Advice on basic bike for woman plz?

[Andrew @ Work]

Hi, I'm trying to organise a half decent bike for my
girlfriend for a bit of weekend cruising which will be
ridden almost always on tarmac/concrete, so I was thinking
something like a mountain bike with narrower/slick tyres or
a hybrid of sorts as I'm sure she'd hate the riding position
of my road bike.

Tossing up between new and secondhand, an Apollo LSX1.1
(http://www.apollobikes.com/range.html) can be had locally
(Brisbane) for $300, I don't know what the RRP is though.
And Apollo also offer the 'Marathon' which is supposedly a
frame designed for women with short top tube, wheelbase etc
etc. The secondhand market seems to be full of old 10 speeds
and even the 15 speeds (remembering my old Shogun
Trailbreaker from years ago these would be over 10 years old
easily yeah?) are asking $100-150.

What brands/frame styles would you recommend looking at? Any
shops in Brisbane worth dealing with?

Thanks Andrew

 

[John Retchford]

Originally posted by Andrew @ Work
Hi, I'm trying to organise a half decent bike for my
girlfriend for a bit of weekend cruising which will be
ridden almost always on tarmac/concrete, so I was thinking
something like a mountain bike with narrower/slick tyres or
a hybrid of sorts as I'm sure she'd hate the riding position
of my road bike.

Buying bicycles for women is no different from buying them for men - they all should fit the rider and the intended use. Cyclists argue endlessly (and inconclusively) about differences in frame materials - differences few, if any, can detect. Fit is something you feel immediately and all the time, so take the trouble to get it right.

I don't know the retail scene in Brisbane, but I would first shop for a shop. A shop whose proprietor can give advice you can trust. Then melt into the background. Your girlfriend won't want to hear from someone who thinks that a mountain bike is the best thing for cruising around the roads! My wife takes pride in passing people on mountain bikes in suburbia. Seriously though, won't your g/f want to decide on the style of bicycle? Worthwhile women have ideas of their own!

My wife and I like to tour. Nine countries so far with more to come this year. We like light touring bikes, which are sturdy enough to carry us across the byways of the world but fast enough (legs permitting) to ride with the training bunches on a Saturday morning. They seem the real "hybrids" to me. Never could see where the sit-up-and-beg things sold as hybrids fitted in. But this is about preferences. Seems to me that the most important preferences in your case are your girlfriend's.

Good luck with your quest (for both a cycling woman and a bike).

John Retchford

 

[suzyj]

Originally posted by Andrew @ Work

> Hi, I'm trying to organise a half decent bike for my
> girlfriend for a bit of weekend cruising which will be
> ridden almost always on tarmac/concrete, so I was thinking
> something like a mountain bike with narrower/slick tyres or
> a hybrid

Don't be so quick to discount road bikes. If she'll be mostly riding on roads and paths, then a road bike is much better than an MTB or hybrid.

Road bikes are generally lighter than comparable mountain bikes, and they also have faster tyres. If you're riding a road bike, it's not going to be very kind to handicap her with a heavy, slow MTB.

Another advantage with road bikes is that you can pick up old ones for peanuts, simply because they're not in vogue.

Importantly though, make sure she gets a bike that fits her. This generally requires a visit to a knowledgeable bike shop.

Regards,

Suzy

PS: If simple is what she desires, she could do worse than finding a used track bike, and bunging a front brake on it. Bliss on wheels.

 

[oldie]

Hi. where did you see the LSX 1.1 for $300.
Sounds like a bargain.

Regards, Oldie (in Brisbane)

 

[Andrew @ Work]

Uni cycle shop, Uni of Qld, St. Lucia.

Ended up with a hybrid from Riders Morningside, great
service from them too.

"oldie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi. where did you see the LSX 1.1 for $300. Sounds like a
> bargain.
>
> Regards, Oldie (in Brisbane)
>
>
>
> --