Cyclocross - can't find small axis / jts in stock!

so i finally narrowed it down to 3 bikes - the kona jake the snake, the specialized tricross sport and the bianchi axis. my first choice is the jake the snake, by far, but it depends on fit. i am just a little frustrated right now and looking for some advice because no shop in new york seems to stock these bikes in my size, and i feel so hesitant about ordering one without ever riding it given that i am totally not sure whether it will fit.

so here is where i am at. for the record, i am 5'4" with a short torso.

1. jake the snake - my first choice - i test rode a 49 cm and it was definitely too big, and particularly too long. the shop said they could order me a 47 (the smallest size it comes in) but i would have to put a pretty big deposit down first, which makes me nervous - what if it is still not small enough? it is not much smaller - according to the kona website the TT is 52.1 on the 47, as opposed to 53.2 on the 49 (which is what i rode, and which was definitely too long, agreed upon by me and the salesguy). i'm not sure that 1.1 cm less will be a big enough difference. i have called every kona dealer in new york, though, and none of them have a 47 in stock.

2. axis - i rode a 49 cm and it was, again, too big/too long. they make a 44 but i am actually afraid that it will be TOO small - the TT is 50 cm long. again, i have yet to find a nyc shop that has a 44 axis in stock.

3. tricross sport - this seems a little easier to find - i found one shop that has it in stock but it's not built up. i guess i would be more excited about this but i am LEAST excited about the tricross itself. it seems like pretty crappy value in comparison to the jake the snake (same price!), and i really would prefer to have 105 on my bike.

any advice from anyone? does anyone own a 44 cm axis or a 47 cm jake the snake (if so, how tall are you and how does it fit?)? how have (especially really tall and really short) people dealt with this issue in the past? i just don't really know what to do, other than take a leap of faith and risk spending $1300 on a bike that doesn't fit.

Just want to let you know...

I'm about your size, and was in the exact same boat about two weeks ago.

Well, I finally decided I wanted the 49 cm Jake the Snake. Went into the LBS all chipper and ready to order my bike... BUT, the bike shop absolutely could not get that size frame. I think you'll get the same result. There aren't any 2008 Kona Jake the Snake frames available in 49cm, unless you get lucky and find one that somebody has in stock (nobody that my LBS called had one). Good luck with that. Same went for the Bianci Axis (my next choice). They even called the Bianci rep, and HE couldn't get one!

I was told that basically I had to wait a few months before I could get my frame choice, in my size.

I ended up buying a Felt F1X off of eBay.

You might get lucky, but I doubt it. I just wanted to let you know that before you got your hopes up (like I did).

You could always wait for the 2009s to come out in the fall though.

oh, thanks so much! i was actually deciding between the 47 cm jake the snake and the 44 cm axis. i finally went ahead and ordered the jake the snake a couple of days ago, on faith that it would fit...sorry to hear about your situation, but i hear the f1x is great!

JTS is a sweet ride, but they run a little big. I'm 6'3 and change and found the 60 to be a bit too big. I ride a 58.

Keep in mind that you can also switch out stems, move the seat forward on rails etc.

Ah, you wanted the 47 cm frame... sorry, I didn't read clearly.

But yeah, the JTS was my first choice so I'm kind of jealous.

Anyway, I ran in to a few problems with my LBSs besides the fact that none of them could get the frame size I wanted. I went in knowing exactly what I wanted, after doing months of research and soul searching. But when I went in, they all assumed I was one of those guys who'd buy the bike, use it twice, and then hang it on the wall for months and months. And they treated me aptly. They kept telling me that I didn't actually want a true cross bike, because I'd probably never end up racing anyway. Little do they know I run marathons, duathlons, triathlons, raced BMX from the age of 4 to 15, etc, and seriously plan on giving Cyclocross a try this fall. They kept hinting to me that I'd end up using the bike as a commuter (if at all), and were trying to steer me into a Surly Cross-Check. I love the Surly bikes, and the Cross-Check is an awesome all-around bike, but I reitterated about fifty times that I wanted something lighter, and more race ready. To which they replied that for more money, they could upgrade the Surly with STI shifters, full Shimano 105, etc, etc, etc. But it still would have been full steel, without a carbon fork, etc. So I just wasn't interested.

Anyway, after they couldn't get the Axis, and yet again mentioned that I should probably look at the Cross-Check... I threw my hands in the air and did it myself on eBay. So I'm not too big on my LBSs right now. For all I know they were just trying to push me into the Surly by telling me they couldn't get what I want?

I'm glad you got what you wanted. Hope it works out for you!