JeStOnE

what size should I be looking for she's 5'2"

WorldWind

probably c, I think a d would be too big

forum*rider

lol

5' 2" is about as tall as my younger cousin. I believe she rides a 17" frame. That is, assuming you're talking about bikes

Tshirt

JeStOnE,

I wish my girlfriend was interested in cycling. I wish I had a girlfriend.

She will most likely want a smaller frame. Usually mountain bikes are measured in inches and road bikes are measured in centimeters. Although recently some manufactures offer (mountain & road) bikes in 'small', 'medium' and 'large' sizes.

Probably the best way to determine what size(s) she should consider would be to go to a local bike shop (not a big sporting goods store) because there are a few variables to consider. She may also use one of the on-line guides to get a rough idea. They ask for measurements and will suggest a size based on the data she submits. There are several; the only one I remember at the moment is at www.wrenchscience.com

Best of luck,
Tshirt

hi565

nice one

operator

Thought this was one of them spam emails I get everyday... lol.
In that case, answer is big.

late

Hi,
you just have to try them and see if they fit. My wife is also 5' 2" and rides a
much upgraded Bianchi Strada. Nice bike for the buck.

Fugazi Dave

I'm going to take a vaguely-educated guess here and assert about 49cm.

Surferbruce

i'd agree with FugaziDave, my lady's 5'2" and she's on a 49cm but obviously that's pretty general.

allgoo19

I'm little less than 5'9" with short legs and I ride 49cm frame(with the saddle all the way up). I think at 5'2" and if her legs and torso are in average proprtion, she needs not only small frame but small wheeled bike, if she is looking to ride in normal road bike position. If you are looking to buy 700c wheeled bike, anything smaller than 50cm frame(such as 49, 46), the toptube will be sloped because the head tube length are all the same, while the seat tube gets shorter. For this reason, smaller the frame, more upright the position becomes. Who knows, maybe she will like that upright position, many people do. She should try them at store. There are companies that makes bikes with 650c front wheel mostly just for female riders.

Like this one,
https://www.terrybicycles.com/detail....t&item_no=3014

Another thing, if she doesn't care about the riding position, she can adjust the saddle height by 6 inches. She gets the same result as getting the frame anything smaller than 50cm. Common size frame such as 49cm is much easier to find than 46cm.

forum*rider

I'm not completely sure what size she rides. I just made a guess.

BTW I'm 5' 5" and I ride an 18" frame

MichaelW

Is this for racing, off-road, touring/commuting or Just Riding Along?
The frame size depends on the style of bike. Some models are designed to have a low/sloped top tube and lots of extended seatpost, so you would chose a smaller size. Othere use a traditional horizontal top tube, so you chose a size with 1-3" of standover clearance. The more critical dimension is the length of the bike. Given a safe amount of standover, you need a bike short enough so the rider does not have to stretch out too much. This can be a problem on smaller sizes. The women-specific designs usually have shorter top tubes.
Smaller riders also need short cranks (where the pedals attatch). 160-165mm are a better size than the "normal" 170mm. Narrower handlebars and brake levers that work with smaller hands are also useful.

lrzipris

I find myself agreeing with MichaelW a lot: what kind of riding and what kind of bike--road, MTB, hybrid--is she interested in? Your question doesn't get at the real issues. Especially if she's looking for a road bike, with the intricacies of proper fit, no one will be able to tell you "what size" is right because it will involve various aspects that can only be addressed at the LBS, as he points out. Moreover, the geometry can affect what "size" a particular rider will need, so the "number" in the abstract may not be right in reality.

allgoo19

I'm assuming it's about road bike since he's asking about size. Do mountain bikes come in differrent sizes too?
My little relaxed opinion, suggestion is to take her to the bike shop(s), forget about the size, ignore the store people's suggestion which size she should be riding, just try every bike the store has with the saddle adjusted to her comfort. She pick the one she likes. She'll be the owner of the bike, she'll be riding it. If she likes it, that's most important and only thing that matters.

overthere

I'm 1/4" shy of 5'2". I have a 15" frame on my hybrid, 48 cm with 700 cm on my road bike.

iridebikes

Unlike most things this really is "rocket science". Take her to a good bike shop and get her properly fitted. She will appreciate the attention. If you want her to ride with you then make sure she feels good about it and is comfortable as well as safe. Bike geometries are different and 17" doesn't always mean 17" across different geometries.

WorldWind

Just for future reference when asking this type of question… an inseam measurement is more important than a height measurement.
Better yet give us both.

Just for the fun of it line up 10 girls that are all 5’2” tall. Ill bet you a dollar you can’t draw a strait line through all of their bellybuttons.

Six-Shooter

Not without getting slapped