5ft Lady new to cycling, HELP

3 times in 3 days - oh good god, on your bikes everyone, or the newbie will be faster than us all in no time!

I love a story with a happy ending!

Funny how we always spend more that we intended...

Glad you found it, sounds perfect.

Hi Newtocycling,
cracking bike - have no worries with that bike. My Daughter has that very bike and it has everything she wanted, and more. Hers has SRAM apex gears which has a huge range rear cassette with compact front crankset, quick on the flat and hills are straightforward due to the low range 34/32. The bike has carbon forks with Zerts dampers both front and rear which really do take the 'stingers' out of the road, eg rough surfaces. I fitted a rear rack for her so can carry what she needs for work - she hasn't looked back. Though not the primary concern for her, it looks the biz too....
It may be a little over initial budget but IF you can stretch to it you will have a cracking bike and for some time to come. Spares are easy to get and Specialized are everywhere.
Hope this helps.
Regards

Trikeman.

If it feels right it probably is right! When buying a bike there always seems that by spending a little more you get that extra bit that you need! Probably true of anything! I am sure the bike shops know that they can squeeze a bit more out of you...and then help you do some modifications here and there which equals more £ spent. Then some quality 'must have' clothing which equals more £ spent! Welcome to cycling!

do give islabikes a call, they've been great with my sons' bikes.
Look for a frame fit rather than a women specific design, there are lots of calculators that a friend can help you measure yourself against. Reach or top tube length is as important (maybe more so) than seat tube, tho they're all sold by seat tube.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO is a reasonable one, I used this and the geometry tables to determine if a 60cm CAAD10 would be something to order in, it was and it's fabulous.

good luck and take your time

Sideburn is right about 'female specific bikes. Also, the frame size alone isn't a good guide as frames come in different proportions.

Giant sell their Defy model in XS size (like this one), which may fit you. Its predecessor, the SCR, was also available in XS and an even smaller XXS size (39cm), which you may find for sale. Specialized sell their women's Dolce frames in 44cm while the smallest equivalent Allez is 49cm. These are all road (racer) bikes with drop handlebars.

A shop should make sure the bike fits you properly, both for size and adjustment of the saddle, stem etc. If not, then walk away, they're not doing their job properly. If you buy a unisex bike you may wish to swap the saddle, but it's not always necessary.

One alternative you might consider is Islabikes. Yes, technically speaking they are bikes for children, but I have met 2 adults using them, one an acquaintance of Isla riding a Beinn 26 in a long MTB event. I've also seen kids bigger than you and me (I'm 5'4") riding the 26" and 700c Luath models in cyclo-cross races.

Good luck with your bike hunting, I hope you find one you enjoy riding.

Be careful of 'femail specific' bikes...I was looking for a bike for my wife and I noticed that the frames were identical. It was just a few components, particularly the saddle that were different. I bought a Giant extra small size in the end. Nice bike!

I think £500 is a great starter budget. I don't have experience of buying used, but as a starter, how about this for £434:

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/giant-avail-4-womens-road-bike-id59979.html

What kind of riding/distances do you intend to do?

This does also raise the question of accessories, which you may or may not have a separate budget for. There's no need to go mad, but there are a few things you will probably want to buy, some of which you may already own; helmet, gloves, shorts/tights etc. (If you don't intend to ride for more than an hour or so, you might choose to wear gym leggings or something, rather than buying a cycling-specific item with a padded seat area etc.) Also up for debate are pedals - you might choose to ride in trainers until you are confident in handling the new bike anyway (I did this), so clipless pedals and shoes aren't something you need to focus on yet unless you want to.

I'd suggest buying in a local bike shop rather than online. This way, the staff will adjust everything to ensure you are comfortable. Don't be afraid to ask for a test ride (you may want to agree this over the phone to ensure that the bikes are available - just mention entry-level female-specific road bike, listen for the 'um's and 'er's and you will probably get a feel for whether they have anything.

Hi, welcome to the forum. Specialized seem to be well-regarded in this area, they have whole product management teams devoted to womens bikes and kit - unlike some vendors, this does not consist of simply using a condescending shade of pink paint. I believe the 'Dolce' is popular.

May I ask what your price range is? (Don't be shy of telling us that you don't want to spend megabucks, it might be an expensive sport but we aren't all loaded! )

Hi there,

Bikes are not necessarily uni-sex, there are 'female specific' road bikes - they just tend to be a bit rarer and unfortunately a little bit more expensive.

As possible routes to explore:

Check out Evans selection of female road bikes:

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/bikes/road-bikes/f/female#!

or

The smallest size of the Triban 3 might do the job:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-id_8167038.html

It would help to put yourself through this to help choosing sizes:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO