Bike Buying advise for a tall chick ;-]

teasdino

Ok,
so I have been working on researching bikes for a while. What I want is some opinions from bikers. I am 5'8" so women's specific bikes are really not an option. The ones I have seen go up to 5'7" and the likes.
Mine would be used for all around biking. More for trails and the scruffy stuff. While I dont plan to go on some crazy trails just yet, I am looking at building up to that type of riding.
I will be buying 5 bikes. My children are somewhat older and I want to get one for each of them as well as my hub and I. They are all biking fools. Those people will be doing the off road crazy stuff. I dont mind spending some money on them as I want them to last forever.
So tell me your opinion!
Thanks everyone!
jac

rydn4h2o

I can't really recommend a specific bike, but would recommend to go to a good bike shop and tell them what you're interested in and the type of biking you plan on doing. They can help you find the perfect bike!

fitzie63

Go to your nearest TREK bicycle dealer. You will not find what you need nor get the proper service and advice in a place like Walmart, Target, etc. I "shopped" for one for over 2 years by trying to take the cheapest way out. They do not make bikes for women who are both height and leg length challenged. My old high school boyfriend used to love to tell me (in recent years, before he left all of us for Heaven) that somewhere in Japan, there's a woman running around with my legs. Yes, you can start laughing your head off too~~I did )

Claire

JPod279

I agree with rydn4h20. Go to a local bike shop (not a chain store) as you should be able to talk to people who really know what you need. They should have a good range of bikes to fit your needs.

RaeN81

I'm 5'8' too and you can get a woman specific bike but you'll likely have to get it from a bike store that knows how to properly fit you for one. I fit a 54 in a road bike wonderfully and I have long legs (even for my height). It really pays to talk to people who know bikes as others have mentioned. They will even likely cut you a deal (seriously, ask for one) if you are buying multiple bikes. We went to the store like 4 times and they were always ready to answer questions and fit us for bikes.

Atlantique

I'm 5'7" and I have a TREK. When they measured me for the bike, I ran into a problem. My legs say I should be a on a bigger bike than I can comfortably ride. When my leg is measured, it's as long as my 5'9.5" sister's. But in that size bike, I am so much overreaching to hit the handles that it was incredibly uncomfortable. I'm just short in the torso, but fairly long in the leg. So I went in between the two sizes and am happy.

So you have to be measured correctly, but you also have to get on the bikes and see what feels comfortable.

I should have known I'd have problems with this because when I started driving, my parents would get so angry with me because I moved the driver's seat while they never did. My dad was 6'2" and my mom is 5'8". They both drove with the seat in the same position! Because one is long-legged and one is long-torsoed. I'm in-between, but more long-legged. My sister is taller, but wears the same inseam and is longer torsoed.

You have to actually get on the bikes to figure it out.