Originally Posted by
mac_flyer9
You might try building one that would suit her. I picked up a new 47cm frame on clearance from Trek and use 650b wheels. It wasn't hard and let me learn how
It’s not the cheapest way to go, as you have noted. Additionally, a 47cm frame is about 4 cm too large for a 5’ tall woman. Realistically, she needs a 43cm bike. Using a 650C wheel (571mm) would also gain a little standover height over the 650B (581mm). A 26” wheel (559mm) would be even better.
Originally Posted by
goes_numb
I'm looking to get my wife a bike but the options for very small adult riders (~5ft) are pretty limited. Ideally, I want to get her something a smaller than normal wheel size, so 650C/B, which is making it tough to find anything, especially in the used market. Does anyone have any suggestions on specific models or companies I should be looking for? Pretty flexible on most of the other options for the bike. It would just be for general use - occasional city commutes, trips to parks. I think she would be more comfortable with flat handlebars, but says she is willing to try out drops. Worst case, I could do a drops to flat bar conversion, so either is fine imo. Weight is one issue - there are plenty of clunky mountain bikes out there that are sized more appropriately for her, but given her size, heavy frames are not ideal. I'd love to find something used from the 80s/90s in the couple hundred dollar range, but haven't had much luck trolling craigslist.
I know these requirements are fairly specific, but I figure there have to other short riders out there willing to give some advice.
Thanks in advance.
It’s tough finding bikes in small sizes whether new or old. There just weren’t (and aren’t) many made and women tend to hold on to bikes longer than men do. The Terry Symmetry that others have referenced is a good choice for small riders. My wife had one before her current bike which is also a Terry Symmetry but a different design
_IMG4975 by
Stuart Black, on Flickr
Terry had a limited run of made in 2012. I happened to pick one up on clearance. It’s a 43cm bike with 650C wheels. I’ve gotten the weight down to 20 lbs and she loves this bike. I also found a Specialized Vita which I had powder coated. She doesn’t like this one quite as much but it does have wider tires for riding on dirt as well as a wider selection of tires because the wheels are 700C. It weighs about 2 lb more than the Terry.
DSCN1059 by
Stuart Black, on Flickr
She also has a 12” mountain bike which she doesn’t ride much because she doesn’t like the crashing aspects of mountain biking. It’s also significantly heavier than the other two bikes...25 to 27 lb. This would not be a bad frame to start with for a build as long as you stick with something about 2” shorter than what a road bike would be.
Finally, we have another 650C Trek that is at my daughter’s house in Tucson. It’s a nice bike like the Terry.
Finally, you might consider
this bike. It’s a very small Cannondale for a pretty good price.