We have just moved to the Austrian Alps and my wife has started to take an interest in mountain biking. She currently rides a 100mm hardtail(GF Hoo Koo E Koo). I want to get her a new bike to boost her confidence but I cannot decide what type to get.

Most of the rides around here are 500 metre plus climbs and then decents on quite technical steep singletrack or fire roads. She has no problems going up hill but she lacks confidence on anything technical down hill.

Do I get her a Full Supension or leave her with the hardtail to improve her skills? Also I’m not sure which travel to get if I get a full suspension machine. Everybody around here seems to have 160mm bikes like the Spesh Enduro, but might be overkill.

D.

Ask her?

mrs rocket has a HKEK and as you say it is a fine singletrack bike but it’s all wrong for descending. I’ve tried to make it more DH-friendly but as always it compromises its climbing and singletrack ability so she lives with the hair-raising descents.

If it’s any help my mrs has ridden most of my bikes and although they are possibly a little too large for her (she’s 5’8″ I’m 6’2″) she doesn’t like any of them – the FS trail feels like it’s dragging an anchor and the freeride/mini-DH feels like a motorbike without an engine (her words :-))

Ask her? That’s crazy! Seriously though, she doesn’t really know much about bikes and is leaving it to me. Maybe the best thing is to try and get a demo for her on a few sample bikes. Better polish my german up as they don’t speak much English in the LBS!

Are there any guides in the area that would be able to give her a few skills courses?

Yes the club I ride with the guide has already offered so that’s sorted.

Any bike which :

A) is not too heavy to pedal

B) is easily adjustable for her size/weight

C) has good brakes to stop

i.e. a bike she will enjoy riding is the perfect one to grow confidence on!

Canyon AM? Zesty? Something light and responsive but fine for more technical riding.