Short Reach Bikes

[Wicksie]

Hi all,

After having my bike stolen, I'm researching bikes whilst I save up for another dually.
Just read about Roubion builds and how they don't think that women's bikes need to be made shorter etc.
I am pretty anti the 'shrink it and pink' it movement for women's bike stuff, but I really do need a smaller reach.
I think it's well understood now that 'stack and reach' is the best gauge for sizing.

TLR, what duallies out there have a short reach?

I recently rode a Trek Fuel EX 8 and they seems pretty short.

Any tips greatly received!

Thanks all.

 

[Cypher]

I am like a tyrannosaurus rex - all growl and short arms. General bikes (man bikes) give me neck aches as I am stretched out too far and this position also limits how well you can pull up.

Most "Ladies" frames tend to be a good top tube length for me (yes, I agree that it is annoying that bike companies must put pink on them). You will have to check, but generally lady frames are not just smaller (with crapper spec which they over charge for), but they tend to shorten the top tube.

I had a Giant Cypher (the women's trance) for many years but I am not sure if they are releasing a women's frame anymore.

My current ride is a Lapierre Zesty Lady and it is awesome. And no pink!

Cannondales always felt comfortable regardless of the gender of the bike frame

Good luck

 

[Treehouse]

I recently got a 2016 Giant Trance Small (I'm 162 cm and stumpy everywhere)

My previous ride for far too long was a Giant Iguana old school with a quill stem and super long neck. Even though this bike was tiny, I suffered for years on it before getting bar risers to pull the bar back to practically over the head tube.

At my LBS I tried a Liv Lust and found a weird reach problem and narrow bars really constricted my chest! And my bum-bones didn't contact the seat comfortably, lol!

But the 2016 Trance has a very compact feel, the young guy at the shop tells me the 2017 models are longer, so if you were short, you'd need to drop a size (or go ladies).