Although I won't be building it immediately, during a bout of coffee induced insomnia last night I was thinking about building a bike for the future Mrs PixelMix. She didn't learn to ride a bike as a kid and is scared of this mountain biking lark, but she is happy pootling along old railway lines and the like.

The problem is that her current Cannondale F6 weighs a tonne and that puts her off. It is more difficult for her to handle, feels cumbersome and is difficult to carry up and down stairs if I am not around. This is exacerbated by the fact that she is a petite pint sized 5' 0.5" (not quite 5 foot 1!). It also lacks disc brakes and I was amazed at the lack of stopping power when riding around the car park.

I'm thinking therefore of building up a nice lightish bike later this year with a mix of new and stw-classified bits. She won't let me spend much as she rides only a limited amount, so I'm thinking an On One frame or similar with some carbon forks. Suspension seems unnecessary as she'll not be riding anything rocky, so would just need something to take the buzz off the trails paths.

Anyone comments from anyone around this size? I know there aren't any 14" scandals or inbreds around, but hopefully these will reappear when new models come out later in the year. Other suggestions of suitably sized and priced frames appreciated!

Looks like On-One still have a few 14" Scandals in stock, I'd be grabbing one of those, I built an inbred up for my missus late last year and she's in a similar situation, never rode as a child but she's gaining confidence. I'd have been happy with rigid carbon forks as she doesn't need suspension, but happened upon some bargain pace RC39's

Singlespeed at the mo, but will get geared as she improves

Thanks smuzzy. I thought the 14" was gone, but I see it is just the inbred that has sold out. What size is your lady?

I do think the scandal would be good, although I'm slightly put off by the fact that I currently have a black scandal and don't want a "his n hers" set! Did they ever do the 26er in pink, or is that just the 29er?

No cash this month due to other commitments, but will keep an eye on those scandals.

The 26er was always in black, but if you mail On-One, I believe they may have some oddments under the stairs. I have a friend who has them checking for a 16" Pink Scandal 26er this morning. Try mailing adrian@planet-x-bikes.com he is looking after my friend….. maybe worth a shot.

My wife is neaer 5'4" but the bike would be fine for someone smaller, I reckon 14" would be OK.

Quick cheeky plug…

I have a 15inch Hardrock frame knocking around if thats of any use?

My other half is 5'4" and it was only just too small for her…

That unfortunately is the only input I can offer here..

*ducks out*

Mrs Fascist has an old split toptube Cannondale F1000. Nice and light and suits her 5'1" stature. the frame is technically 15" iirc but the top tube is split (can't recall what they called the style … flying V?) so you get more standover. The Fork is a 65mm Headshock aswell, which lowers the front end

second hand you should be able to get one pretty cheap, mrs Fascist has hers for sale atm, but it's in Belgium so perhaps a bit far for you.

The small rock lobster team tig 853 is really small and has a short top tube, if you could find one of those second hand it would be nice, light too

I built my missus (5'2") a 15" Spesh Hardrock. Got the frame for £50 off here. She's only ridden it once. 🙂 She's had two little ones since though.
You seem pretty keen on an On-One, but just wanted to say if your tempted by these small "jump" frames then check the top-tube length carefully as they can be quite long in relation to the small frame size. I built my nephew a 14" using a Kona jump frame & the top tube is too long for him.

Thanks all, some good tips in there. Thanks for the offers too, although as I said, I won't be splashing the cash this month due to other commitments. I'll be bookmarking this thread for ideas though and revisiting when I have the money.

Will certainly look at the Rock Lobster, Cannondales etc too.

takisawa2, I'm not totally set on an On One, but they do make cheapish 14" frames with low top tubes designed around short forks, and the inbred and scandal aren't exactly jump designed (quite the reverse according to the scandal blurb). I'll make sure to check the top tube length against her current bike though (as you recommend), as I know On One tend to be a little longer. I would hope to be able to get away with a 14" with an inline seatpost and a short stem though.

Mrs beanz is 5`2" and has a 14" summer season , plenty of standover and not heavy . great value for your money.

handsomedog talismans at allterrain are only £60.
they seem to be a nice lightweight steel frame.

Don't bother buying a Hardrock or a jump frame, they'll be as heavy as the Cannondale. ScandAl would be good, or Spend the money making what she's got lighter!

On-One have 14" 456 frames in Pink… I don't think that frame is much heavier than the Inbred (and at that size it can't weigh much more than the Scandal surely?)

I was looking at one of these for the future Mrs Beanum but she's crossing to the Darkside instead…:-(

Mrs ononeorange is 5' 3-4" and similarly had never rideen a bike until she met me(!). She has a 14" Orange 5 and also built her a 14" Inbred – she loves them both and they fit well. Probably not much use as Mrs Pixel is quite a bit smaller!

