Hi Folks

After some ideas/advice on a new bike for 'me bird'.

She's been off the bike for a while but has expressed an interest in getting back into riding again… was thinking about building something up for her along the lines of a 456 or mmmbop or even a second hand SC chameleon if I can find one.

She's 5'6" but only weighs around 8 and bit stone so I do have concerns that she'll just find something of this style a bit heavy to heft around (we live in the Peak District). Riding is likely to be steep ups and downs and plenty of loose rock etc so the idea of a long travel hardtail with some adjustable travel forks seems to suit.

Just not sure if she'd be better off on a lighter more xc orientated machine?

Anyone got any views or experiences?

specialized myka? As she's light she won't need what is an essentially overbuilt heavier bike. I would have thought a chameleon especially will feel very harsh. I built a Myka up for my girlfriend recently and we went to the peaks the other week, she loved the lowish weight on the ups and the swoopy top tube and womens bars, grips and forks for the downs. They are very well thought out. A larger size than the 13.5" below will come with longer forks.

I'm 5'3" and 8 n a bit stone.

I ride a Chammy. It's awesome 😀

Stiff is the only true way!

Chammy's are great as they are nice n short in the top tube. If she likes them peaks rocks then the Chammy is a great choice with some proper forks on the front 8)

Thanks LB

I agree with the comments re. overbuilt bikes for small folk.

Interestingly enough, my daughter has one of these Spesh Mykas..(slightly lower spec than the one above) which my wife has ridden and enjoyed but felt that she'd like something with a bit more travel that would inspire her confidence (and provide more fun) on the downs as well as not being too lardy for the ups.

Trouble is everything seems to be particularly burly which then seems overkill for someone light. Does such a thing exist?

Nice pic LGB 8)

Do you find your's a fag on the uphills?

Looks like it's worth it for the downs. Is it as harsh to ride as rumoured?

Cheers

norb

It depends on how I'm running it – before this incarnation I had 160 mm QR forks with ETA on the front….if I dropped the ETA then it was fine for pretty much everything climbing wise, but with them at 160 mm it does feel a little like you would fall off the back on the really steep climbs. Certainly for the peaks though, it's been fine climbing wise.

I put pikes on it last week and took it round the Monkey at Cannock – for that kind of undulating stuff, the 140 mm upfront was great both up and down, cleaned all the switchbacks n that easily going up and was a storm going down.

With those 160 bombers on (in the pic) it's a fair bit heavier and stiffer as they are a bodged pair of coils, but, you know, I didn't really notice the weight change pedalling uphill anywhere near as much as when I changed from the light (pro-comp hubs with stans oly rims) to my heavier (pro II's on mavic 325's) wheels. I think the wheelset and tyre choice makes the biggest difference in terms of weight and climbing ease.

I do ride this bike on all day epics regularly. Mind you, I hate climbing with a passion (it's all about the downs for me!) so if your OH is a nimble XC machine and gets her kicks outta of cleaning every climb then my bike set-up probably wont suit.

In terms of harshness….I honestly cannot understand what all the fuss is about tbh. I don't have any problem with it. It's been round the peaks, ridden on DH stuff, regularly gets blatted round Malvern and I still love it.

Cheers LGB

Was thinking that I could build it with more of an XC focus to start with and then can always upgrade later on.

I think I read somewhere that the newer SC Chameleons were a bit more flexy than the original ones?

Any other views on whether it's worth having a burly hardtail for someone who's a lightweight? if not any other alternatives?

No matter what you build up, us lighter ladies are always going to have that problem choice of, light bike to get up hills better, or something heavier but bomb proof for the rocky descents.

I always tell people to go out and try a few on demo days.

I have an On One nick named the mountain goat, also a SC Juliana, both ridden all the time in the Peaks.

What type of One One do you have Bunnyhop?… and how do you find it weight wise / riding wise?

Any other thoughts on a good trail bike for the laydeeez?

Cube WLS SL nice hard tail which is awesome and light for going up the hills but has taken some bashing going downs and is good too! I love it but I think a lot will depend on the kind of downs you are riding and her confidence. I also have a 2005 Giant Reign 2 (when they were heavy) now that I find a real drag for the ups, which is why I got the Cube TBH. I LOVE the Cube.

norbert – it's just the basic inbred. Was an SS when I got it, but had gears put on straight away, me no do SS lol.