)

Search through the ST archives...there was an article last year talking about Kestrel Airfoil Pros and how the two smaller models were so perfect for small women. I'm 5'2" and bought one with the 650 wheels and it's the best fitting bike I've ever had. Worth a look at least.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 10, 08 6:02

Post #7 of 25 (7489 views)

i am short, and ride a bianchi 48 cm. last year i tried making my roadie a "tri suitable" bike and bought clip ons and tried some other adjustments. long story short, it was a disaster and i hated the set up. after only a few rides i went straight back to the roadie set up. so, my thought is that if you've had a tri bike for 5-6 years, and your roadie is kind of a lower end, you would probably be most happy with a tri bike that genuinely fits.

i found that trying to make my bike into something it wasn't, didn't have a very gratifying result.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 10, 08 17:50

Post #8 of 25 (7450 views)

I also ride a 48... I have a Cannondale SLICE. I love it. My last couple of bikes have been Cannondale, so I guess I am fan. I think the real key is finding a shop that can fit you properly. I live in/near Chicago and can HIGHLY recommend the guys at Get a Grip Cycles (Adam and/or Kevin). They have two locations in the city (one on the Northside and one Downtown), they're meticulous. They got me through 2 IMs. The only real modification I've made to the original set is/was the drop bars. I swapped them out for some Cobrawings. They are more flat and comfortable for longer rides.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 10, 08 17:56

Post #9 of 25 (7446 views)

QRGirl speaks the truth. I am a shortie and ride a 48cm Felt B2 (with 650s). I think it is sized perfectly for me. I looked at 700s that were "almost" the right size, and even had a custom maker recommend one to me with 700s that had dangerous toe overlap. I'm happy with my Felt.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 11, 08 14:14

Post #10 of 25 (7404 views)

Yes, my tri bike is a Guru (custom) - 46, I think. I'm very happy with it and looking at new road bikes now. I'm looking at Guru and Felt as my main options.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [hj-rockstar] [ In reply to ]

Jun 11, 08 14:30

Post #11 of 25 (7396 views)

hmm...I've done tris for ten years including 7 long course IMs and all on a road bike. (no bars either)

I ride a canondale with women's geometry and love it, very comfortable on long rides.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 11, 08 19:19

Post #12 of 25 (7375 views)

You could also check out the Planet X stealth, which comes in XS and XXS. I'm shorter than you and am still getting used to mine, but it's an option to look into.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [kbee] [ In reply to ]

Jun 12, 08 8:06

Post #13 of 25 (7353 views)

Good to hear. Everyone is different. All I was saying is, I don't find road bikes comfortable on long rides. Once you have ridden a triathlon bike over 100 miles you might agree. If you don't...that is fine too.

Heather Sweet
http://thesweetsadventure.blogspot.com/

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 13, 08 3:26

Post #14 of 25 (7311 views)

My wife found QR fit her little frame nicely. I don't fit on an average bike, though I tried, so I had to opt for a custom bike from Guru and couldn't be happier. There are some things worth the extra money, and if finding a frame to fit your body is a problem, a custome made frame is one you'll have for years and never have issues with, in my opinion. It is can be spendy though.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [pennib] [ In reply to ]

Jun 16, 08 8:26

Post #15 of 25 (7208 views)

"Search through the ST archives...there was an article last year"

you'll find that entire series here.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Last edited by: Slowman: Jun 16, 08 8:28

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Slowman] [ In reply to ]

Jun 16, 08 10:12

Post #16 of 25 (7186 views)

Thank you Slowman!! I don't want to rush into purchasing a new tri bike so I am considering having the gearing swapped out on the 43cm Trek and using that bike for IM Moo. I was told to get a 55/39? for the double on a bike with 650 wheels? Is that what you have heard?

Thanks everyone.

Can you hear me now?

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 16, 08 10:48

Post #17 of 25 (7184 views)

"I was told to get a 55/39? for the double on a bike with 650 wheels? Is that what you have heard?"

yes, i have heard that. but it's a bad idea. stick with 52/39 or 53/39, or even go with a compact crank and 50/34 or 50/36. if you're not that powerful, no need to get the bigger gears. if you are that powerful, even so a 53/39 is as big as you need to go on a 650c bike, unless you're breaking an hour for your 40k bike splits.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Slowman] [ In reply to ]

Jun 16, 08 11:09

Post #18 of 25 (7177 views)

Thank you Slowman. I contacted a local bike shop that does bike fitting to see what they recommend. I would like to really look around for bikes that fit me. When I purchased my tri bike..5-6 years ago there weren't that many options and now there are a fair number of companies that make bikes for small people.

