Hello,

Ive just been directed to this forum from another thread relating to ‘should we have a womens forum’. Having loved the SheCycles site which has now closed down, I thought I would be a big girl, be brave and post on here instead.

I need a new bike, I have previously had my boyfriends castoffs and at the moment have a 2007 trek top fuel which to be fair, I am bored of and is a bit knackered – more from his brutal riding than my more delicate sessions on it. I don’t know what sort of bike to go for – woman specific or chaps bike? I am 5ft6, average kinda build and ride mostly cross country with a bit of technical stuff thrown in here and there. Recently tried a Pitch pro and loved it but now can’t get hold of the bloody things for love nor money. Cube ladies ams comp has been suggested……. on a budget of about £1500, £2000k max.

Any thoughts/suggestions would be welcome!

Thanks xx

2009 Scott Contessa Spark 35

where are you based? Redplanetbikes in Swindon have one, don’t know what size or model it is, probably worth a call though as I think you may be able to get a good deal in it? 😉

that said the cube would be a good option, again if you’re around wiltshire try thebigadventurestore also in Swindon

Cubes are good value as they’re are one of a few that haven’t pushed their prices up, also worth a look is the giant trance wsd, proven frames…..

Oh and welcome.

Thanks, I am in Hereford so Swindon might be a bit of a trek but will ask around my locals see if can get a look at the scott.
Thanks x

In terms of value and ride, definitely a cube- the girls I ride with seem to be buying them left right and centre. That or Giants.

why not get the enduro, its basically a more expensive pitch, just had a quick look at the evans cycles website and they have a few there on sale in small and medium.

hello.

try to trial as many bikes as possible; find a good local bike shop that will order them in for a nominal fee (normally £30) and take it of if (when) you buy a bike. or get to a demo day.

sounds like your going for a full sus rather than a hardtail?

you need to think about how much travel to get: top fuel is 100mm pitch pro is 140mm.

somewhere in the middle is *probably* a good compromise (massively sweeping statement)

140mm bikes
pitch pro
commencal 5.5
orange 5 (diva)
felt compulsion
marin quad trail 140 bikes

120mm
marin quad 120mm
comencal meta 4
orange st4
trek fuel ex

sorry for the ramble!!

Depnds what you want really, and I would echo the test ride it comments above, but my wife is about the same height as you and rides an Orange Diva. Nothing bad to say about it really. Like all the Five variants it rides like a bike. Yes there are faster climbers out there, but the pay back is the planted descending. And as for maintenance – well my 2005 Five hasn’t needed any on the pivot or the shock – though to be fair the shock could probably do with it. (All chain rings, cassette, several chains and forks would tell a different story but that would be the same on any bike)

You used to get a good deal by buying the basic model without forks but with the wheel upgrade and then spec’ing a fork of your choice – that’s what we did.

That said a friend’s wife got the Spesh Stumpjumper FSR (also a nice bike)and got an astounding deal on it – the men’s one fitted better than the women’s though, so it may be worth checking out both sexes (as it were).

oh, yes I’d definitely say check out the orange 5 (diva or regular five) fantastic bikes

Orange diva or Santa Cruz Juliana are lovely, but my wife won’t let me buy here one. 🙁

You can try one at the weekend at Afan on one of their demo days here: Demo Day

Or as you have a specialized dealer near you:

5 it

ahhh sorry hadn’t realized Juliana’s had gone up by sooooo much, but could maybe build up from a frame?

Emma, don’t know what your local bike shop is in Hereford, but if you ever get over to Worcester at all, pop into Worcester Cycle Centre as they do Specialized and Trek, and IMO both these 2 companies seem to offer the best in terms of VFM and proven designs within the price bracket you’ve described. They also seem to do a wealth of sizes in most bikes, including Women’s Specific ones (at 5ft 6 it’s probably personal choice as to whether you’d ride a Medium WSD bike, or a Small Man’s bike).

