I want to get my partner a bike for her birthday (yes I have mooted the idea to her and received a positive response). She's not into serious offroad biking and would use it for when we're riding to country pubs and pootling along the towpath. I want to get something of a "reasonable" quality, good enough so it's not a nightmare for her to ride and for me to fettle.
Would £200 - £300 get something to fit the bill? Also where to get it from LBS, Halfords, ...?
Aye. Have a look at something like Bobbins Bikes for ideas. There are plenty of pretty ladies 3 speeds about at the moment for under £300.
If you want something a bit faster and less pretty, go for a Ridgeback - they do a good range of hybrids. Or EBC.
Decathlon do a fair range of hybrids and cheapy MTBs too.
s/h?
We sell the Dawes Mojave at that price. Decent standard of kit on it and has mudguard and rack already fitted.
Loads of them if you start to look. Go for something hybridesque, avoid suspension forks (wibbly and heavy) and look at the tyre sizes - there's lots of flat bar road bikes with 25/28c tyres that are great on the road but a real handful off it. Look for a 32c plus for comfort and you'll be right.
Cheers for the advice, looks like I'll be able to find something ok. I have a sneaky hope that she'll get really into it and start MTBing for real, but that'll probably need another bike unless I go s/h.