Can you hear me now?

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jun 16, 08 11:15

Post #19 of 25 (7175 views)

"Can you hear me now?"

loud and clear. several questions:

1. how tall are you?
2. are you long in the torso, long legged, or about average?
3. do you ride with a steep seat angle? do you know what i mean by that?
4. how much are you intending to spend on your bike?
5. do you comfortably ride in the aero position for long distances now?
6. what saddle do you ride?
7. are you currently fit and trim, or are you on the way to being fit and trim?
8. what's your current bike for triathlons?
9. what aero bars do you ride now? make and model.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Slowman] [ In reply to ]

Jun 27, 08 6:02

Post #20 of 25 (7030 views)

This will be my first posting on Slow Twitch -- and it's to say a huge THANKS for all this amazing information! I am the non-athletic mom of a 15 year old triathlete who is only 5 feet tall and 85 pounds. We have been searching (and spending!) for 3 years trying to find the right bike for her size and gearing issues and this particular thread has been the best information yet!

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Griffen_Gal] [ In reply to ]

Jul 1, 08 15:01

Post #21 of 25 (6938 views)

Hi,

I know this thread is for tri bikes specifically, but I figured I'd chime in here with some input about my road bike, which is tiny but has 700 wheels and is perfect for racing...somebody else might benefit frmo the info

I spent 2 years racing and riding on the smallest Orbea frame (a 48), but the effective 52cm TT was really the deal killer. Had all sorts of neck/shoulder issues on it. I finally found the perfect fit (and I mean perfect) on the Pinarello F4:13 - it has a tiny seat tube (wasn't the big issue): 42.5cm, the shortest TT i could find: 50.0cm, with 51 effective, and very little toe-over. Has some of the greatest handling/cornering/descending qualities and is COMFORTABLE. I tried all of the "woman specific" road bikes from Trek, Scott, Specialized, and they were heavy, came with triples, and were generally squirrelly bikes...

Hope everyone out there finds a bike that fits.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [whitneyjune] [ In reply to ]

Jul 1, 08 22:14

Post #22 of 25 (6926 views)

In Reply To:

This will be my first posting on Slow Twitch -- and it's to say a huge THANKS for all this amazing information! I am the non-athletic mom of a 15 year old triathlete who is only 5 feet tall and 85 pounds. We have been searching (and spending!) for 3 years trying to find the right bike for her size and gearing issues and this particular thread has been the best information yet!

As another parent of a 5' tall and 85 pound triathlete girl, I recommend the Cannondale Feminine that Dan mentioned in his article on bikes for little people. My daughter has drop bars with the Vision Mini TT bars, which is an awesome all-around bike: drop bars and sti's make it perfect for training, group rides and road racing, and the low TT clip-ons are used for triathlons and time trials.

___________________________________

http://irondad06.blogspot.com/

http://irondad.blogspot.com/

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [Slowman] [ In reply to ]

Jul 3, 08 9:10

Post #23 of 25 (6871 views)

Yes, but she specifically stated she was running out of big gears on the downhills. A small woman on 700c wheels doesn't go with smaller top end gears, so I see no reason why the top end for a woman with 650c wheels should be around 115 inches also. That means a 55x12 or so as the top end.

Breaking an hour on 40K has nothing to do with spinning out on downhills. Small woman, in particular need the big gears on downhills to keep up with the heavier dudes coasting past them.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [android] [ In reply to ]

Jul 3, 08 11:50

Post #24 of 25 (6855 views)

I definitely agree that for our daughter we've had to struggle not just with the correct size of the bike but with gearing issues as well -- and yes, all related to needing more power on downhills. 85 pounds is a tremendous advantage going uphill but a tremendous disadvantage going downhill. Plus her strongest part of the tri is her run and we are trying to have her legs as fresh as possible coming off the bike to capitalize on her run speed. This is all great information and will help us make some informed decisions as we research these options.

Re: Bikes for small women & gearing questions [MonicaB] [ In reply to ]

Jul 4, 08 14:36

Post #25 of 25 (6809 views)

i'm 5'1" and I recently got a small Felt B2. I love the feeling of control I get with a smaller bike. It fits me much more comfortably than my 50cm Cannondale women-specific road bike.

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