I just checked for prices on the Soma. For what one Mercian costs, you could get a Soma frame in 50, 54, and 58cm. Just change the frame out for whatever you feel like that day.

There's a shop not too far from me that has some Mercian bikes. They are beautiful machines. No mixtes, though.

Wow, this should be a forum sticky—"Help with large-frame mixtes for Significant Others". Mine is 5'9", and I'm currently pinning my hopes that this CL is a 22" 1984/5 Le Tour.

The Buena Vista is v. nice, but a bit spendy for a second bike for her. However, I'm also eyeing the Public M3/8: http://publicbikes.com/p/PUBLIC-M3. The large size is a 55cm st/590cm virtual top tube (got them to send me the geo spreadsheet). At $750 complete and cromo steel, it seems a great value.

Wanted to share some pictures of my beautiful bike with the latest updates...custom wood fenders and a beautiful Brooks saddle.

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...y/IMG_2514.jpg

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...y/IMG_2515.jpg

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...y/IMG_2529.jpg

^Awesome!^