Am I Making Sense?

[BHappy]

I read a lot lately to compensate until i can use my good bike. If my memory is correct ladies bike are shorter to correspond to their relatively shorter torso.
At 57 my torso is shorter than when i was 17. Could a lady bike be a proper fit for me?
From the past with my long legs since i turned 16 i am attracted by a 60 Cm but some suggest a 58 is a fit for me and others go for a 56 :wacko:
Thanks for your advice.

 

[oldbobcat]

The general formula for "feminizing" a road bike frame is to make the top tube shorter (often by making the seat tube steeper) and the head tube taller. During my six years in the business I've heard all sorts of rationales for this--longer legs, shorter torsos, shorter arms, they carry more of their weight in the hips, . . . the list goes on. The latest from Trek is that women need to sit more upright because they have less lower back strength.

There are other accommodations in designed-for-women bikes, too--narrower handlebars with less reach and drop, wider shorter saddles, and lighter, less rigid frame construction.

Before you dive in and convince yourself you need a woman's frame, bring yourself up to date on some of the frame geometry changes that have evolved since your were 17. First, frames tended to get longer in the top tube around the late '80s and early '90s. That compelled many riders to size down a couple centimeters or more. It also compelled many of them to buy riser stems.

But that's not the end of the story. The designers saw the demand for more user-friendly geometry, so they brought in the top tube lengths a bit and started extending the head tubes. They also designed short-reach, short-drop handlebars in manly widths (40-46 cm) and changed the bends so you don't have to drape your hands over the tops to reach the levers.

So, if you rode 60s back in the day, you'll probably want to start your search looking at 58s and 56s. For even shorter reach, ask your dealer about "endurance geometry" bikes, especially those that have shortened top tubes such as Scott Solace, Felt Z, Raleigh Revenio, Bianchi Infinito, Trek Domane, and Giant Defy. Check out the Specialized Roubaix or Secteur, too, but consider dropping down another size, as these run longer and taller.

Keep an open mind, ask lots of questions, and have fun shopping.

 

[BHappy]

Thanks ! I was given such suggestions endurance models but believing salesmen comes with some risks. That is why i appreciate the advice of people who know more than me and will not steer me just for profit$.

 

[oldbobcat]

Salesmen are trained to believe their brands are better than anyone else's, and then pass that indoctrination to their customers. They often present their main brand's endurance bikes as the only logical choice. Truth is, Specialized invented this category with their Roubaix almost 15 years ago. Some brands responded quickly with models that were not all that well thought out, but these days they're all doing their take on this idea--Trek, Giant, Cannondale, Scott, Raleigh, Felt, Bianchi, etc.--and all the bikes are somewhat different, and they are all worth considering. And quite likely, one will be the best for you.

 

[ABNPFDR]

It's funny, most of the "salesmen" (myself included) I know are all avid riders, and honestly just want you to buy a bike that you will be happy with for a long time. Happy customers come back again and again.

Most of the customers I know, want to deal with the owners, not the salespeople. They think they will be able to sweet talk a better deal from the owners.

Most of the owners I know don't rade nearly as much as the employees, and are in it for profit, and not only wont give you a better deal, bit you probably won't get the best customer service either.

My #1 goal when you walk through the door of the shop, is that you leave happy. I don't give a damn about how much, or how little you spend. I want you to enjoy riding as much as I do. I will freely recommend other brands, other shops and even who to talk to or where to research online. It's amazing how effective that approach can be and I don't feel sleazy at the end of the day.

I take the same approach about Fittings. I don't push new stems, bars, saddles, pedals, inserts and everything else... The things that make an already profitable service even more profitable. I prefer to have an honest conversation about the benefit of the change and try to help the customer spend wisely in the areas that will make the most change.

Not everyone is out to get you.

