Hello. I am trying to purchase my first touring bike and my first bike in years, and I'm a bit confused and could use some help. I am 5'5.75" tall with a 29.5" inseam and relatively broad shoulders and short arms. The touring bikes I've considered are the Cannondale T800 and the Trek 520. I went to a Trek dealer and tried a 19" 520, but the dealer told me it was too big (in terms of standover and stem length) and I should look for a 17". Then I went to a Cannondale dealer and tried a 19" in the T800. I felt like I was really stretching to reach the handlebars and like the bike was just too big for me, but the dealer told me the size was appropriate. Subsequently, I went to another dealer and found a new 2004 17" Trek 520 on sale for $800. I think this is a great deal. I mounted the bike, and it felt great, except I was stretching a bit to reach the brakes and the bottom of the handlebars. The top tube on the Trek is 54cm, which is longer than the top tube on most other brands' 17" touring models. The dealer assured me that it fit me correctly, but he didn't take any measurements and I'm not sure that he had much expertise on bike fitting. I love the deal on this 17" Trek, but I'm a bit uncertain about a few things. First, am I too big to be riding a 17" bike? I did not have the seat very high and it felt comfortable, but I've read that 17" bikes tend to be for people who are 5'3" or shorter. Second, is there anything I can do to make my reaching the handlebars more comfortable? The dealer moved the seat forward a bit, but it didn't fully solve the problem. What about a shorter stem or an adjustment of handlebar angle? Is that feasible on a Trek 520? Or should I look for a bike with a shorter top tube? I just hate to let this Trek 520 slip away. I know I'm not going to find such a good deal again. The Cannondale T800 17" has a shorter top tube, but it's about $500 more expensive than the Trek. The Fuji Touring also has a shorter top tube, but I've only heard negative things about that bike. Does anyone with more bike experience than me have some advice to offer me?
I know I should get a proper fitting, but the dealer from whom I want to purchase the Trek does not offer such fittings, and I'm not sure that I can just walk into another dealer, from whom I'm not buying anything, and ask him to do me a favor and fit me up.
Thanks,
Todd
I know I should get a proper fitting, but the dealer from whom I want to purchase the Trek does not offer such fittings, and I'm not sure that I can just walk into another dealer, from whom I'm not buying anything, and ask him to do me a favor and fit me up.
Thanks,
Todd