What size bike please

[Littlesandjoolz]

Hi.

I'm trying to find a ladies bike for someone who is 5'1"

I'm so confused. I know nothing about bikes and the sizing is confusing me. Some adverts seem like they are saying the height of the bike and then some seem to be saying the size of the wheel. And shes not that strong so do they make lighter bikes?

Can someone please offer some advise? I really don't want to mess this up and I'd be so grateful. Thank you.

If you look on the website of whichever type of bike you are looking at it should give you both the bike dimensions and the height of the rider it is suitable for. I have a liv bike and that website does this.

In terms of bike weight you are probably at the more expensive end for a particularly light bike or a commuter bike with smaller wheels. I wouldn't want a bike with smaller wheels though as you will need to pedal more.

When will she need to lift it?

at your height a 26 inch might be better than 'standard' adult 28.
the distance from tip of saddle to handle bar should be roughly ellbow-finger tips. your legs should be almost stretched to reach the pedal in the down position, but if you start out you might want the saddle lower until you feel secure balancing when standing.

you need to go and try a few. a good shop will be able to set it up for you.

and a heavy bike doesn't necessarily mean that it is heavy to ride. but of course if you need to carry it up/down stairs regularly then weight must be a consideration.

What kind of bike do you want to buy - road, mountain, hybrid...?
What kind of riding will she do?
Budget?
If you can give that info, I can give some pointers as I'm sure others will.

What's the bike for? Commuting, road riding, mountain biking? Is the rider a novice? Lighter is generally more expensive but a lot depends on what the bike is for. Unless you're actually going to be lifting it up stairs on a regular basis frequently, the weight is generally not that critical.

I'm 5'2" and ride a Liv womens bike in size XS. It fits me very well. That size is broadly equivalent to a 49-51cm frame size.

You really want to try out the bike before you buy it - as an example, one poster is 5'2" and has a Liv XS frame. I'm 5'4", so only a little taller, but had a Liv M frame; however I had different handlebars fitted to make it work for me. The Liv S felt too small. We have a very friendly independent bike shop near me, who have been really helpful with this (and I've not had expensive bikes).

Omg thank you everyone so so much.

@GOODCAT I think she'll only need to lift it in and out of the car.
@redboxer321 about £500 but more if its perfect. I have no idea if that's doable. Its not for commuting or anything. Just for fun, into town.
@DreadPirateRobots Shes pretty much a novice, hasn't riden since being a teenager.
@whoateallthecookies That's a great idea, ill have a Google for somewhere local

If it's just for knocking around then a hybrid bike is probably sensible - it's a compromise between a road bike and a mountain bike in terms of weight and spec so it's heavier than a road bike but able to cope with more varied terrain.

Why would it be going into the car, though? Bikes are awkward to transport by car unless they are folding or you buy a rack.

As others have said, it depends very much on what kind of bike you are looking for and what your budget is. Frames for mountain bikes are sized very differently to road bike frames for instance. A 50cm road bike would be comparatively small but a 50cm mountain bike would be pretty big.
If it's just for shortish trips on road you'd probably be looking for a hybrid - like a road bike but with flat bars. Personally I wouldn't bother with anything with suspension if there's no plans for riding off road. Suspension forks are heavy, especially on inexpensive bikes and don't really add a lot to every day riding. They're also something else to maintain and with the potential to go wrong. They're useful for off road riding of course but if you're planning to just ride on tarmac, I'd stick to a rigid frame.
Something like this maybe?
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Liv-Thrive-2-2023-Hybrid-Sports-Bike_249407.htm?sku=852914&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Liv&utm_campaign=shopping&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvpy5BhDTARIsAHSilylv2vIhS-FoEFoe7b4ZMHHFuUfYgBSoPe65O-z-K8pRwhw0zMHBr7MaAgEXEALw_wcB
At your price point, I'd probably be looking at second hand though to be honest - you can get a lot more bike for your money that way - but you'd probably need someone who knows what they are looking for to go with you.
People have different views on women's specific bikes. As a small woman (I'm just 5ft) I do think that female specific geometry makes a difference, though I have plenty of friends who ride unisex/men's bikes with no issue. It really does vary a lot from person to person.
I know you might be planning this as a surprise gift, but honestly, you would be much better off taking the person in question to a good few bike shops and getting her to at least sit on as many different bikes as possible as one person's dream bike is another's nightmare!

At 5'1", it would be worth looking up Islabikes on ebay (they're no longer sold new). Superb bikes, scaled down for smaller people! Either a 26" or a 700c wheel.
Another brand to try is Canyon: I don't know much about them, but a few clubmates who are 5' tall have them. The frames look suitably small.
Bike sizing isn't easy to understand! I am 5'2" and prefer a 49cm frame. I can get away with the 26" Islabike, but prefer the 700c for sizing - although a clubmate who is the same size as me says she prefers the 26" to the 700c. Good luck!

Few things to look out for:
Carbon forks - keeps weight down and more comfortable
I wouldn't get suspension forks as she won't need them and you'll get a better bike overall if you stick to rigid
Hydraulic brakes - much better for most riding than mechanical or rim brakes
1x8/9/10 set up - single ring upfront, 8/9/10 or so cog at the rear. It keeps things simpler, keeps the weight down, less to go wrong, cheaper to replace and you don't need heaps of gears for that type of riding. 2x would be fine too but 1 preferable.

You likely won't get all that but gives you an idea of what to look out for.

Size would likely be xs or small in womens. Kid's bike is a good shout too but make sure it's got big enough wheels - at least 26in
I actually wouldn't go second hand any more. Easy to get ripped off and price of servicing bikes like most things have gone through the roof. You could get a good deal obviously but it's a risk.

Have a look at Evans website. Lots of good deals on Specialized Sirrus, Trek FX series, Pinnacle and Cube.
Halfords have Boardman bikes which are ok. Make sure it is set up properly before you ride as Halfords don't tend to be best at setting a bike up. You'd be best taking it to a local bike shop for a check.

If you are happy with ex display, this is an absolute steal:
2022 Orbea Carpe 10 Unisex Alloy Hybrid Bike in Red (rmcycles.co.uk)

Or if you want to go against most of that and want a mountain bike this would be a good shout:
Liv Tempt 0 2022 Womens Bike - Womens Bikes - Bikes (winstanleysbikes.co.uk)

@Littlesandjoolz On second thoughts, I think the Orbea even in xs might be a bit big. Standover height is quite high. That means if your friend were to stand over the bike with her feet on the floor, the top tube would likely be too high and would at some point cause her to hurt herself. Have a look online, it's hard to explain. It's a shame because it's a great deal. She would probably be better off with a bike with a sloped top tube or at least a lower standover height. You can find info like this in geometry charts on the manufacturers websites.

I'm 5'2" but my proportions are skewed - longer legs, shorter torso and arms.

I tried a few bikes in shops - I recommend this - and decided 14" frame was right. I also made sure to get adjustable handle bars too for my short arms. I wanted a step-thru frame - dodgy back - and prefer being more upright anyway. I'm pootling about, not competing in Tour De France.

That Orbea that @redboxer321 suggested is a cracking deal! I'd be staggered if it is too big as an XS

When you sit on the bike, with one pedal at the bottom of its circuit, your leg, when the middle of your foot is on the pedal, should be straight and locked. This would mean that when you have the ball of your foot on the pedal, your leg would be slightly bent.

This is likely to mean that when you stop you need to come forward off the saddle, because only your very tiptoes would reach the ground.