[Closed] too small for full suss ! oh my god...

Pricey option: [url= http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/2009bikes/bike.php?model_id=102 ]Orange 5 Diva, [/url]14" frame and has a curve in the toptube that might work for you...

http://www.santacruzmtb.com/juliana/index.php?sizing=1

Still 15" but the top tube bows down.

ventana are always mentioned in these threads.

as are Titus.

Titus Motolite? Also expensive, but reet dinky.

Or just WTFU and outride everybody on your hardtail.

xs trances look pretty little - or you could run 24 inch wheels on pretty much any disc-braked bike ??

The Yeti ASR (not the carbon one though) comes in an xxs - for 4ft8" to 5ft.
And Titus certainly used to do the racer-x in xxs.

i used to ride with a short lady,

think she had a XS GT with 24" wheels.

check out an XS trance i reckon, swoopy top tube, and a great ride.
if you are proper diddy, 24" wheels might not be such a daft idea, would make the bike lighter and handle better for you possibly?

titus are pricey but well thought out for smaller riders, as they use different shocks and tubes on the S & XS frames, so that they work properly for tiny people.

IIRC the Trex EX8 WSD goes down to 14.5 inch frame - and don't Titus make extra small sizes for the RacerX/Motolite? (EDIT - yep, looks like they do!)

There's a nice Kona I think that's diddy with 24" wheels...

This is brilliant:

[img] [/img]

Might be a bit burly tho. But it's so diddy!

Or there's this, available in 14"

[img] [/img]

i can only fit 13 inch frame !!! just rang leisure lakes back and they said they have instore 2 womens xc marins to have a look at for size and they are size exra small so i will have alook at those and a small specialized saffire (but to try it with one of their chopped seatposts just to try for size.....
im going to struggle very much ! when god handed out long legs (he forgot me !!!! lol.

check out an XS trance i reckon, swoopy top tube, and a great ride.
if you are proper diddy, 24" wheels might not be such a daft idea, would make the bike lighter and handle better for you possibly?

I think Olly is right, don't rule out 24" wheel bikes.

My wife is just over 5ft and she has an XS Giant XTC, 13" frame I believe.

Standover is just about OK, but toe overlap with the front wheel is a real problem.

Don't know if anyone makes 24in XC-style FS bikes though.

As another 'only 5 ft' person I can sympathise with the difficulty of finding full-sus bikes. I've tried quite a few bikes over the lat couple of years and found that there are 3 that should be OK for fit: the Specialised Myka, the Orange Diva, and the Titus motolite. They vary massively in price and ride - the Myka is the cheapest, and I found it to be quite a heavy and unresponsive ride - if your budget is tight I would recommend considering a high spec hardtail rather than the somewhat heavy weight Myka. The Diva is great fun, especially as a 'downhill' bouncy orientated bike, although it also holds it's own on the climbs. The Titus is a great all-round xc full-sus bike that would handle anything you could through at it (mine has coped well with the downhill trails of Morzine and also the never-ending climbs in the Rocky mountains). But the Titus isn't cheap - having said that do a quick search on the forum as I'm sure someone was mentioning that there might be an xs titus at a bargain sale price.

hasn't mamadirt tried/bought pretty much every frame going thats suitable for a 5' rider? might be worth an email.

Tell you what, Mamadirt on here is the one to talk to about tiny bikes. She's had most designs!

Stuff for smaller people is difficult. As a small bloke (5'4 1/2"; 9st), I've often found a lot of stuff is too big, too heavy or just plain wrong. Not so bad these days, as more manufacturers acknowledge there are more sensibly proportioned people around...

Full suss is always an issue for those of more diminutive stature. Difficult to get all the suspension gubbins into such a small package. Personally, I don't much like big 5-6" travel forks etc, as I feel too high off the ground.

The Rush does not in any way look like a design that would work well in a very small size, as it needs a certain amount of space in the frame, for the shock. Maybe a design that has the forward shock mounting on the downtube would allow for a lower top-tube? The Orange looks like a preferable design to the Rush or SC Juliana, in that respect.

I suspect a happy solution will be a little more costly than if you were of more environmentally inefficient proportions.

Tinies Unite! I'm sick of stuff being too big and heavy, just because other people eat too much and grow unfeasibly long lims and torsos.

My frames use less metal, therefore, I am better for the planet. And other stuff.

Someone call? 😉

24" wheels are an option but on a frame designed for 26"ers the bottom bracket will end up being quite low. I have the same problem being only 5'2" but with pretty short legs 🙁 . Tiniest full-susser I've ever had was a [url= http://mamadirt.fotopic.net/p40525347.html ]Kona Stinky 2-4[/url] - an absolute blast but with a toptube length of only 19.5" riding to and from the trails was cramped to say the least. I've also had a couple of 4" travel Kona Cowan DS frames and a 15" Coiler which were fine length-wise but standover clearance was non-existent. My current ride is a 4" travel [url= http://mamadirt.fotopic.net/c1553419.html ]Intense Tazer[/url] - seat tube measures 16" and again standover clearance is 'interesting' but it's a very short bike (21" toptube - spot on!) so despite being quite tall feels perfect fit-wise. If you can live with the lack of clearance I'd say go for something that's going to fit you lengthwise first - maybe have a look at one or two of the women's specific frames.

