Anyone 5'4 ?
#4
I ride a 49 or a 50 usually.
for small folk its not always just the standover height you have to worry about.
its how long the top tube is...a lot of times big companies will make frames with stupid long top tubes to get rid of toe overlap on small bikes...or they **** with the head angle.
honestly best bet is to get her on a bike and let her ride it...even if its not the one you're gunna build her so you can find out what size she is most comfortable with.
for small folk its not always just the standover height you have to worry about.
its how long the top tube is...a lot of times big companies will make frames with stupid long top tubes to get rid of toe overlap on small bikes...or they **** with the head angle.
honestly best bet is to get her on a bike and let her ride it...even if its not the one you're gunna build her so you can find out what size she is most comfortable with.
#6
i thought i was five five and a half, but it turns out that i'm five four and three quarters.
i ride a 49/51. napalmandroses has it right - a lot of 50 or 51 cm sized bikes from big manufacturers have a 52 or 53cm top tube. some companies just pull the top tube down at the seat tube to call it a smaller bike.
i ride a 49/51. napalmandroses has it right - a lot of 50 or 51 cm sized bikes from big manufacturers have a 52 or 53cm top tube. some companies just pull the top tube down at the seat tube to call it a smaller bike.
#9
Tell them I hate them
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 939
Likes: 0
From: Boise, ID
Bikes: Specialized Allez Epic '91, IRO Mark V Pro, Schwinn Traveler
#10
#13
#16
out of shape
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,456
Likes: 0
From: va
many older bikes have a long seat tube for a given top tube measurement; recently this has been changing to the reverse. typically, women have proportionally longer legs than men. do the fit calculator (competitive cyclist also has one), use it as a guide, but just make sure you consult geometry charts and not a stated size. ultimately you may have to get her a short stem (70-80mm) to make a frame work well for her.
#17
Senior Member

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 206
Likes: 0
From: Souther NE
Bikes: 1960 Denelt; 1970ish Batavas (commuter); 1998 kona cindercone; colnago classic w/campy chorus
I ride a 49 and a 51cm. No guerilla arms here...like most women--I have long legs (I'm 5'3" and leg length of 31). Both of my bikes are old steel frames. On the 51cm, the top tube was 52cm so...I use an 80 stem to make it work.
A woman I ride with, who is 5'4" rides a 50 and a 52cm.
I've used the measuring system at wrenchscience. it was worth it.
hope this helps!
Last edited by stella; 02-18-08 at 12:51 PM.
#18
71 Peugeot. fixed.
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 0
From: Twin Cities
#19
slow poke
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: boston
Bikes: iro markV, 85ish fuji del ray 12 speed, 2000 specialized allez, 2007 specialized allez expert
i just picked up a bike yesterday t obuild up for my gf who is 5'5 or so pretty normally proportioned. its a raleigh capri about 15 years old. 19" seat tube (center of bb to top of the tt) and a 29.25 inch standover with 27"wheels. she says her inseam is 30 inches so well see how it fits her. look for something in that range would be my suggestion