Good luck.

Mrs F is 5'2" and has a 14" Kona, which she finds fine with a shorter than stock stem. Weight is reasonable and standover is fine.

Islabikes do diddy bike for kids but big enough to fit a 5' adult

A really light weight wheel set. i.e. ZTR olympic rims with lightweight tubeless tyres would knock pounds off the weight of her current bike making it feel much more lively and easier to carry up stairs?(You live in a flat I guess?)

Thanks again all. I do indeed live in a second floor flat, so lots of stairs for her to carry a bike up. Hoping to move to a house with a garage eventually, but not for at least 6-12 months.

I did look at 456s, as they come in decent colours, but I prefer the idea of a rigid carbon fork, and I'm not sure how well they would handle given the head angles.

Will look at islabikes too – they seem to get a good rep. Had kind of thought about kids bikes, but thought I would see if people have had success with full size bikes first.

I also did think about wheels etc for her Cannondale, but as I would need new wheels and disc brakes, but still be left with a heavy frame, forks and cheap alloy components, I think it would just be a waste of money, and I would be better putting the resale of that towards something light and new.

On One Scandals (or inbreds, but a bit heavier) seem to be winning out, but good to hear that Kona do 14", and will have a look at the geometry on the Rock Lobsters too.

Talisman looks cheap as chips but a wee bit heavier than a scandal. Will bear in mind though.

Cheers all. Photos of small bikes also appreciated for ideas. I am currently thinking carbon forks, carbon flat bars (580mm ish), 50mm stem or thereabouts, carbon in line seatpost, and 2.0" tyres for fast rolling, but with a reasonably amount of cushioning.

Aren't on-ones a bit long in the top tube for a lady of shorter stature ?

I would bet you that the F6 alloy frame is lighter than a steel frame from on-one.

i'd have thought on one's would be a bit long really.

i had a similar situation with my ex, she is a ad over 5 foot, never really ridden bikes since a big crash when she was young.

built her up a 15" dirty jo frame – its small and aluminium, nice and light.

built it up with some of my old kit (but inc some xtr and rev 426s!), and some new kit, keeping it as light as possible for minimum budget.

the dirty jo frame is fantastic really, fits her really well.
from not having ridden before, she is now (tentatively) riding reds at GT, laggan etc. she's not so fit at the moment (through illness), but when she is a bit better she is going to be ripping it! 😆

we got her a semi cream

Aren't on-ones a bit long in the top tube for a lady of shorter stature ?

I do wonder that, hence this thread. I don't find my 16" frames massively long though (I run long stems instead), so evidence of people of a similar height is appreciated, hence this thread.

I would bet you that the F6 alloy frame is lighter than a steel frame from on-one.

Probably right, although I do think it is a chunky frame. Maybe I'll stick to alu. Better with a second hand scandal or equivalent that a new inbred I guess.

built her up a 15" dirty jo frame – its small and aluminium, nice and light.

Any idea of weight? Unfortunately the website is a little light on sizing and spec details for the frame. Your pic hasn't loaded either unfortunately.

For some one 5'0.5" I think 26" wheels are probably perfect for road/leisure cycling.

But to be honest for off road I'd have thought 24" would be more suited ?

photo hear, i don't understand why i can't get my photos to show recently…

couldn't tell you too much about the sizing, other than it does fit her very well. got a 90mm stem, and probably runs 250mm of seatpost with a slight bit of layback.

weight wise, i'd say her bike is around 25lb? maybe 26? i've no idea. rides pretty light though, and she is very happy with its weight (that was her main concern having borrowed other friends bikes). fair bit lighter than mine at 28/29lb
iirc its 3.5 (ish) lb at 15"

more info here

and here…

photo hear, i don't understand why i can't get my photos to show recently…

couldn't tell you too much about the sizing, other than it does fit her very well. got a 90mm stem, and probably runs 250mm of seatpost with a slight bit of layback.

weight wise, i'd say her bike is around 25lb? maybe 26? i've no idea. rides pretty light though, and she is very happy with its weight (that was her main concern having borrowed other friends bikes). fair bit lighter than mine at 28/29lb
iirc its 3.5 (ish) lb at 15"

more info here

and here…

Thanks hungrymonkey, will look at that.

For some one 5'0.5" I think 26" wheels are probably perfect for road/leisure cycling.

True, but I suppose her riding is more 'leisure cycling'. I would look at a hybrid, but in my experience, hybrids in this price range aren't terribly light. I also prefer the idea of getting to spec my own carbon fork, the lower top tube of mountain bikes, and bigger tyres for cushioning.

