In a message dated 4/12/04 4:13:57 PM Pacific Daylight Time, OROBOYZ@aol.com
writes:
> Let me just warn everyone that just because a bike is of the "Mixte"
> design,
> it does not necessarily have a short effective top tube (which is what you
> are
> seeking to best accommodate a "typical" female proportions of short
> torso....)
>
I've noticed two distinct types of female bodies in regard to bike fit. One is long torso, short legs, the other is short torso long legs. However, it's more complicated than it is with guys. In both cases (of the female types) the thigh portion of the leg is long and the calf portion is short. You can see an example of this if you ever ride a bus. I've noticed men sitting next to women where they both had the same length thighs and the man's feet were fully on the floor while the woman's were dangling several inches above.
What this means in a frame is that you need a slack seat angle to accommodate the thigh length, a short frame to accommodate the overall leg length, and a short toptube to fit the short torso. That's a tough thing to build with 700c wheels without having a lot of toe clip overlap. Some variation on 26" wheels is definitely a good idea.
Stevan "frame fit starts with seat angle" Thomas Alameda, CA