My wife has just said she might like a bike for Christmas! A long way off I know, but with current availability that might be no bad thing. But what to get?
I'm quite chuffed about this, I mainly do mtb and very little road riding but the idea of country lane pootling with my OH really appeals. 27 or so years ago when stationed in Germany with the army, we bought some "Huffy" BSOs from the US PX and had great fun on them for a couple of years, even putting kiddie carriers on them for our 2 ankle biters. The ankle biters are now 30 and 32 and both keen cyclists so the idea of a family ride when we get together again is even more appealing.
She has no interest in riding off road, she doesn't fancy drop bars so I'm thinking some kind of flat bar hybrid thingy? Any suggestions for one, or any other types we should consider? We would probably look to spend about £600 to £800.
Mrs Nobeer knocks out decent mileage these days, on the bike below, it's superb, she got it through Cyclescheme for around 30 quid a month, can't recommend it highly enough.
Cheers NBITF that looks good, thanks.
I bought my wife a Kona Coco.
She hadn't ridden in 15 years and just wanted to ride to the shops. Now she is keen to ride it a bit further.
Not advice on a specific bike, but I'd definitely say to try and get something with a single chainring. Last thing a non-cyclist wants to worry about is two shifters and when to shift front vs. rear. One shift lever for easier, one for harder.
Not advice on a specific bike, but I’d definitely say to try and get something with a single chainring. Last thing a non-cyclist wants to worry about is two shifters and when to shift front vs. rear. One shift lever for easier, one for harder.
Mrs Nobeer is a perfect example, she just stays in the middle ring, aw the time. The only reason I've left the triple on is that she's showing an interest in some multi day tours, and she'll need the wee ring then.
If it was my money it would be a 650b one of these: https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-hybrid-al/
Good advice all, thanks. I would prefer to get her a bike without a front deraileur but most of the hybrids I've looked at so far (admittedly not many) seem to have 2x or 3x set ups.
Look for a euro tourer / utility bike type thing? Hub gears, laid back comfy riding position but most importantly let her choose ( with a bit of guidence)
Stretch your budget to a grand and look at a Carrera Subway eBike?
I know this is moving the thread a bit but I found that Mrs BigJohn's idea of a nice ride was starting to get quite different to my idea. Shorter, slower, flatter. I'd always put our rides in a different category to my rides with mates, and I enjoy them both.
I splashed out on a Giant Dirt-e E-bike for her. It's the best biking purchase I've made. Now when we ride together, whether I'm on my road bike or mountain bike we can do it together at my speed for my duration. It's really made a positive change.
Got my non cycling wife an Isla Bike Beinn 29. £600, 1x10, quality parts, great customer service with 90 day return if not satisfied. End result is one happy cycling wife!
I was going to do some digging but that Isla that Andycs suggests looks bang on.
In addition, don't be a man and choose the bike for her, get her involved in the process. And make sure you have a few quid spare to buy a saddle or 2 for her.
Amateurs. OBVIOUSLY she wants one of the m new transition spurs and maybe start her off easy with a ride like the four passes, or a week in final ligure, then if she's not keen I can take the bike off your hands. Medium, please. You're welcome.
Have a look at Whyte Bikes, my missus whom also decided she wanted a new bike and shall we say also has shortage of leg, liked the compact nature of their compact range.
https://whyte.bike/collections/womens-compact-fit
She finds the fit very good, and is single chainring to add confidence and reduce the perceived complexity.
I can't believe none of the posts yet point out the staggeringly obvious. She wants one of your old bikes. You will obviously then need to replace it with a new bike.
Lol at thestabiliser 🙂 Deffo going to get her involved in the choosing, with some diplomatic nudges if required.
Isla bikes are 5 miles from my house, always thought of them as just selling kids bikes. I'll take a look 👍
My wife got a Cannondale Quick and it is what it says it is, a quick hybrid, it's quite a nice bike.
Its a slippery slope though.....
9 months later she got a carbon road bike
9 months after that she did a century
Now she has a gravel bike, did the festive 500, regularly commutes 25 miles round trip to work, is addicted to buying designer cycling gear, has a hotline to Wiggle, goes on cycling holidays, wants to do tour climbs, wants to go bike packing
Won't do mtb though (yet)
Isla bike in 1x10 flavour, plus budget for better saddle, new helmet and gloves.
We live in a hilly area and I only get to ride with my wife as she has an ebike. She's not as keen a rider as I am and used to get no pleasure from riding uphill, so didn't ride very often. We now ride together once or twice a week and I'm fitter than I was as I have someone to chase uphill.
For us, the ebike was definitely worth the additional cost.
Might seem obvious but ask her what kind of bike she likes the look of or has dreams of riding. A Pashley style upright or a drop bar tourer, hybrid, even a BMX. Depends whether she sees herself pootling with a wicker basket and long flowing skirts through meadows, styling it on the pump track or just riding to the shops.
All of the above are great but probably lean towards a different bike.
