cheap road bike for my wife – how?

my wife has decided she wants a road bike and has set her heart on doing things like the glasgow to edinburgh ride and the graeme obree sportif

if it was a mountainbike she wanted i would know where to start but with road bikes im pretty clueless. the other problem is she want it cheap, im talking like £450 and that doesnt seem remotely possibly with a road bike.

is there any way for me to source or build up a cheap bike that will be a bit more ‘woo’ than something like a giant avail 4. she is 5’4″ so im presuming she needs around a 52cm frame. my idea of building something ground to a halt when i scoured the net and decided there is no such thing as a dirty cheap ladies road frame. second hand ladies road bikes seem a bit thin on the ground too.

cheers.

Some of the Iceni frames are pretty cheap if you can find one, the sizing seems to work out quite big though (and aren’t women’s specific).

Otherwise I guess your best bet is to have a hunt around for a 2010 model? Or just someone with a nice sale on.

Don’t get hung up on it having to be a ladies frame.

Unlikely she would fit on a 52 either. I am 5’7″ and normally ride a 53 or 54, though there is so much variation in frame design that this is not fixed.

In general, I would advise spending a wee bit more. Road components were out a lot less quickly than MTB and you won’t be in the same replacement/upgrade cycle.

I got a second hand Trek for about that money. It has done several thousand miles (I think between 5K and 10k, but I haven’t counted up recently), and still works. Obviously you have to change chains, cassettes and tyres, and I replaced the wheels with very strong ones & a dynamo hub to make it more of a commuter/tourer. I don’t know how easy it is to find small road bikes second hand though.

Alternatively, old 10 speed touring bikes are quite fun, can be picked up for next to nothing (like less than a hundred quid), and components last incredibly long. I have a holdsworth that cost £160 second hand when I was 14, rode quite a lot for years with basically no maintenance beyond oiling the chain, changing brake blocks when they went to metal and puncture repair, and it still works fine, my dad seems to ride it a bit now too. The downside is that it is still a little bit more effort to ride than my lovely fast trek, and downtube gear shifters are a bit of an aquired taste, but I’ve done 80-100 mile rides with panniers full of camping gear on it no problems.

Joe

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ALUMINIUM-ROAD-BIKE-FRAME-FORKS-51-54-57-60CM-/380344868213?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&var=&hash=item975813ed67

I just built up a road bike with this frameset and a mix of tiagra & 105 level stuff, cost me about £350 all built up, really good value frameset

she is 5’4″ so im presuming she needs around a 52cm frame.

fit is som important on a road bike. I suggest you go and try a few in a shop and see what fits.

+1 on the sizing – I’m 5ft 8 and ride a 54cm frame. Your missus could require a 50cm.

Ms MW bought a new Specialized Dolce for £450 last year. It was clearance stock from a shop but sold on ebay, so it can be done for the amount you are looking to spend.

Size wise I’d agree with druid, 52 might be a bit big 5’10” here and riding a 54. Ms MW is 5′ and the 44 fits her just fine.

We were very lucky when my wife decided she wanted a road bike as we managed to pick up a perfectly sized Edinburgh Bicycles own-brand ladies bike for £150 in their sales. Unfortunately it looks like they don’t do them now and the entry point for women’s specific bikes seems highish at perhaps £600-650 list.

My wife is only 5’1″ and I think her bike is a 48cm, so the advice on a 50cm for your wife seems realistic.

cheers guys all good advice

If you’re looking for a single-speed Langster, I have an XS sized one for sale…

cheers xiphon but im afraid it has to have gears

This would be perfect size wise but over budget,i would think one a few years older would be in budget

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2010-cannondale-synapsewomens-specific-model

+1 for actually trying the bikes / frames for size.
I’ve just exchanged a 49cm Langster for a 49cm Kona Major One: the Langster was way too small, the Kona is good. The lady with whom I swapped founds the Kona too big but the Langster OK. She’s about 5’5″, I’m about 5’8-9″.