Frames for a small girl

[welkman]

Hi all,

I am just starting a project to build up a nice quick/light bike for my wife and need some advice on which frames to look at. She currently rides a surly cross check in 42cm guise and finds the top tube length long with a short stem and compact bars. She has got quite quick over the summer and wants to be a bit more comfy on longer rides. She is 5ft2in.

I quite like the idea of building up a Chinese carbon frame and adding some feminine details but she is more keen on a womens specific frame. Any pointers for frames to look at would be most welcome.

[audiojan]

The obvious answer would be to get a frame that fits... and that she's 5'2" doesn't mean much. You can take two people of exactly the same height but they fit on two different brands/models and two different sizes within those brands, they may fit the same brand/model but two different sizes, etc.

Womens specific may or may not be exactly what you think it is either... you can divide the manufacturers in 3 camps; ground up design where the geometry and the carbon layup are both changed to accommodate the different needs of a woman (changes in reach and in how stiff the frame is... you simply do not need the same stiffness for a woman weighing in at 120 lbs as you would for a 150 lbs man of the same height); those manufacturers that change the components to fit a woman but uses a unisex frame (usually narrower handlebars, womens saddle, and for some reason, gearing); and finally those manufacturers that slap some pink bartape and pink paint on the bike and calls it a women's model although it is exactly the same as their unisex model just "pinked".

If you want her to love cycling, get a bike fit first and then buy her the best possible geometry according to that fit.

[fivethirtyonepm]

i built this for my missus earlier this year:-







the frame was an ambrosio rapide compact i picked up on ebay. it was actually being used as a TT-frame, but having run through the frame geometry and carefully choosing the right stem, handlebar and crank-length combos, it fits the missus like a glove. she is 5'1" btw.

all the parts were new (except for the frame/fork and the wheels which came off another bike), but in terms of cost, it was about GBP750 all in... (not bad for a genuine 1kgs polished-welds alloy frame, carbon fork, carbon seat post etc etc)

[welkman]

Like the bike you built there. What was the geo on that frame? I would love to get a fit but it means a big trip for us as there are no places offering a proper bike fit near me. So what frames are female specific geo? I have found the Specialized offerings but that is it so far.

[jasjas]

i got my daughter a ex demo Thomson R7200 Alloy/Carbon frame in a 48cm.
she is 5ft 3" inseam 75cm, use a 80cm stem - very pleased with the fit

They do more up market Carbon frames as well, with semi custom paint for some models.

http://www.thompson.be/th-web2012/engels/race-r7200.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rush]

I have a friend in almost an identical situation. One bike we are looking at is the Felt ZW series which come with 650c wheels.

[NWSAlpine]

My GF is petite and I bought her a Felt ZW series bike with 650c wheels. Felt has some very nice frames for petite women. Many companies don't anymore.

[cyclenutnz]

650 wheels don't necessarily mean better for petite riders. There are a number of 700c bikes that have less reach than a 650C Felt. A size 48 Cervelo R3/S5 will in fact have 3mm less reach for the same stem length and equal bar height. 650 has less toe overlap but from a purely fit perspective the Felt 650s are not compelling.

If you're looking at chinese frames - the FM015 size 49 has the same reach as the Surly. Get a pretty paint job on it and it will be WSD.

[BeeSeeBee]

Handling on smaller size 700c frames is also something to consider carefully. Some shorter women I've ridden with have eventually switched over to 650c wheels to quicken up the steering a bit, but I suppose the importance of that depends on what she's looking to do.

[welkman]

Thanks for all the input. I quite like the idea of staying with 700c wheels as all our other bikes ride these. She is not wanting to race but she wants to do club runs/sportives next year. I will have a look at the felt. She does want shorter reach than the surly but i'm not sure how much of this is just getting familiar with the position on a road bike.

[virenque]

specialized makes women's bikes that comes in a size 44cm with 700c

[bikedoc]

650c wheels are the way to go, ok its a pain if you have 700c but what are you after, getting the right bike or the bike that makes life easy