Well, I’ve finally been bitten by full suss bug (well, I think so – I haven’t actually ridden one yet!) So yep, mamadirt – you were right!

However being a 5’3 woman means the choice is definitely narrowed and so i was just wondering what STW women (of roughly my height) ride/ have ridden and like?

So far my shortlist consists of:

Orange 5 pro (14″ standard as think the diva will be too short)
Trek EX8 Wsd
Marin Mount Vision 5.8 (men’s as womens spec is only available in the 5.7)
Orange ST4 (probably 16″ as the diva version doesn’t seem to exist anywhere other than the orange website!)
Lapierre 514 L

I know they’re quite a random bunch, with some 120 and some 140 – but I don’t really know what I’m after yet. (But do have demo weekends of the 5 and Marin lined up soon)

Anyone got any of the above – how do they come up size wise? Any other recommendations?

One word: Titus 🙂

v. pretty and keen on tiny lady bikes

14.5″ Giant Trance comes up pretty small. Have seen a fair few short ladies riding these out on the trails in the past…

Five will easily outclass the others as a high-performance long-termer, I reckon.

a size Small Santa Cruz Heckler is tiny (v.short)

XS Yeti ASR-SL

My missus is 5’2″ at a push and has a 15″ (or maybe 15.5″) Kona Coiler, she put a 40mm stem on it and she loves it.

Ooh, this is good! It’s good to get a few more ideas!

Ash – do you have a heckler? If so, how tall are you and how do you find it? (Can you compare it with any other bikes I might know?)

Yeti go really small don’t they! I think I’m pretty decided I want more tha 100mm travel though. Anything from 120mm I’ll consider though.

My missus is 5’5″ but with a shorter-than-average inside leg. She recently got a Specialized Safire, medium frame but still loads of standover room (standover height is 27.5″). Thats a good bit shorter than a few other ladies frames she tried.

She hasn’t tested it properly yet, but its 120mm both ends and only 28lb (“Comp” version with bash guard and 2.3″ Nevegals).

I’m 5′ 4″ and love my medium Juliana.

MM, ygm re lapierre demo’s.

I know a wee lass that rides a small attack trail(now wolf ride), she climbs on it well enough too.

But i know what you’ll get after all this 😉

There’s a specialized Myka FSR on ebay at the moment which looks nice in a 15″ frame. Ridden 3 times as it’s too big for the 5’0″ owner. 2008.

Looking at bikes for my gf in the same size but a bit too much for a first bike….

Hey, have the best of both worlds – a singlespeed full-sus 😉 . I’ve owned a few Kona full-sus bikes (couple of Cowan DS singlespeeds, Stinky, Stinky 2-4 and a Coiler) which I’ve been pretty happy with but standover clearance was non-existent on all but the 24″ wheeled Stinky. I’d guess that the 14″ Kona Four or Kikapu (or the new 2009 120) would have a bit more clearance though and there are some good deals around at the mo’ on older models. That said, looking at your list, looks as though your budget will stretch a little further so I’d just get out and demo as many as you can. Think about rear shocks with platform damping (such as Fox’s Pro-pedal) and forks with lock out or travel reduction too, as a heavier full-sus bike can be hard work on the climbs for us smaller folks (I’ve just fitted forks with lockout and can’t believe how I managed to get up any hills before with all that squidge up front).

My current bike, small Intense Tazer, despite zero standover clearance, feels spot on and is short enough to just drop off the back when ‘bail out time’ comes 😉 (hey, it’s 9 months old now – that’s gotta be a record).

my wife is selling her (flipping just about brand new!) giant cypher – its a 13.5″ 5″ travel frame – like the mens’ trance. she’s 5’3″ for reference …drop me an email if you want photo’s / info
(sorry for cheeky spam…)

5′ 3″ and ride a Rocky Mountain ETSX 70. Am pretty happy with it but quite fancy doing the Premier Demo day at Dalby and testing the WS Lapierre and the new Rocky Mountain Altitude.

A 6″ travel option, may be a bit bulky for you

http://www.transitionbikes.com/Syren.cfm

Trek Fuel WSD 9.5 for my shorty.

My missus is 5’5″ but with a shorter-than-average inside leg. She recently got a Specialized Safire, medium frame but still loads of standover room (standover height is 27.5″). Thats a good bit shorter than a few other ladies frames she tried.

That makes me happy, I was beginning to think I was some sort of freak for riding a medium (Specialized Stumpjumper FSR D4W) and being 5 foot 4! 🙂

Sorry to ask a rather personal question ladies but what inside leg measurement do you all have? I’ve just checked and my GF has 27″/28″ at 5’5″ which seems a little short to me, especially looking at the “loads of standover room at 27.5” post above when that girl is meant to have short legs?

I was expecting to get a 15″ frame (hardtail) for my lady but am wondering if 13″/14″ may be better as her legs appear extra stumpy. 🙂

There is a bike in both sizes at my LBS so i’ll sit her on both but i’d be interested to hear what you other shorter ladies think in the meantime.

