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Any recommendations for a ladies XC bike please? No particular budget or wheel size, but something light and quick. I'm not up with current ranges, so any help or ideas gratefully received.
Wheels will remain firmly on the ground at all times! Lady in question is 5'3" if that matters.
Specialized do some lovely frames/bikes.
really isn't that much that is a ladies bike, of all the women I know that ride/race at most levels I don't think one of them has a "ladies" bike.
So expand your range and check out the previous what XC bike threads. Anything that comes small will probably fit though it might be better to look at things you can test.
Sorry, no suggestions (my Spesh bikes aren't exactly light). But you'll find it challenging to get a test ride, as few shops stock small frames.
Any suitably sized bike will do, unless the person in question absolutely must have a gender-specific frame with pink tyres and flower stickers.
I've found that, generally, bikes marketed as 'womens' tend to be a bit shit and overpriced.
My wife's bike for this seasons xc is a 15.5" carbon trek superfly, with 27.5 wheels, loves it and she's 5'3". Other women were racing 29ers last year and whilst they do small frames Jane couldn't get on with any of them. We've put some better wheels on and a few tweaks, narrower handlebars etc but it was the men's. They are not crazy money for what they are, nice and light and very quick. More shops are looking at the smaller sizes, up til now been a nightmare getting a small fast xc.
Giant do a nice little carbon xc also.
I have an XS Giant Talon 1W that I might be persuaded to part with. Teen 2 has outgrown it and wants a FS. It's a great bike and XS are hard to find as they are built in small numbers.
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2013.giant.talon.1.w/11880/56935/
I am of similar height and have a Yeti asr in xs and a Niner EMD9 in small.