Just wondering if anyone on here has ever built a road bike for a kid or a small lady could offer me some advice, ive never built a bike before still not sure weather to get 700 or 650 wheels and shimano or campagnolo?

Im a minimum wage slave so looking at buying the SAB R4.0 Aluminium Road Frame from planet x, some carbon forks with alloy steerer, some mavic aksium wheels and the various other budget bits and pieces without being too cheap and nasty (if thats possible)

Its for commuting 15 miles a day on nasty lumpy roads + some longish country road runs 30(ish) miles a time

Yes, built a small Kinesis road frame for her indoors who is 157cm.
Went for 105 groupset because the STI’s come with wedges to bring the brake levers closer. 700c wheels were fine. Carbon fork and ideally woman specific saddle with ti rails for riding comfort. Also narrow (and ideally women specific) drops.

170mm crank arm?

Went for 105 groupset because the STI’s come with wedges to bring the brake levers closer.

2012 Tiagra has this feature too, and I believe 2013 Sora is the same as that? So that would bring the cost down.

There’s nothing on the PX web site that says the small frames are for 650c on the wheels so that might work well

Missus is 5’4″ and has 2 Kona Lisa RDs, 700c wheels not an issue. She bought one off a mate who is 5’2″ who upgraded to a cervelo. Lisa is a 48cm frame with a 90mm stem and loads of seatpost showing so could fit someone of 5′ without any effort or compromise.
How small is small, to make you think its an issue.

shimano tiagra 4600 groupset also has STI’s and is £100 cheaper? Is the 105 worth the extra £100?
Im 5 ft 2 but have quite long arms (+2 ape index) handy for climbing, not so handy for feeling comfy on a bike

The problem with building up a cheaper road bike from parts is that the components can be very expensive, even second hand. STI levers, even 105/Tiagra are very expensive even second hand. Once you’ve added it all up it’ll probably be better to get a discounted full bike from Spesh/Trek which will have the womens/youths bits already on it. Womens saddles seem to be pricey and don’t come up 2nd hand regularly either.

^^^^ Paul’s still have a 2012 ladies 44cm road bike in stock at a discount http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s134p4289/CANNONDALE-SYNAPSE-ALLOY-SORA-WOMENS-2012

If you’re long armed for your height you’re proportioned more like a man, so beware ladies-specific frames.

I’ve got a Specialized Ruby carbon road bike size 48 just needs wheels and is ready to go. I’m asking a reasonable price for it was going to advertise it again.

I think I could build it for around £700 using new components

Lovely bike the spec ruby but out of my price range im afraid 🙁 unless you want to swap it for my spec myka fsr comp which cost me £1400 last year and Ive used it 6 times lol what a waste

According to the spec the SAB 4.0 has a 1 inch headset which would be kind of restrictive in fork choice.

The SAB 4.1 looks a better bet.

built a Giant TCR for a 5ft 3″ lady, small frame is 46.5cm & XS is 43cm (she rides the small)

The forks I was looking at pairing with the frame were CSN Carbon/Alu Road Forks, they use a 1″ threadless headset and cost £74, I have no idea about rake though

I bought a Graham Weigh alloy frame in 42 cm, I think, for the current wife, who is 5ft 2. Fitted her nicely. I hade a bike with Campag Athena on it, which I stripped and swapped. Was really nice for the money. Was 700c wheeled.

For £700, I’d go with an XS Giant Avail 3. Son 2 has an Avail 2 and it’s a great bike. 700c wheels but nice geometry and size-appropriate components (cranks, stem and bars). At 5’2″, she might fit on a Small. Avail has a proportionately shorter top tube, as per the Giant Defy.

This replaced a really nice 650 wheeled Trek 2200 with 105 groupset.

Im only looking for 200 for the Ruby it’s a few years old now. Just needs a nice set of wheels and its ready to go. Email is in my profile if you are interested. Bike has done no more than 100 miles.

I have a 48 cm 2010 Specialized Dolce, I’m 5’2” and it fits ok but feels long so we’ve put a 50 mm stem on it and the saddle is fairly far forward. I’m not sure if I’m averagely proportioned for a woman or not but ape index is 0 and inside leg (minus shoes) is 28”, so if you’ve got long arms then the geometry of Specialized women’s bikes might be right for you as it seems to have a long top tube.

A similar height friend of mine has a 2006 50 cm Dolce and the geometry of the frame seems similar.