How to pick a tri bike when shops dont carry your size

so my wife is toying with the idea of a tri bike and might start looking over the next few months but I know the problem we are going to run into is shops actually carrying her size to test out the fit, feel, etc. She is small and rides an XXS Scott road bike and I have not seen most shops carrying bikes that small other than special order. Based on the geometry of her bike there are a handful of brands that “should” be close to fit but will be in the smallest size made (Speed concept WSD in XS, Felt B series in XS, Scott Plasma 20 in XXS, or a P2 in XS). I know with a computerized fit bike and looking at geometries we can figure out what “should fit” but we all know the feel of the bike makes a huge difference.

Anyone else have any issues with buying a bike with an odd size? Just curious to what you did. I am guessing shops are not going to want to order in a really small size if she doesnt buy it…

Get a fit first, then shop for bikes.

Shops I go to vary in their thought about ordering a bike for a potential sale. Bigger tri focused shops often carry wider selection of bikes than a bike shop that has a few.
In looking at bikes, if shop wanted to order my size and I’d come back and test ride it great. If they wanted me to commit to a bike w/o test riding it, for the most part other than my custom colored Guru CX bike I didn’t go that route.

My guess from shops around here the Speed Concept and the P2 will be easier to find in odd sizes in shops as those shops tend to carry those lines more fully.

I think almost every girl who rides an xs or smaller goes through this. At least I know I did.

I could not get a shop to order the xs unless I bought it. I didn’t want to buy it if I wasn’t going to like it. It seemed stressful at the time but I think that was just me.

I got a fitting on my road bike and the fitter looked at the measurements and said my best bets were x,y,and z. They were specialized, quintanaroo and I forget the third. I ordered the shiv and luckily I was happy.

I rode an xxs scott road bike and went to a felt b2 xs - love it! I have had my felt for 7 years now! I hope you can find a shop near you - extremely happy with my choice!