Thanks.

what about a small turner burner? someone on here was selling one a while back – think it was a 16″ looked to have pretty good standover

Stumpy here too 😐 at 28″ in me ‘Allstars’. Only ever had proper standover clearance on a 24″ wheeled bike (my quirky BMX stylee seat angle is not for the ‘rad moves, innit’, but rather for quick exits off the back 😉 )

I’m 5’3″, have a 15.5inch Rocky Mountain Instinct (think they still make something similar). They also make WSD bikes. Really good standover (I’d say I’m about 27-28″ inseam), if anything it might be a little on the small side for me.

STL

My wife is 5’3″ and has just bout a small remedy. Shamless plug but she has a medium safire for sale which has only had 3 months light use.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-2008-specialized-saffire-comp-medium

Diva might not be too short – my 5’6″ wife rides one, albeit with a Thompson layback post.

lol !!! have you never seen y postings ? im much worse off than you as im 5ft 0 inches ! ive scoured the country looking for a bike that fits and wanted the Titus range, but in the end it was going to work out alot more than the ‘orange Diva’ that you mentioned… can i just tell you that the Diva comes in short and long sizes !
im plumping for the Diva, ive battled with this for many months, i originally wanted to get the womens cannondale rush or is it Rise anyway that model started at 15 inch frame and ive sat on loads of bikes , even tried the womens Marin but alas the cross bar was still digging in me at the standover height test….
now you being 5ft 3 inches will have alot more choice than me… only ruddy bike that fits is gona cost a s mall fortune but the orange Diva fits me well and i road all day on it (6 hours ) no stopping…it was brill for me…so yep thats the bike for me..

You could try an extra small Giant Reign X, Mrs Dropoff is 5’0″ and gets on very well with it.

i’m 5’3 and ride an orange 5 diva, 14″

when i brought mine there wasn’t an option for long and short as there is now, if there had i would have gone for the long.

Still rides like a dream and inspires you with confidence. Thinking of trying a layed back seat post or slightly longer stem when i locate one (second hard – these are hard in find on here!)

Mrs PaulMc is 5’2″ and rides an extra small Titus Motolite and loves it. Stacks of stand-over clearance and 5″ of travel.

MrTall – I replied to your other thread. I’m 5’5″ with a 32″ inside leg and ride an old style medium Juliana.

Thanks for all the info girls! (and guys!) I really appreciate all the advice. It’s good to know there are quite a few out there that may well fit the bill (sorry Elaine – I don’t mean to rub it in!)

Certainly given me some food for thought. I’m definitely leaning towards the Orange 5 Pro but will wait and see what I think of it after a demo weeks. If I can hold on and wait a whole month! 🙁

Oh and the long diva is the same tt as the orange 5 so I figure I might as well go for that and save myself £100 on getting it painted white! (Really not a fan of pink bikes!)

I will look into a few others of the suggested frames though, so thanks for all the comments. I’m going to try and get as many demos as poss (thanks Sharki!)

Oh and Mamadirt – thanks for the advice, I’m thinking of looking for something with a fox rp23, I’ve never felt the need for a lock out fork before – but now I know you can set the blow off low I might re-think that. (Def want to go for a bolt thru fork too!) Oh and a singlespeed full suss… don’t tempt me!

Yep, I’d definitely recommend bolt-thru forks. Been tempted for years but put it off thinking they’d make little or no difference at my weight but definitely one of the best upgrades I’ve made.

Ah that’s cool to hear. My hubby wasn’t sure they’d make a difference, but I figure it’s more to do with riding than weight and I’m faster than a lot guys downhill so reckon Ill notice it. Hubby’s a very cool guy so is happy to buy me them if they’ll make a difference… can I quote you?!

I’m faster than a lot guys downhill so reckon Ill notice it.

Yep, there’s your answer – go for it!!

Heck, if they make a difference for a mincer like me . . .

I’m 5ft2 and ride an old sizing medium juliana, only 100mm of travel though so that’s less than you are after.

MrTall it does sound like your wife has a shorter inside leg than average. Generally speaking girls have longer legs and a shorter body – hence girls bikes having a shorter top tube. My inside leg is longer than your wifes and I’m 3 inches shorter for example.

I’ve just bought a small Anthem X1 to replace my wife’s medium WSD spesh FSR (as that turned out to be too large at 18inches).

It’s a 16 inch seat tube and now I’ve put a 50mm stem on it, it’s also about half an inch shorter from the seat to the bars.

She’s about 5′ 5 from memory.

She’s only been round the block so far but it’s a good size for her. They also come in XS so they may be worth a look. This assumes you want a short travel (100mm) bike though

Smurf

Katie and Abigale are about the same size as you, Abigale is on a 16″ small Giant Reign and Katie is on a 15″ small Kona Coiler

Tracey

rs, that kona coiler is lovely! i’ve got a 15.5 Cove Hustler which i really like. 5.5 inchs of travel is where its at 🙂

If it helps, I’m 5’4″ longish legs short torso, on a small Enduro just the right fit. Though I’m a bloke I am a nurse…I found the top tube on the Heckler a tad too short. I have always thought that yellow coiler one of the best bikes visually for me. Everytime it’s posted I go onto Pauls Cycles for a second bike.