Looking for a bike for the wife, advice please

After having a couple of kids, my wife is now wanting to get back into riding (bikes !). Mostly we will just be on disused railways,loops of lady bower etc with the kids on rear seat / eventually tag along etc.

So, I’m looking for something thats below £800, comfy – I’m thinking a short travel hardtail with fairly skinny tyres rather than fully rigid, possibly 29er so it rolls along nicely, complete bike or frame and forks.

I’ve seen a Charge Faucet, Onone Scandal as complete bikes that look a good price.
Can anyone recommend any others that are good deals at the moment, or have you done the same search for your Mrs bike?

Cheers.

Saracen Kili range looks nice aswell.

I bought a Radon ZR Lady for my wife last year for exactly the same reasons from here.

Amazing level of kit for the price and delivery was hassle-free.

HTH. Stu

Looking for a bike for the wife, advice please

Go on then, I’ll do it ‘…sounds like a fair swap…’

IGMC

I’d suggest looking at a mid-mounted child seat rather than rear. Weeride kangaroo is great, search on here for many threads discussing the merits of rear/mid/front mounted seats.

As for bike, especially if you go mid mounted, I’d consider a short travel full susser. I’ve just finished building my missus a 100mm Stumpy FSR out of second hand parts and she loves it (she was on a Spesh Hardrock). Full suss will make the ride a bit gentler for nipper.

I built my missus a scandal (with added purple!) and she really seems to like it. It started out with ridgid forks, but although she doesn’t ride anything technical, we soons replaced these with a set of Recons which are much more compfortable.

don’t know if can you easily attach an ironing board or a sink to a bike! have a go.

Mumsnet is probably the better place for that question.

hehe, thanks for the replies. I dare not venture to Mumsnet !

Good tip on the Seat Tony. Does your Mrs use the Weeride ? I’ve got a rear mounted Hammax already for one child, but the mrs is going to have to ride with the other so weighing up which will be easier. Rear or Mid for a novice rider.

Anyone think 29er is the way to go though ? smoother roller and more stable I’d think for this kind of riding ideal.

si – surely this means that she eats into your riding time

Second-hand will get you something nice! What height is she?

Got my OH a Giant XTC EX back in 2006 i think it was, 80mm travel really light frame, she didn’t join me biking that often but when she did she loved it. Upgraded to a canyon nerve w specific and she gets out on the bike a bit more now.

I do have the giant still, well frame, forks and gearing, 16″ frame if your after something second hand to build up, birmingham based.

She’s 5’5″ Cinnamon_girl.

Missus did use the weeride yes, and other than the unladylike knees out riding position she was fine with it. I’d say it’s easier to ride with one of these than a rear mounted seat, much more balanced. Put the weeride on her bike.

We had a rear mounted Hamax for the eldest when he got too big for the weeride but neither him nor I liked it that much and I managed to get a LOCT. Youngest is out of the weeride now and onto the LOCT. Eldest is onto a trailerbike (for longer rides, otherwise his Rothan). They’re both on or attached to my bike now, which means I get a good workout when we go out, and the missus can keep up. Everybody’s happy!

Hehe Tony, the ever changing Bike and kid scenarios as they grow and there are more of them !

eventually tag along

Lazy bugger. I suggest you pedal your own bike! 😉

lol, Phil, Put them to work. Are you out riding with your lad yet ?

She’s 5’5″ Cinnamon_girl.

OK that helps cos that’s my height too. WSD not essential, all my bikes are blokes ones.

Frame-wise, steel is always nice and comfy. Wheels and forks are really important so would suggest something reasonably light. Nothing worse than a heavy bike, who wants to ride that??

I have found On-One’s to be too long in the top tube, have had both 14″ and 16″. If it were me, I would go after a second-hand Soul in a Small, the only frame that I’ve regretted selling.

Yep, constant change eh! On the plus side having to constantly research/discuss/purchase/tinker the next seat/bike for them means I’ve not upgraded any of mine for a couple of years. Now all I need to do is find the time to ride them!

You can’t go wrong with a Soul! I actually have a 16″ frame hanging in the garage as it donated it’s drivetrain to the missus’ bike recently. My initial plan was to use this to justify an upgrade to 1×10, but not sure when I might have the funds for that so contemplating (but only contemplating at the moment!) selling it.

Thanks for the tips. True, its got to be light. And thats the issue with complete new builds, A Spesh Rocker hopper is 32lbs ! who would ride that.
I maybe interested then Tony. ALthought I’ve just eyeballed a pipedream 853 that’s a bit Tasty 😉

just had a similar situation with my wife. Balancing the whole nerdy self wanting to get real great spec for money and fettle it for her versus how much is she realistically going to use it on singletrack and mud versus tow path/cycle network/ disused railway lines.