PS our neighbours daughter got an Isla hybrid when she was 18 and found it a great bike.
Temple cycles stepthrough lightweight,
Ordered my wife one, 14 week waiting list but built to order in the UK and lovely looking thing.
Temple cycles stepthrough lightweight,
Ordered my wife one, 14 week waiting list but built to order in the UK and lovely looking thing.
My daughter has a Temple tourer and it is a lovely looking bike.
Leaning towards the Isla at the moment. As they are local we will go and speak to them. Thanks all.
It looks like you've already had lots of great advice, but I guess all I would add is that I think your plan of taking her to Islabike (or anywhere else she can try a bike out) is excellent.
I don't think it's necessarily a factor of gender, but I've definitely found the bikes I've enjoyed the most have been the ones that have fitted the best rather than the ones that have had the best spec or been the best value.
So yeah, I might be stating the obvious, but trying one out for size and seeing how it feels/rides sounds like an excellent place to start. Good luck with the hunt - fingers crossed she finds a bike she loves.
Leaning towards the Isla at the moment. As they are local we will go and speak to them. Thanks all.
Sounds like a good option- sadly showing out of stock on the website. In all sizes.
Mrs gd is a non cyclist who likes to go for a pedal and is thinking about cycle commuting once work opens.
She has a 26" MTB and we are going to swap it for a hybrid once stock levels come back a bit. Well suited to her needs I think. It would cope with mood off road and local pottering plus the commute.
Got my wife a whyte carnaby (think it was a carnaby). Perfect really. 700c rims, decent 42c tyres, mudguards, 1x drivetrain, hydraulic brakes, funky cool colour. Unfortunately she didn’t ride it many times but the eldest daughter has grown into it so appears to have commandeered it.
Some people have already mentioned these items, however the ergonomic set-up needs to be included in the bike purchase budget. Suggesting the following; single chain ring (for simplicity), a very good women's saddle (I've purchased a few for the wife over the time and she currently likes the Specialized Mimic), bent handle bars (e.g On One Mary bars), ergo hand grips (e.g. Specialized contour)
You’re more likely to end up cycling as a couple if you let her choose the bike.
Properly choose - which means finding demos on Dutch commuter bikes or hybrids or road bikes (with or without flat bars) or e-bikes or Bromptons.
Unless she gets a chance to look at them in the flesh and try them, then there is a very good chance the style of bike will be wrong. The romantic notion of cruising effortlessly along and the reality can require a very different bike.
And where you live and ride makes a difference - Dutch bikes on old railway cycle paths are great, but not so good if there’s a 5-10% incline on your route.
Your job is to assist and defend her against pushy sales people
My missus has an MTB that she simply doesn't like or use now, it's going to be re-kitted and passed on to eldest daughter when she's a bit taller.
The boss has admitted to liking "proper ladies bikes" and after a bit of Image searching we established that means traditional Dutch style bikes with a dropped top tube, relaxed upright riding position and ideally a twee basket on the bars...
I reckon these are a good bet:
They do variations on that bike including leccy assisted jobs, but they generally seem like a sensibly priced option for a casual rider to trundle about town and the odd towpath on...
A tandem.
Since Beginning of March I have not ridden my mtbike, due to local narrow trails and walkers everywhere. I don't have a road bike, so the only way to go riding is on our tandem. I love it!
Really hope your wife gets into her riding. The more women we get out and about seen riding bikes the better. It then becomes normal and will encourage more women riders.
bloke - was just on the Tri Sport Resort site and saw this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridley-Tempo-Woman-Urban-Bike-2020-Grey-Medium-700c/184354676847?hash=item2aec65206f:g:MmcAAOSwDaVfAy2n
Might be of interest.
Deore 1 x 10 set-up
My non-cycling wife wanted a bike a few years ago and we got a Kona Dew Plus on C2W, it is a really nice bike but has been ridden less than 10 times in 5 years!
Light Ali hybrid is the way to go.
I got a trek FX for the ex-mrs wiggles for about £500 which is v brakes and 3x9 (about five years ago) fitted some CX tyres and full mudguards, plenty of bike for canal/family trail riding.
Then I upgraded.
Not the bike, the Mrs and luckily Mrs wiggles mk.ii is the same height so now uses the same bike. She not confident enough to ever do anymore off roading than a rigid hybrid can handle anyway so perfect for when we are all together anyway, then I take the kids on more adventurous stuff myself.
But on the other hand my dad bought my mum a nice trek hybrid a little while after but she had no interest in riding it and only used it once! So don't go splurging too much.
Luckily I managed to sell it for him recently with the added Corona tax for around about what he paid for it brand new about 3 years ago!
Ordered my wife one, 14 week waiting list but built to order in the UK and lovely looking thing.
This is the 80s calling. They want their lady’s Dawes Galaxy back.
My wife has a lovely Dawes hybrid. She has not ridden it in many years. I shall be adding an electric assist and see if she likes it. If not, it’s going on the trike. Double win.