XS 5spot is only a 13" frame

thats what im doing is looking at womens spec bikes and even finding one to fit in a small is crazy ????? the orange diva this year is about 2, 500 plus cant afford that.. where do i find titus models... i live in singletrack area ! tho i will search the whole country if i have to !!!

I'd have a look at Rocky Mountains (element are their XC) too, I'm 5'3" ride the 15", they go to 13.5" in their womens (mine is a guys). Sorry can't help you with a dealer as I'm in the US.

have you looked at an Sc juliana? I'm 5ft2 and ride the middle sized Juliana.

Fat treads used to import Titus http://www.fattreadbikes.co.uk/ so thats who I would call.

My 2 pence worth -

i can only fit 13 inch frame !!!

Don't get fixated on an actual number with frame size. Brands vary in size even though they may be technically the same size frame. You gotta try one, and be comfortable on it, otherwise you're not going to get on with it. Better to spend a bit more and get a good bike that you like and will ride a lot, rather than make a "cheaper" mistake and have to start again...
🙂

EDIT - Also, when you do get a bike, let's see some pics! Dinky FS bikes look the mutts nutts!
😀

My wife is 5' and rides a XXS Titus Racer-X. Great bike & fits her perfectly - better than the XS Motolite which she also demoed.

[img] [/img]

Just for illustration - here's a small person I know with her small Titus...

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Point Proven!!

That little blue Titus looks fantastic!
😀

It is a lovely bike. The ano finish is really nice.

Biggerer [url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristolsurfer/453953028/sizes/l/in/set-72157594224062666/ ]here [/url]

Titus again here - its the only FS bike that mrs_oab has ever fitted on (she is 5', rides a 13"/XS Cannondale F9000SL) - even the Orange she sat on at a shop was too large, I think as it had so much travel...Never seen a Juliana in XS, but it would be weeny.

Bristol Surfer - That link goes to a "privete pic"
🙂

That Titus looks good, because it has a relatively short travel fork, which does not in any way jack the front end of the bike up, too much. But I think the issue here is with standover at the mid-point along the top tube.

Tiny bikes rock! Big ones just look like something out of a powerstation or engineering yard or something.

or another option is a Pivot, might be a bit pricey and difficult to get a test ride though.

[img] [/img]

My wife is 5'5" but has a short inside leg so a low standover height is crucial for her too. I asked about this a few days ago ([url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ladies-fs-bikes-with-low-standover-height#post-189322 ]thread here[/url]) and was also suggested to try the Safire, Titus and Orange Diva.

I've done some web research since then and the other bike to look at could be the Rocky Mountain Altitude([url= http://www.bikes.com/main+en+01_102+ALTITUDE_30.html?BIKE=542#2 ]clicky[/url]). Standover height is the same as the Safire, but not as good as the Titus Motolite XS or Orange Diva Short.

I have a small Titus Motolite and it has great standover for my 30" inside leg. I've also found Konas to be really good for smaller riders, I had their 14" Kikapu Deluxe 2005 spec which was a lovely bike that I replaced with the Titus.

giant anthems also come up pretty small, and are light.

another small person here *waves*

mine was a small, and i am 5,5, they go down another size to a 14" i think?

you guys are great ! hey can i buy that blue titus off you ! lol 😉

so quite a few to look at then... having probs in demo bikes as they dont really have demos in super tiney , so if i see one in a shop thats fits, i guess i shud just buy it ? the shops say they cant get rid of extra small bikes so its twice as hard to demo one !
i,ll have alook at all the above bikes then ,..brilliant you guys..

I think I might be mrs_oab's doppelganger - same height, same bikes - a titus and an xs cannondale (although mine is now doing duty as a commuter with slicks!) I don't suppose mrs_oab has found an audax-style road bike that fits? I've been looking for one for ages!

But, back to the pursuit of small full-sus bikes - the Titus will be more expensive than the orange, so if the Diva is over budget then you'll not be wanting to consider a motolite or racer-x. As has been mentioned, don't fixate on frame sizes - look instead a the geometry charts for 13" and 14" frame bikes. I would seriously consider a women's frame, as the weight of the bike will be a consideration. As a 'short' person I've also had an issue with longer travel forks - with 130 - 140 forks I've found that I can't keep the front wheel down on the climbs. However, I went for adjustable travel forks as this means I can dial then down to 80 for the climbs and back up to 130 for the descents.

here's a small person I know with her small Titus...

had to read that twice - that's good. 😀

If a shop won't get a small bike in for you to try, then go to another who will.

You probbly woon't buy an item of clothing without trying it on, so why would you with a bike, that would cost a hell of a lot more. And getting the fit right is a lot more crucial with a bike; you can't take it back if it don't fit...

As already mentioned kona come in all sizes.

Try to look for a second hand bike it might be worth it and yes nicola's titus looks very nice.

An alternative?

Might be too bouncy though.