In the end went realistic (ie off road use/ride length will be limited) and bought a carrera vengeance from halfords on sale for £300. Admittedly the fork is not great and the brakes are cable disc but sram shifters etc and more than capable enough for her needs.

she is totally stoked with it as it’s still a massive step up from her last “mountain” bike

maybe worth a look with a cheap seond hand fork upgrade & cash left? or the ladies version of the vulcan for £360?

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-carrera-vulcan-12-45673

Depends on your wife of course but however much i dream of shared single track epics, family cruises by the river are far more likely

Scanning the garage, I’ve got some Avid BB7s, Bars, stems, nice SDG Edgeflex seat, spare 26″ roval wheels, and some road rat 700cc wheels. Deore chainset…

I may as well get a nice light frame / fork combo new for £500 and it will build a light Hardtail.

Seriously, look second hand. The bike I just built for the missus consists of:

Ebay:
2004 Stumpy FSR frame (baby blue, very important, took ages to find)

In garage:
2007 Revelation U-Turn, set to 100mm
2005 Mavic 717s on XT hubs

From Soul:
2008 Race Face Deus XC drivetrain
2008 Elixir CRs
2006 XTR shifters and mechs

From classifieds:
Easton Stem
Easton Bars

Bought new:
ODI grips
Wellgo V8 copy pedals

Most/all of what came out of the garage and off the Soul initially came from the classifieds on here so it’s hard to tell, but I’d be surprised if it cost me much more than £800 to build.

I could have got a newer frame for the same or less money but 100mm is about right for what she’ll use it for, and the colour was important (natch). There was a cracking 2007 S-Works stumpy (120mm) frame on here not so long ago for less than £200 IIRC.

I was going to suggest this but prob no need now since you have most of it in the garage!

There’s quite often a decent steel hardtail frame in there.

I built a Orange Diva up for my GF last year using a new frame (previous years model, less then half price :wink:) and the parts from my 2007 Clockwork. She loves it.

A complete Diva comes in over budget but you’ll probably be able to find a 2012 bike for less then £800.

This is a superb fit and reasonably light:

My old Soul:

I have the perfect bike for you. Ladies 15″ specialised Jett Expert 29er. Good as new. 20 12 spec so better than this years model. I can send details and photos if you are interested. It is lurking somewhere in the For Sale Forum under something like “Ladies 15 specialised 29 er £800”. Not sure of the wording so you will have to play about. Give e-ail adress if you would like info. Well my e-mail pathercberg@gmail.com

Pat

I mentioned above, if your local to birmingham or can pick up i have the below:

Its just frame and fork and front chainset and mech, seatpost and seat. After £250 the frame is really light and the forks are reba’s running at 80mm travel, could be built into a nice runner.

Picture shows when i last had the bike fully built.

[/url]
Giant xtc[/url] by manicm78[/url], on Flickr

What about one of these?

29er, upgradable, not overly expensive, ideal for disused railway lines and the kids versions seem highly rated by the Singletrack audience? From memory WMB awarded this the best entry level MTB.

My missus has tried full suss and hard tails and not really engaged but has taken to the semi fat bike really well due to added stability
3.8 on the front and 3 on the back all singlespeed – she’s my hero!

My Wifes 15″ Hotrock. Cost about £200 all in. It’s a wopping 24lb.
In 3yrs she’s used it 5 times. Glad I didn’t spend lots.

[/url]
15" Specialized Hotrock[/url] by pten2106[/url], on Flickr

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/iroko-one-2012-mountain-bike-ec035899

I know it looks like a blatant plug (I work for Evans) but I spotted this the other day and thought it was a giveaway.. S size only left.

Really like the Islabike up there.

(pop larkin, know the feeling, my GF rode my Jones and loved it.. I took it back quick! Spare H-bars are now on her bike with a 50mm stem)

I built up a Scandal 26er for my other half. I’m only half an inch taller than her so it fits me too. I think I’ve ridden it more than she has 8)

Jameso- haven’t let her ride the jones!
It just happens that the fat bike is ok for me size wise as well 😉

OP, this might be a bit too much bike, but looks like a decent deal

Wow, lots to take in.

Thanks LMT but I’m probably going to get a Steel frame…I think. Then I can have a play on it as well as I have no HT. The Soul really catches my eye as I always wanted a Cotic myself.

many many thanks for all the input.

The Isla Bikes looks really nice, although my 4 Yo who is ISLA, maybe jelous !
Just think with the bits I’ve got I can build a pretty nice steel hardtail which will be comfy.