Pixelmix you're not far from me (I'm in Pennant). GF has a 14" Summer Season, you're more than welcome to pop over and throw a leg over it, etc.

Email stuart@forestfreeride.co.uk if you want to come across.

Cheers
Stuart

Thanks Stuart, but there seems to be some confusion – I'm in Edinburgh! Still to convince Mrs PixelMix that she will benefit from a new bike too. She thinks it is more important to pay for the wedding next month apparently!

Ah, sorry about that. There must be someone else on here with a simular name to yours over in Mach'.

Stuart

OK, so around 10 years ago, Mrs North decided she wanted a new bike to come riding with me. She has never wanted to do much, though has done a couple of proper off road rides.

At 4 feet 10 inches, she's pretty tiny, and finding a bike to fit was proving nigh on impossible. At the time, frames and cheap kit weren't *as* available as they are now, and we were both students…. So, an entry level bike in the right size was what we wanted.

A tiny (14", I guess) Kona was pretty close, but too long really, unless she had an almost zero length stem, which made the handling way too fast for someone less confident. Scott 14" frames were too big, and we did consider a 24" wheeled kids race bike, but backed away from that – it's one thing being small, but it's another being made to ride a kids' bike….

Eventually, we found a Trek 4500 in 13". With a slightly shorter stem again (65mm from 80mm standard), it fits perfectly and has since been lightened up with Pace RC31s. It's not particularly like, but that's because the kit isn't exactly top end – it was £400 in 2001. geometry is from the time – the frame is adjusted for 63-80mm forks, which is useful in keeping the front end down (something you should take into account for a small person).

A bit of a ramble, but something that may help place a few things in context.

Mrs ADH is 4'10" and has a 14" merlin malt 1, built with the lightest kit I could source at decent prices, 50mm stem, inline post, SIDs. I didn't want an on-one becuase the TT is longer, and she has quite short arms/legs, twinned to a fairly normal torso. TBH I'd like a 13" frame for more standover, but couldn't find one.

The issue with 24" wheels is they jarr in holes very easily and our local trails are *full* of gurt big holes. Kinda the opposite of a 29er, they get very hard work to keep rolling.

Fair point ADH, think I'll stick with 26" wheels. Also better for interchangeability (I can use her wheels/tyres/rotors/forks and vice versa).

Merlins all now seem to start at 15" rather than 14" which is a shame. Will need to look at their sizing in more detail.

Would consider one of the small Treks (Mrs P has a friend who is even shorter that got a very small Trek for pootling round town on), but I reckon that custom build is the way to go since I prefer the idea of carbon forks and swapping bars, stem etc for her.

if you are up near st andrews i could probably get your GF a ride on my ex's dirty jo. email in profile if interested.

I would try to contact your local KONA dealer. They possibly can get the 13" from the brand (old stock). Otherwise most of kona frame comes in 14".

im same size as your wife !!!! hoooray i thort i was the smallest mtb-er on ere actually…
in only just 5ft small too…. couple of years ago i started out on a Hardtail-'specialized' which was just a 13 inch frame…..got that from Leisurelakesbikes.com,, it was a good size for my body….. i still ride it occaisionaly after upgrading the spec…. then 2 years further down the line i upgraded to a full sus…. its an 'orange five pro' bike which is a '14 inch' (small) frame….
i can ride it well… i wouldnt get any bigger frame otherwise the 'standover' height is a problem… think i tried a small 'marin' frame once but it was too big…. so 13 or 14 inch is the perfect size for us tiny people…

timdrayton – Member
The small rock lobster team tig 853 is really small and has a short top tube, if you could find one of those second hand it would be nice, light too

+1
Merlin used to do some really small sizes in their "own brand" frames, my brother got one a few years ago for his missus, shop soiled frame was something stupid like £40, got built up with spares from his & mine toolboxes. Nice & light, so small it is like a BMX to me!

I can't ride Mrs ADH's, my knees hit the bars 😆

Mrs carlos is taller 5'4" but has a very short torso , she rides a mens XS F700 'dale and loves it to bits .weighs in at the 26lb mark. A standard seatpost on something like this would probably mean the seat height could be dropped for somebody shorter.

Pixelmix – Mrs Druidh has a 14" Inbred I built up for her last year. Let me know if your lady would like a ride on it.

I also know of a bike shoppe which has a tiny Marin Bear Valley in stock – at a knockdown price. And it's Pink!!

Thanks druidh – that's a tidy little build. The future Mrs Pixelmix is still resisting my attempts to upgrade her bike, so I'll be hanging fire on a test ride and a Marin for a little while!