Apologies if there has been a recent thread on this well worn question. If so please post.

Want to get Mrs McBoo a bike now, mostly for pootling in the park with the kids but fingers crossed she gets into it, I can upgrade her later. I think 26" geometry best. This should work

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/talon.2.w/5717/39213/

Any other suggestions around the £500-£600 mark? Doesnt have to be female specific.

Just noticed this on google reader a minute ago. might be of use

http://www.bikemagic.com/gear-news/top-five-500-hardtails/8140.html

Carrera Vulcan, leaving lots of leftover cash for some kit, and a meal out.

Would need to check that she is happy with the feel of a WSD type bike. Talon is quite a reasonable bike. Daughter has a Trek WSD which she likes and wifey now has a new Marin Whiteline – but feels more comfortable on the man frame. Personally, when I have ridden my daughters bike (and an older bike my wife had) the balance on the WSD bikes just feels all wrong. Maybe it works for the ladies but I certainly wouldn't feel confident going up a steep climb on one.

At that sort of price there are quite a few bikes to choose from including the Boardman jobbies from Halfords, Trek, Spesh etc. Generally Marin still seem to be a bit too little bike for too much money. Other options could include a Merlin Malt 2 (although only another £100 or so on top gets the Malt 4). My son has a Malt 4 and rather like it.

Spesh Hard Rock (might have gone up in price since last year). I had one for a while and loved it!

ah good suggestions…..Boardman for sure, and Spec Hardrock……I often see some nifty riders ragging Hardrocks around in the mud.

Go for the Pro version tho as the components are better than the comp version

Other half has a Spesh Myka and loves it.

Boardmans have some laydeez bikes now. Might be worth a look?

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/fi/fi_mtb_comp.html

£699 tho…so probably out the price range.

Mrs rkk01 has been really pleased with one of these…

Canondale F2 Feminine – it's got her back into mtb after sprog break

One of the girls in the office has a Specialized Myka and seems to like it a lot. For SWMBO I built her a bike using a 14" Inbred frame and she gets on well with that.

Mcboo, missus is wanting to sell her trek as she never got into biking, about 3 years old, mint cond.

email if your interested

look at decathalon some decent entry level bikes to be had

Simple, get her a nice new Jump bike. nice and small, fun to ride, looks good and when she's not using it you've got a jump bike.

howsabout a orange diva hardtail? comes in a couple of sizes..http://www.cycle-world.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s24p3363&z=11351

failing that the felt ladies bikes have been selling really well this year..http://www.cycle-world.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s24p0

Other half has a Spesh Myka and loves it.

Same here. She tried a few others, but was sold on this one even though we had to wait a few months for the 2010 models.

They're definitely worth a look.

Mrs APF has a Specialized Myka, she loves it and you do get a lot of kit for your money,

APF

my missus got one of these in white, they do an xs as she 5'1 and great bike, tho forks will need upgrading

http://www.keswickbikes.co.uk/acatalog/Commencal_Normal_Disc.html#a402

I reckon I might well get her to test ride a Hardrock and Myka, see what she likes. How wrong can you go for £300? 29lb, if she spends more she gets disc brakes but more weight so maybe these would be good for now.

……wonder how long it will be until she figures out I spend £300 on a complete bike for her, yet will blow more than that on a rear wheel for my hardtail? Something wrong there…..

Unless you really think she'll start using it in anger i'd get her something cheap and cheerful as it'll probably end up just taking up space in the garage. Did the same thing for my lady last year and ended up blowing around £500-£600 on a 2nd hand Myka Pro which then got better wheels, forks, tyres, cranks etc (bike was £200ish as was in a bit of a state). Used a handful of times and now lives in the shed.

We like to think that they'll get into it like us but the reality is that mostly she won't notice any difference between a £300 and £1000 bike and won't do anything other than tame bimbles. A bike is just a bike to a lot of people – my gf certainly never made any comments about the bike being lighter or smoother etc when i changed cranks and wheels. In all honesty it just gave me an excuse for a little project (it's lighter than all my bikes!).

Save your money and get a 2nd hand one that's not too heavy for starters. Then IF she likes it you can always get something better in the future.

balance on the WSD bikes just feels all wrong. Maybe it works for the ladies

prior to getting a WSD Trek mrs antigee always maoned about backache and didn't really get on with cycling any distance – but immediately loved her Trek (she is only 5ft2 with short arms) i once and once only made the mistake of leaving my bike at home when she was away with her family in the lakes and i thought i'd take her bike out (i'm only 5ft4") and it nearly killed me the position seemed all wrong and very uncomfortable

so message is if mrs is a classic short topped lady then WSD's are well worth considering its not just marketing

go as light as possible

my missus isnt as strong as me (coz im so macho)

but she was really put off by her old bike just because it was so hard to move around – lift out of the car, not just riding it
once she got a lighter bike she was a lot keener to use it

so yes go cheap but watch the weight

Went through a few male bikes before going for a WSD, went with a Giant Arete in the end, depending on size you need:
http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s24p1173
http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s24p1694

Speaking from the female perspective, I'm in agreement with kimbers: go for light.

But also go for style if a girl loves her bike, has a sense of ownership of it (ie. get her to choose it herself) then she will be more inclined to use it often.

My firt mtb was a hideous Halfords monstrosity, £90 and lasted me a week's holiday in Edale. Great for a taster (I thought of it as disposable) but really heavy and clunky, I had to work so bloody hard it nearly put me off! At first I thought I was rubbish, but realised it was the bike. So after that, I became determined, did my research and went for a Scott Contessa 30 (2009) reduced in the sale. I lurrrv my bike. 🙂

Joolz