 

[BHappy]

I am starting to think that my first year of doing 55,80 and more Km daily will serve to find out what really suits me. On some french language forum there is a thread about 77 pages long over 5 years about bikes with steel frames. I have read 30 pages sofar and it sounds like for a decent price(under 3000$) i might get a bike about 19-20 pounds with pedals. I might buy a few used bikes and used them about 5-6 weeks to test different geometries and frame material. In Whashington state they manufacture a Rainier with full fenders for people who bike daily like me in all weathers. I will call Marinoni in Terrebonne but for now if they ask me what i want it is a bit merky. I kind of want a light tourer, and endurance road model a versatile bike for various quality of asphalt and i am pretty sure that 28C tires will suit my needs. If i get a compact crank i would like a 46 or 48 instead of 50 or if i cannot a personalized cassette with 9 or 10 speeds
Again thanks for sharing

 

[BHappy]

It's funny, most of the "salesmen" (myself included) I know are all avid riders, and honestly just want you to buy a bike that you will be happy with for a long time. Happy customers come back again and again.

Most of the customers I know, want to deal with the owners, not the salespeople. They think they will be able to sweet talk a better deal from the owners.

Most of the owners I know don't rade nearly as much as the employees, and are in it for profit, and not only wont give you a better deal, bit you probably won't get the best customer service either.

My #1 goal when you walk through the door of the shop, is that you leave happy. I don't give a damn about how much, or how little you spend. I want you to enjoy riding as much as I do. I will freely recommend other brands, other shops and even who to talk to or where to research online. It's amazing how effective that approach can be and I don't feel sleazy at the end of the day.

I take the same approach about Fittings. I don't push new stems, bars, saddles, pedals, inserts and everything else... The things that make an already profitable service even more profitable. I prefer to have an honest conversation about the benefit of the change and try to help the customer spend wisely in the areas that will make the most change.

Not everyone is out to get you.

I know that you are right but there are also some who push carbon to up the invoice. Probably in 4 months i will know enough that i will be able to spot the right kind quite fast. Of course getting a Customer who rides 365 days will pay over some years but we have to deal will all kinds of people

 

[kana_marie]

I think your best bet is to just try them on for size. Go to the shop and explain the situation and they should help you out.

 

[danfoz]

I read a lot lately to compensate until i can use my good bike. If my memory is correct ladies bike are shorter to correspond to their relatively shorter torso.
At 57 my torso is shorter than when i was 17. Could a lady bike be a proper fit for me?
From the past with my long legs since i turned 16 i am attracted by a 60 Cm but some suggest a 58 is a fit for me and others go for a 56 :wacko:
Thanks for your advice.

I'm a manly man: I lift weights, I oogle pretty gals, I train for competition in Brazilian jiu-jitsu grappling tourneys, and yes... I ride a womenz bike.

It happened by accident, I purchased a slightly used Supersix off eBay and for the life of me couldn't figure out why the top tube and head tube didn't match up to the sizing chart dimensions.

I searched page after page on yahoo images until I found her, clicked on the link, and BELLA DONNA, I found myself at an outdated C'Dale ladies bike page... d'oh!

I was mad for all of 5 minutes and ready to deliver a scathing review and demand a refund, but then realizing the only difference was a 53.5cm top tube (instead of a 54.5) and 150mm head tube (instead of a 140), meaning I could run my handlebars without any unsightly spacers/could use a longer, more "pro" looking stem/and didn't have to put up with a diagonally oriented top tube juxtaposed against the horizon (found on many endurance models), I imagined all the good deeds I had done in my former life had finally delivered me some righteous karma.

Here she is, and ain't she a beaut -

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:296266]


This may not be solution to your problems, but it resolved mine, which were mainly aesthetic. I'm shallow that way

Edit: OBC's advice is solid, he's been in the biz for some time. When a sizing issue cannot be solved by a simple component swap, the frame is the next place to look. But if you downsize too far, the bars may end up too low, even with a bunch of spacers. Unfortunately for us blokes, the color scheme on many women's bikes is, well, too girlie.