Quick frame size question... girls...
 

Hi...

Any ladies out there about 5' 2" what size do you ride?

I want to start building a bike for my girl but i don't know what size bike she might ride... I don't want to ask her cause its going to be a suprise.... shes 5' 2"... short legs but not that short... I'm guessing she'd be somewhere in the 46 - 50 range but i figure id ask around here and get some opinions...


thanks!

i am 5 1 1/2 and can ride a 50 comfortably. not exactly any room over the top tube, but i can straddle it with feet flat. however, keep in mind my iro is only 46 c-c and my bareknuckle is 48 c-c. the iro is called a 50 tho.

i'm a little under 5 foot and track frame is a 46 my surly xcheck is a 42.
pake and debernardi make a 47 track frame.

My wife is 5'2" but with a short torso, so she would probably ride a smaller frame. She fits on a 47, but the reach is a little much. A 44 fits in the reach, but it is awfully small. It will be REALLY hard to build something that works without a fitting. This size is right on the border between 650 and 700 wheels, and different bikes in this size range fit really different, probably moreso than other sizes. Bikes like some Cannondales (I forget now the model) are built with a racing geometry and a very short head tube, so it will be hard to get the bars anywhere close to level with the 44 (if she takes a frame that small), which has 650s. But the specialized Dolce, on the other hand, has a much more relaxed geometry due in part to the larger wheels which raises handlebar height. Since these small frames are prone to pedal/front wheel overlap, how the different builders overcome this problem has a big effect on ride quality, fit and feel, etc. I hate to break it to you, but I think you should surprise her with a romantic weekend (if by "girl" you mean girlfriend, not daughter), then take her to the LBS and get a proper fitting for the bike, especially if she is new to cycling. The fit may determine whether she loves riding or lets the bike languish in the garage.

also check out: http://www.bianchiusa.com/06_san_jose.html

Cool thanks everyone!

Alot of helpful info... yeah its my girl friend... she lives in Vancouver Canada and when she comes down (about every other weekend) i want to have some wheels for her...

shes small... 5'2" short arms... short torso... short legs... 650 or 700!!! ahh! i'll see if i can measure her out this weekend without her knowing... haha!

Any other ladies want to chime in?

thanks!

I tricked my girlfriend into letting me measure her for the frame I made her by telling her I had found a sizing website and wanted to see how it worked. She seemed fairly amenable to being measured. I used this one, becuase it gives you three different sizing/fit options based on your measurements and your personal preferences.

haha! best Mr. Burns voice "Excelent"

I'm 5'2". My prefrence so far is a 58. I think most short women like myself have spent so much time riding bikes that are too big for them, that if you needed to go bigger by a little it's not really a big deal, but a 58 would probably rock the house. Another thing to keep in mind is crank length, and how wide the handle bars are, f you're really going for a sweet fit.

Sorry, head up my ass, I meant 48! I would need a ladder to get on a 58! ;)

slip her a roofie and take her measurements while she's in la-la land.
Bonus if you prop her limp body onto various size frames you have hidden in the garage.

i'm 5'4" and i ride 49-50 so i'm guesstimating she could ride a 47

it really matters more what the standover is. i have four bikes that range in size from 47.5 to 51 and i'm 5'6". get her to tell you her pants inseam, and then compare that to standover on the frames you're looking at.

my ex-girlfriend was 5'2"-3" and she fit well on a 47cm bianchi road frame. i mention road because standover will be affected by the bottom bracket drop in combination with the seat tube length, etc. hell, the geometry will also affect things. look at standover and top tube measurements if you want something that's actually useful, rather than some holistic (or just seat tube) number.