Gotta be small (14 or 15″) and aimed at 100-120 forks

(I am not a lady but I know someone who is) 😉

specialsed myka – maybe a bit heavy

Whats your budget?

http://orangebikes.co.uk/bikes/2011/diva/

Whats your budget?

Actually looking at a frame&fork, maybe up to £700 if there’s a saving to be made, rather not scrimp on the forks

Rock Lobster, should come within your budget.

Grill fiend bought a Giant XTC team xc bike off the internets in 14″.its ridiculously small, and so light, we thought the box was empty when it got delivered.
its paper thin alu.

really really nice 🙂

have had a ride too, but at 6ft 4″, had to get off before i broke it, as it makes a wicked little 4X bike

Now with SIDs and XT all over 🙂
(liiight)

M4 tubed Myka is pretty light and you could buy some S/H Sids.

The Kinesis KM210L is really nice.

We got this one built up with XT, RC31’s, Magura’s and Hope wheels.

This one is a 43cm.

We did have a Myka hardtail, but this feels a lot lighter.

Excuse the terrible pictures 😳

Just found this…

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b4s24p2388&tbv=GIANT_ARETE_1_WOMENS_Mountain_Bikes_Womens

OK, it blows the budget by £150, but it’s a full bike, with Reba’s, SLX/XT, lightweight own brand finishing kit (Giant’s kit is always amazing for the money) and all in a womens specific geometry frame (it’s basically the XTC above but with specific geometry). Worth understanding how tall your Mrs. is as ladies bikes are usually quite short for their size, unless she’s sub 5ft, she’ll probably need the 16″ version. Over about 5ft6 and probably onto the 18!

Geometry here

Just a note, but CRC have a few of the frame only for £250 here… The RRP was £400 frame only, so it’s a pretty good lightweight XC frame anyway.

Other than that, the Rock Lobster’s C-G says above are good, probably the Tig Team SL as it’s not much over 3lb and comes in a fairly small 15″ size… Or there’s the On One Scandal for a bit cheaper, comes in a 14″ size. There’s also the Kinesis Maxlight KM-210L, another female specific frame that is by all accounts very light, comes in 4 sizes too.

Giant’s kit is always amazing for the money

+1

you get LOADS of bike for you money with the Giants.

Olly

have had a ride too, but at 6ft 4″, had to get off before i broke it, as it makes a wicked little 4X bike

annoying isn’t it, my wife’s Santacruz Juliana HT (they should still make them, fantastic frames) would be a great jump bike for me

it’s made of aluminium foil and wallpaper paste though so i’d snap it SO badly

+1 for the Arete, my wife brought an 18″ she 5ft 7″ and it fits well.

I bought a cheap 2nd hand 15″ Myka Pro off here and spent a bit upgrading it (Reba team forks off here and a few new bargains) and used some spare wheels i had.
Reckon i spent £500 all in and it weighs just under 25lbs and is a great little bike.

Makes it so much easier to move it around in the garage seeing as the Mrs never bloody rides it……. 🙁

incredible how much of a difference in acceleration and whippyness it makes having a super light bike 😀

(creak creak)

Cheers guys and gals

Makes it so much easier to move it around in the garage seeing as the Mrs never bloody rides it…….

Hear you loud and clear MrTall 😆

I really like the look of the Arete but is that a V brake mount on the back?

There are a load of very cheap tapered Fox Floats to be found at the moment so if I could find a tapered frame this might be the clincher!

The Rock Lobster look like a sensible choice too, and Kinesis paint job is nice

So much choice 🙄