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

My GF is pretty tiny at 4'10" - it's hard to find frames that fit, but if you hunt really hard you can find them. Smaller riders tend to put less stress through frames too, so if you are lucky enough to find something old but dinky come up for sale, it may well be worth going for. With a respray it'd probably look dead flash too. Good Luck!

PP - fixed now?

PeterPoddy - Member

My 2 pence worth -

i can only fit 13 inch frame !!!

Don't get fixated on an actual number with frame size. Brands vary in size even though they may be technically the same size frame. You gotta try one, and be comfortable on it, otherwise you're not going to get on with it. Better to spend a bit more and get a good bike that you like and will ride a lot, rather than make a "cheaper" mistake and have to start again...
[:)]

EDIT - Also, when you do get a bike, let's see some pics! Dinky FS bikes look the mutts nutts!
[:D]

I totally agree with PeterPoddy's comments. Don't get fixated on a number, plenty of "13 inch frames" are as long as "15 inch" ones, it's all down the the actual dimensions of each individual frame that matters.

FWIW, I would DEFINITELY look at a Giant Trance in XS size. It's listed as being a 14 inch frame, but it has a very swoopy top tube for extra clearance when standing over it. Also, the top tubes are quite short (just over 21 inches effective I believe) which would compare well to what you are riding currently I suspect, and short of spending mega bucks on a Titus, Ventana, Orange or a Santa Cruz, I suspect that this may be about the best fit for you.

[url= http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b4s1p1741&tbv=GIANT_TRANCE_2_BIKES_Mountain_Bikes_-_Full_Suspension ]2008 Giant Trance 2 at Pauls Cycles[/url]
[url= ]Pic of an XS Trance[/url]

Though I have just spotted ANOTHER option... The Trek Fuel EX8 WSD. Not a cheap option at £1750, but they do an XS size too, which has a 21.2" Top Tube, and definitely should fit you fine (I've known women under 5ft tall happy on XS size WSD Treks)

[url= http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mountain_full_suspension/fuel_ex/fuelex8wsde/ ]WSD Trek Fuel EX8[/url]

Don't know if you can get them in the UK anymore, but Jamis do a 13" in their FS bikes which are tiny. I know a 5'3 woman who used to ride on of their 15", so a 13 should be spot on.

The older style Dakar is the smallest fs bike.

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/fullsuspension/dakarxcr/09_dakarxc_geo.html

I was just about to suggest the XS Giant's as they are 14" frames. I know that cyclopeadia in Cardiff can get them in (all us girls from Cardiff have small baby Giants) 029 20377772. He will order it and post it out for you too if required.

Other option (which Cyclopaedia also sell). are Cubes. They do women's specific which go down to a 13 inch frame. i've just ordered one of these in a 15" (I'm 5ft 4) for my new hard tail
http://www.cube-bikes.de/xist4c/web/ACCESS-WLS-SL_id_31120_.htm#anker

Think Fat Tread bikes were clearing out there demo stock recently. They had a xs Motolite frame on sale for somewhere around the £400 mark. Frame looked a bit chipped around the stays and wold probably be worth a re-spray.
Probably worth giving them a call.

Ventana X5 is available in 13".

I understand what people are saying when it comes to sizes and they say "don't fixate on 13" frames". However my wife is 4"11' and in our experience 15" frames, although they do vary, are always too big. My wife rides a 12.5" GT Backwoods, which doesn't even have suspension but it's the only bike I could find at a reasonable price which would fit her.
It's ok saying buy a Titus but aren't they horrifically expensive? I think the big companies such as Specialized, Trek, Giant are normally a good bet as their WSD bikes have been properly designed as they have more cash to RandD one and a larger market to sell to, so keep phoning round the dealers to see if anyone has one. Maybe try the importers to see if they have supplied one to a shop?
I'd love to buy the wife a road bike but you try to find a 12.5"ish road bike for unde £400 that isn't comedy heavy or just plain lame.

Orange are selling 2, 14" alpine 5s on their website, great bikes and only 25 made.

When Katie was growing we had the same problem, she had out grown her Kona Stinky JR 13" frame and the next bike in the garage for her was a S 15" Kona Coiler at 5' tall we bougt a XS Giant trance which fitted her perfect

Great bike and the standover clearance is amaizing

She has now outgrown it and is happy on the coiler

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ypm2bs&outx=600&quality=70 [/img]

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yq3s3s&outx=600&quality=70 [/img]

Tracey

is that the giant trance in the pic then ?

i sat on a specialized safire today and a small sixe is 15 onch frame ! there was no space at all when testing the standover height !!! the bike shop said i will struggle to get a bike to fit me..

Yes

Are you sure about theTrek WSD being small enough? I demoed a 15.5 inch EX8 yesterday and although it felt a little small to start with, by the end of the ride I realised it was perfect fit - I am 5'7" - 5'8"

Are you sure about theTrek WSD being small enough? I demoed a 15.5 inch EX8 yesterday and although it felt a little small to start with, by the end of the ride I realised it was perfect fit - I am 5'7" - 5'8"

They do a 14.5" version too, which is quite a bit shorter again iirc

Ahh maybe then mboy....I think the main advice from me (IMHO and all that!) is to try before you buy. Not just sitting on, but actually ride it around 🙂