Originally Posted by velocipedia

Hi, everyone! I'm in the market for a small bike for roads, light trails, paths, etc. Essentially a comfortable bike with reasonably upright geometry for all types of recreational riding. I live in the mountains, so even our roads are rough.

I'm short, just under 5 ft, and middle-aged. Haven't really ridden since I was a teenager because I've never found a bike that fits me well. I did a longer thread a while ago on outfitting my Surly LHT (42cm), and she went from a lovely drop bar touring setup with 38c tires to a nice upright city setup with 1.95" tires, and she is still not comfortable for me. After about $2000 on this bike, I'm (sadly) ready to sell.

So I'm in the market for a bike with hydro discs, comfortable geometry, possible front suspension (though I like the clean look and lighter weight of a rigid fork, comfort is key, as is correct fit), and a decent drivetrain. My budget is up to $1000 IF it's a near-perfect bike. I've gone from a big, heavy Diamondback comfort bike to a slim, light Trek FX 7.3 (which I liked, but it was too big; 15 yrs ago they didn't have 13" frames), to my heavy-ish Surly, which I cannot get to work for me (and I've stopped trying).

I've been testing out lots of bikes in women's XS (if available) and S (if not): Cannondale Althea; Specialized Ariel and low-entry Roll; Trek DS, FX, and Verve; Liv Rove and Bliss.

The Althea and Ariel had me too stretched out and weren't as comfy as I'd like.
The Roll was super comfy, but feels SO BIG for me, like riding a refrigerator. Big tubes, big saddle, wide bars.
The Trek DS was okay, but again, felt big. And I don't like its looks at all. The FX was light and spright, but not comfy. The Verve was pretty good, though I don't like the look of step-throughs...hate to say it, but looks are important to me! I barely fit the men's small, though (I like the looks better), and my stretched out feeling could be remedied by the adjustable quill stem. A big plus is the 2020s now have hydro discs, woo hoo!
The Liv Rove is great-looking and upright, but standover is too high; I'm right on the top tube. Plus I didn't feel the front suspension helps much with the thinner tires. The Bliss felt good, lots of standover and the suspension was nice, though I'm not as upright, but...the components are so low-end; even the Bliss 1 has only mechanical discs and Tourney/Altus front/rear derailleurs. And there's no internal cable routing or any higher-end features. The equivalent Giant versions are higher end for the same $$, I think.

Do any of you have suggestions or advice for me? I've struggled to find a small enough bike for decades now and since I've spent so much on ill-fitting bikes or bikes that don't feel right, I want my next purchase to be The One. I wonder if the Rove can be outfitted with 26" tires, which gets me lower to the ground and better proportioned to my size. (On 700c, I feel I'm on stilts and don't feel stable; I have 26" wheels on my Surly, but the ride is too rough, and the cantis stink!)

I like the 26/2.1" tires on the Bliss, and it's a small bike that's proportional to me. But it just seems so low end. Having to swap things out and sink more $$ into it to get it the way I (think I ) want it reminds me of trying to get my Surly done right. What if it doesn't work? I'd just like a bike that works without a major overhaul from the get-go!

Thank you for any help/advice/insight you can give this wanna-be rider! 👍🙏