Originally Posted by bccycleguy
I'm trying to size a bike for my teenage daughter as a birthday present. Your chart appears to be largely for the male figure, but any way, her sizes are: 5'2" tall, 29 3/4" inseam, size 8 1/2 ladies runner. Dividing height by 3.3 gives ~48cm (18 3/4") but I know thats way too big for her. I think something around 42 - 44 in a ladies fit might work, what do you think. She would be a recreational weekend rider.
HOLLY THREAD RESURECTION!
Anyway a 48 cm frame would be right for your daughter. I have an even shorter inseam than her and 48 cm is right for me. 48 cm is as small as a 700c wheeled bike frame can be genuinely made anyway. Without going into the gory details the 42 and 44 cm sizes are simply a 48 cm frame with the seat tube shortened and a sloping top tube so there a bit of a fudge anyway.
According to one of my favorite refferences your daughter could benifit from 160 mm cranks,
http://www.cranklength.info/
Given the difficulty of finding them and there aproximity to 165 mm cranks that are available then these would be desirable.
I don't ride one myself but through looking at geometry online I've developed a respect for the FUJI Roubaix's as an excelent alrounder with good geometry. Note that I'm talking about the FUJI Roubaix and not the SPECIALIZED Roubaix.
Regards, Anthony
EDIT: OK its a 49cm frame not a 48 cm but that's fine. 700c bikes don't come any smaller anyway.