If you find a small sized Specialized Pitch at all though, I think you already know what to do! 😉

Oh, and the Cannondale Prophet (1 or 2, £1100 or £1500 respectively) are also well worth a look, 140mm travel both ends, light enough to ride all day yet tough enough to ride DH on them too.

i spoke to someone at Evans cycles this morning about the specialized pitch (is that the one with 140 mm travel your on about ? he told me that bike was bit of an Enduro bike really and more suitable for downhill riding mostly due to the longer travel forks…
cross country he suggested (which is what im after suggesting the ‘specialized safire comp’….
also i have been looking on the website at the Cannondale Rush womens bike – due out 10th march …
but unlike me you have alot more height about you so you could get away with a mans bike….. im only just 5ft small so a mans bike for me (the standover reach is not good…. so i have to stick with womens bikes really.. and get a small framed bike…. im looking at getting full suss but prob stick with specialized…..i like their bikes !

The wife tried a woman specific and hated it and she is about your height, make sure that you try LOTS before you buy, she ended up with a Trance and loves it.

I have no idea what hereford bike shops are like but i reccomend you pop over the border to abergavenny. 3 good bike shops- M+D/ gateway and bikebase cover nearly all brands and M+D supply marin and specialized plus are top blokes too. I have recently bought a mount vision off em and couldnt reccomend them higher.

So about 20 miles away and you get the bonus of a visit to wales- enuff said!

Well as said before try as many bike as you can.
Don’t really focus on small bits but more on how the bike feels.
Minor things such as mechs, shifters or stem aren’t as expensive as fork or wheels to change.

Kona have a nice range in ladies. So does rocky moutain or trek. Then as said above try to see how much travel do you have.
Mens bikes might fit to… Don’t knock them down…

Juan

Have a look at Lapierre

I would say that with your height you won’t necessarily have to look at women’s specific, obviously an advantage.

I’ve no experience of others but have been seriously happy with my old style Juliana, I believe they come in at just under £2K now. Travel of 100mm is fine for me, I like my wheels on the ground. Changed the shock to a pro-pedal and just about everything else has been upgraded.

There does seem to be loads of choice now but obviously your problem will be demo’ing something in your size. Cue a plea on STW, which is what I have done in the past, and folk have been very kind in stepping forward. But I’m some distance away!

Meant to have said that the two things I will not compromise on now are forks and wheels.

someone mention orange diva….. nice bike but at 2,500 abit expensive…
wish i was taller as im suffering at the moment to find another bike that fits me perfect….being only 5ft 0 inches so having to stick with womens specific and really struggling to find one thats available in the shops at the moment. looked at the marins but they are alittle long really, specialized have a few but not been able to try out as they arent appearing in the shops ?

There’s another of the Singletrack/Silverfish Demo Days at the end of March: 29th at Cwmcarn which isn’t that far from you, might be worth a trip over?
I think the nearest places to you with a high concentration of decent well-stocked shops will either be Bristol (Mud Dock, Specialized Concept Store and Evans) or Cardiff.
FWIW, another vote for Scott or Specialized from me, both do an excellent range of Womens Specific (if that’s what you want/need).

Fat Tread Bikes in Aviemore are selling off some ex-demo bikes.

You’d get a 4-grand Titus Motolite (size small) for £1700. I was in there yesterday and it looks to be in pretty good nick with a top-notch spec.

The pricelist is here. I know it’s probably not very local, but it may be worth a call…

SC

Giant Cypher looks quite nice.

Fat Tread Bikes in Aviemore are selling off some ex-demo bikes.

You’d get a 4-grand Titus Motolite (size small) for £1700. I was in there yesterday and it looks to be in pretty good nick with a top-notch spec.

A friend of mine picked up a Motolite from them at silly price, it was an 06 or 07 demo bike (worth about £4k when new). It fitted her perfctly, she loves it. Said they were really helpful on the phone and the shop owner went to lots of effort, sent her loads of pics of the bike and bits, a full spec list along with the condition each part was in and offered to refund in full if she wasn’t happy. Top service from them.

try the trek ex range, world of difference from the top fuels