She’s after a mountain bike, however, like most women, she’s obsessed with weight 🙂

It doesn’t help that her other bike (which was her first ever ‘proper’ bike’) is a Kona Super Dew, which has a scandium frame and loads of carbon parts and weighs approximately bugger all, so whenever we look at mountain bikes she thinks they’re all really heavy.

So, with a budget of a grand (with possibly a little room to manoeuvre), what suggestions can anyone come up with for something (comparitively) light?

Thought about a Whippet, but I get the feeling that they be a bit too ‘racy’ and not really that suitable for a newbie. But, of course, everything light is going to be racy… Grr!

Rock Lobster TIG Team SL?

Light, compact, well made, high quality tubing, good spec and decent value.

Rides very well too.

Hmm, bit left-field, but I like it.

‘Owt else?

I’ve just switched mrsbunk Specialized Myka frame out for a Dialled Holeshot frame – the spesh frame is unbelievably light. The bars/stem and seat-tube seemed to be made out of concrete though…

Check the sizing on some of the mens frames – long top tubes aren’t always great for the ladies.

Giant Arete

Second the Rock Lobster, as the slightly shorter top tube might suit a lady really well.

On-One’s seemed to be made for people with very long torsos and very short legs. Gibbons? As a smaller person, I don’t feel comfortable on something like a 16″ which is meant to be ‘small’. Just feels like a barge.

Kinesis do some really nice lightweight frames too.

Value for money, Merlin (Rock Lobster) are hard to beat. Some right barggains about.

The Tig Team SL frame (Easton Elite Tubing so pretty decent) is only £200 atm, proper bahgin.

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop/Frame++Forks/Frames+-+MTB/Merlin++Rock+Lobster+Frames/Rock+Lobster+TIG+Team+SL+Frame_694.htm

I’m sure Merlin could sort a decent build out for a grand. Or you could scout around for decent S/H stuff. Wait until January when folk are skint, need to pay bills, aren’t doing much biking, need to flog stuff off to raise cash. Take advantage of others’ woes…

I’d have thought a Whippet too – or stretch to a Carbon 456?

thebunk – Member

I’ve just switched mrsbunk Specialized Myka frame out for a Dialled Holeshot frame – the spesh frame is unbelievably light. The bars/stem and seat-tube seemed to be made out of concrete though…

Thanks for that info, I wondered why my fiances tiny Myka is so hefty.

I have a Whippet and it wouldn’t be my first suggestion for a woman as the average woman has longer leg and shorter torso than the average man. On-one make bikes long for their size.

Elfinsafety – Member

On-One’s seemed to be made for people with very long torsos and very short legs. Gibbons?

I think they are made for people who buy frames that are too small, so flickable you see 🙄

Saw that Giant Arete on the Pauls site, cracking value, can’t find any reviews though.

I think a 456 will be massively more bike than she needs, plus I have a cro-mo one, and she can’t have a better bike than me 🙂

She’s 5’7″, classic long leg short torso build so the Whippet is probably a no-no too as I suspected.

I’ll have a look at Mykas

Anyone know anyone with a Corratec?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=71789

I think they are made for people who buy frames that are too small, so flickable you see

Oh, right, you mean long people who don’t want to look like they’re riding a gate? 😉

Mrs W is rather fond of her Diva. In budget in the standard version, well above it in the Pro version.

why not get a boardman pro thingamy and then swap the frame for something which suits her a bit more? normally more price efficient than getting a full bike from orange etc