Short Top Tube Step-thru or Mixte frame

Advanced apologies for mix of imperial and metric here.

My Gf currently rides a mixte frame slightly too big for her, 22" Seat Tube with saddle dropped right down, Top Tube (measured from Top of Seattube to Top of headtube) is about 54cm.

Her main problem with it now preggers has been the reach - it was just about manageable before, but now simply too long with a bump reducing her range of movement to lean forward.

She's looking at 17" Frames, but the reach on the one she has set her mind on is 577mm, which is longer than what she's got. She's of a mind to compensate for this with an adjustable stem set to upright position - for which the handling wouldn't be v.nice I guess?

I'm off with Tape Measure to re-measure it in the shop, but meanwhile can anyone here with industry knowledge recommend any shorter Top Tube step thru / mixte frames we could check out from the manufacturers?

Any help much appreciated.

Swan neck stem turned the wrong way around combined with swept back bars?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kalloy-SHORT-REACH-High-Rise-STEM-25-4mm-1-quill-swan-neck-fixed-forged-town-/380474168215

wouldn't that handle like the forks were backwards? any examples of that setup you can link to?

my missus could be interested in your 22 inch frame if selling ... any pic's?

I've always felt that mixte frames were pretty compact in the VTT length. I have a long back and I find them cramped. But some do have a low stack height, particularly the racing models. If you buy a dutch bike stem, that would bring the steering position back in towards the rider by maybe 50mm and up almost as much as 310mm (see link below). Plus, with the head tube angle, those tall stems will bring the steering position even closer to the rider - quick bit of trigonometry should tell you how much. I'd guess at around 10cm though

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190679404415?var=490067387164&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I have two mixte frames out in the bike shed, one of them is definitely higher at the front than the other so they do vary a fair bit. I'll head out and measure them later, so I have accurate numbers.

Don't forget about the seat tube angle, for some reason smaller frame have a steeper seat angle that increase the reach (if saddle is adjusted properly).

1 degree more = 1cm longer top tube.

Go for a sweep back bar, my girlfriend's bike have a 54cm TT despite a 51cm ST, but with Porteur handlebar, it fit her nicely.

All points noted, including interest in 22" frame. The current setup uses sweep back bars which I put on to replace flat bar in attempt to make it shorter.

The situ we're now at is that the longer frame (by tape measure) feels shorter I'm told, despite the facts. Need to get both bikes together and take some comparison pics etc. Hope the shop don't mind!

my missus could be interested in your 22 inch frame if selling ... any pic's?

Stripping this down now, so if interested still then drop me a line.

p.s. picked up an xs specialised vitus 2nd hand which seems to be a much better fit if not a true strep thru however.

Old Mixte now stripped down. It's very light, thin tubing. Be cool to know who built it, but not much to go on.

I'd say with reasonable certainty that it is a Dawes, the headtube lugs are identical to a Dawes Londoner Mixte frame we had, as is the band connecting the mixte tubes to the seat-tube. The colour is probably about right too.
The earlier variant of the Raleigh Royale has slightly differing head lugs though they are quite similar overall, the later Royal Lady has a very plain head tube lug.
Both Dawes and Raleigh made 22" lady frames for sure.

Cool, cheers for the info.

Saw these Ridley womens frames in Chainreaction sale.

Modern mixte/hybrid type frame with a 4za carbon fork and mudguard eyes for under £200. Might build a bike for the wife as a surprise.

Built look like this

Some wiseass pulled me up for using the term "mixte" inappropriately, so I'm passing it on to you, adoubletap. On mixte frames, the lowered "top tube" goes all the way to the rear dropouts, usually as a pair of narrower tubes, or sometimes a single to where it meets the seat tube, then doubling up from there to the rear dropouts.

I think the universe will now raise to your attention the next misuse of the term, and it's your job to pass on this piece of crucial wisdom.

Hi, is the frame still on sale? I'm 168cm, do you think it would fit? If yes, would you be happy to ship it to Manchester? Many thanks!

The frame still available, whereabouts in Manchester are you, as that's where it is already - Chorlton-ish.

Hi, I'm in Didsbury :) Would you mind if I had a look at it tomorrow evening? How much do you want for it?

Tomorrow evening not great, but later in week fine. PM me your mobile number and we'll sort it that way. Ta, A.

Could do Thursday and Friday evening as well... I'm a new member here so I have to wait 24h until I'm able to send private messages. Will contact you again tomorrow night with my mobile phone number. Speak to you soon!

Plans changed, this evening good if good for you? I'll pm you my number.

^ won't let me message you either, not gonna post my number publically. mmm, how to fix... are you on twitter etc?

Hi, I should be able to read/send private messages in 2-3h... shall we do it on Thursday or Friday evening instead? I'm not on Twitter, sorry.

Ok no worries, Thursday is good for me, gave me chance to tinker with bikes instead this evening. Send me yer number and we'll make plans.