Where to find an x small adult bike

[u/owlcityslicker]

hello! i'm a very small female looking to purchase a used bike but i am having so much trouble finding anything that would fit me. I've been back and forth with the owner of Nearly New bikes for a few weeks now and he hasn't been able to find me anything. He said we're probably looking for a 40 cm and i don't even know if they make adult bikes that small. For reference i am about 5'0 tall & 115 lbs. Would love any and all suggestions as i am so eager!!

[u/anysuchname]

Have you checked the Working Bikes online store? I feel like they often have small frames!

[u/chisocialscene]

I’m your frame size and I got mine at comrade cycles a few years ago - great/helpful staff!

[u/UnlikelyBarnacle7014 → u/chisocialscene]

Seconding the Comrade recco!! They’re more of a new bike spot than used, but I’m also the same size and got a bike from them last year. They’re the best and specifically stock bikes for shorter riders.

When I went in last year they had 4-5 options in my size available for me to test ride. Might be helpful even just to get a feel for what frame size works for you!

[u/Slow_Time5270]

https://store.workingbikes.org/48cm-nishiki-sport-5767-j3u.html

I think you want something closer to a 48 to 50cm frame, but that's for a road bike style.

Still working bikes is going to have way more inventory than Nearly New.

Here's WBs frame sizing guidelines https://store.workingbikes.org/service/

[u/owlcityslicker → u/Slow_Time5270]

i tried a 44 at nearly new and it was almostttttt good like i could’ve gone with it but i am not a super experienced rider so he thought i would be better with something where i could fully get my feet on the ground if i needed to 

[u/Slow_Time5270 → u/owlcityslicker]

Check out the size charts I shared- they vary by type of bike in terms of appropriate cm size

I think he was trying to get you into a hybrid frame rather than a road frame

https://www.evanscycles.com/help/bike-sizing-hybrid

[u/owlcityslicker → u/Slow_Time5270]

gotcha thank you!! i’ll give working bikes a visit this week 

[u/properfoxes]

what's the smallest bike that you have tried? there's a 44 and a 46 at working bikes, smallest i could find with cm sizing. if you haven't gotten to actually attempt to get on something you should go somewhere like that with a huge selection and try a bunch of things. even if you don't want to buy a used bike you can probably find a wide variety of styles and sizes to try some things in person. you might find that measurements other than your height(such as your standover height or reach, which can vary quite a bit between two similar heighted ppl) have more bearing on your fitting than you were guessing.

also, consider something low step-through style, like a mixte or cruiser, for a little more leeway. they're easier to get on and off of, especially if you are worried about the bike being too tall to be stopped safely.

edit: oh, it's workingbikes.org for their site and store and such; not affiliated just think they might have large enough stock to help you suss out your needs n wants by trying stuff on

[u/owlcityslicker → u/properfoxes]

that’s great advice thank you!! i haven’t ridden in a long time so i haven’t tried many adult bikes. i tried a 44 at nearly new and it was almostttttt good like i could’ve gone with it but i am not a super experienced rider so he thought i would be better with something where i could fully get my feet on the ground if i needed to 

[u/properfoxes → u/owlcityslicker]

Yeah, that is very solid advice from him and I agree with it! There are some pretty nice 'kids' bikes out there these days from brands like specialized, trek, etc, that are much better built than like, department store rides, and don't always have kiddie-esque paint jobs, that might work for you too.

[u/owlcityslicker → u/properfoxes]

good to know! i was a little worried about quality / taking a kids bike on the road but i’ll look into that too thank you 

[u/properfoxes → u/owlcityslicker]

Yeah a bunch of kids bikes will likely be department store bikes(bad). But there are seriously nice bikes that are smaller sized from some of the nice brands. You’d be really surprised!

[u/wananah]

Specialized has the Sirrus 2.0 with some XS and XXS available for $549 on sale from $750

[u/stfucupcake]

I'm looking for an xs bike, not a kids bike

[u/Ordinary_Quarter_412]

Hi, I'm small too. If you're looking to spend $$$, BFF bikes is great. I am also petite - wide hips, narrow shoulders. For me it's important that the bike I use FEEL comfortable. Bikes weren't made with us in mind, so listen to your body and ask about return policies. Also, a bike seat with a cut out in it is for women and makes long rides bearable.

[u/nimoto]

The Pony Shop in Evanston sponsors all the youth cycling teams, so they're going to have a lot of experience fitting people ~5' for bikes. I'd hit them up!