short woman - new triathlete

[ctrlaltdlete]

Hi! I'm a rather petite (4'10.5") 20-yr-old woman who is looking for a good, lightweight racing bike. I have been a runner for the last seven years - competing for both high school and college track teams. I've done countless half marathons and two marathons. My buddy does triathlons and wants me to get into it, too. So I'm up for the challenge and excitement of this new event! I've been running (of course) and began swimming in preparation for my first olympic tri this summer. I have also done weight lifting, taken spin classes at my gym, and have been riding my mountain bike.

Needless to say, I'm in the market for a small racing bike... but don't want one that is too expensive in case I go back to just running. Any ideas? Sizing tips? I saw this one on craigslist, what do you think? http://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/bik/611397112.html

Any helpful tips for this new wannabe triathlete? =)

[flip18436572]

Go to a real bike store and have them work with you on a bike that will fit properly.

And of course good luck and have a lot of fun.

[Psydotek]

Send a PM to Happytime. She's our resident vertically challanged triathlete. :D

[joolied]

Boy, I thought I was short at 5'2" - you make me feel like the Jolly Green Giant! I'd really recommend getting fit a bike shop rather than buying off the internet. Your perfect bike fit won't likely be "off-the-shelf" but a good shop should still be able to work within a budget. Best of luck to you! Our short legs have to work a lot harder on the run, I know that :)

[late]

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=1479409&highlight=#post1479409

[Rahzel]

Depending on the shops in your area, Trek, Giant, Specialized and Felt all make solid entry-level WSD road bikes in the $600-$1000 range. Add clip-ons to any of these and you're good to go. Quintana Roo, Cervelo and Giant make (IMO) the best entry-level triathlon bikes priced at around $1500 equipped well. If you're willing to spend that kind of dough, it's worth it to get the 78 degree seat tube angle, aero frams, and general coolness. However, a road bike with clip-ons will get you 95% of the way there at a much more reasonable investment.

So, in conclusion, you should definitely get fit in person by someone who knows what they're doing. If it's a trek shop, fine, they make good bikes. If it's some other shop, then great!

At your height, be prepared for 650 wheels, really short stems, and frames that don't fit water bottles easily. Don't compromise your fit, though--there are bikes out there that will fit you at your height, so make sure you get the bike that fits you!