# Looking for a bike for my wife.



## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

After scourging the sites looking for a suitable bike for myself, I've begun looking for a bike for my wife. I figured what better place to ask than here, the Lady's Lounge.

Now, I've narrowed it down to two specifics but I'm not content with the selection. I find it increasingly hard to find and accept that there is a vastly limited amount of selection of women's specific bikes and generally they point you more towards a unisex category. I find many women's HT's to have crappy components and it's beginning to frustrate me some.

Little insight on her... she's beginning her adventure in cycling and hasn't ridden a bike in quite sometime. She's 42, weighs 118LBS @ 5'1" (swears she's 5'3" ) her inseam I'm not too sure what it is but it should be close to 25 I believe comparing to myself (5'7"/160LBS/30 inseam)

I'm generally thinking of a gravel dual sport bike when/if she ever decides to go trailing with me to have some sort of an ability to switch without massive component changes needed. She's hung up on the top tube being the lower slanted style which a woman's specific bike has as oppose to the higher variant of a male or unisex bike would have. She's also fixated that smaller wheels like 26er would feel better for her since she is a bit short and I've avidly tried to reassure her that even at 27.5/+ or 29er she would be find with the correct frame but she doesn't believe me. Also, TEAL IS A MUST lol...

My main concern is her comfort, stopping power, good drivetrain (nothing crazy 1x NX or NX Eagle) and a dropper are a must. I'm looking into a HT over FS because it will help her develop that skill needed to focus on handling and to properly place the bike on the trail lines.

I went with an Ibis DV9 GX Eagle, she personally doesn't want/require a similar bike. I, obviously look at it differently because I want her safe while she rides. 

Here are the two (trendy) bikes I found that fit's similar to both our criteria.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...oscoe/roscoe-7-womens/p/23447/?colorCode=teal

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...s/roscoe/roscoe-7/p/28499/?colorCode=tealdark

I'm leaning towards the "unisex" version of the Roscoe 7... better components. I greatly appreciate your help and insight lady's.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

get a Giant LIV

here is a selection

https://www.liv-cycling.com/us/bikes/off-road


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

}{yBr!D^ said:


> Looking for a bike for my wife


Sounds like a good swap to me.


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## dbhammercycle (Nov 15, 2011)

There are a couple ladies where I work that like the Liv bikes. They had previously ridden Surly and Trek unisex bikes and certainly felt the fit and design of the Liv suited them better. Can you take her to a LBS or demo so she can get a little ride on a couple bikes and get some fit advice?

It's difficult to choose anything for the wife, so keep talking to her about what she would like. I eventually got the right bike on the third try, which turned out to be the least capable off road but she really just wanted to be able to ride around with my son rather than me. That said, I still keep my fingers crossed. Good luck on finding a ride for your lady!


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

127.0.0.1 said:


> get a Giant LIV
> 
> here is a selection
> 
> https://www.liv-cycling.com/us/bikes/off-road


I see most of the Liv models are 2x/3x, would like the less complex 1x to also ensure the chain stays put... she's not going to even use the front derailleur. Still, I'll go more in-depth and look through the Liv lineup.



Mr Pig said:


> Sounds like a good swap to me.


I must say, I did laugh at this...



dbhammercycle said:


> There are a couple ladies where I work that like the Liv bikes. They had previously ridden Surly and Trek unisex bikes and certainly felt the fit and design of the Liv suited them better. Can you take her to a LBS or demo so she can get a little ride on a couple bikes and get some fit advice?
> 
> It's difficult to choose anything for the wife, so keep talking to her about what she would like. I eventually got the right bike on the third try, which turned out to be the least capable off road but she really just wanted to be able to ride around with my son rather than me. That said, I still keep my fingers crossed. Good luck on finding a ride for your lady!


Ultimately, going to a shop is a must I just wanted to see what was out there women specific to confirm how limited the choices are if towards the end we would have to accept it and go unisex for her. I would much rather get something catered to her than a universal fit/one size fits most. Reason why I'm not going so HC on this is for the same reason as you, I know she's not going to be riding with me mainly... it's more so to be able to cover multiple surfaces and to ride with my daughters. Fingers crossed here too but highly unlikely to happen lol.


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## Jem7sk (Jan 17, 2013)

I was in the same situation a couple of years ago. My wife went and rode a few bikes but unfortunately there are not many shops around here. She feel in love with the Trek Stache 7 and still loves it. Sometimes when she doesn't go riding with me, I will sneak it out and ride it. It is a lot of fun and very comfortable with the big 29+ tires and has tons of grip so you don't have to worry about the front or rear sliding out as easily as other bikes do. You can't even feel the small bumps.


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

Jem7sk said:


> I was in the same situation a couple of years ago. My wife went and rode a few bikes but unfortunately there are not many shops around here. She feel in love with the Trek Stache 7 and still loves it. Sometimes when she doesn't go riding with me, I will sneak it out and ride it. It is a lot of fun and very comfortable with the big 29+ tires and has tons of grip so you don't have to worry about the front or rear sliding out as easily as other bikes do. You can't even feel the small bumps.


The Stache 7 looks nice, but she won't be down for that maroon color (Cobra Blood).

The geo looks similar to the Roscoe 7...


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## Jem7sk (Jan 17, 2013)

}{yBr!D^ said:


> The Stache 7 looks nice, but she won't be down for that maroon color (Cobra Blood).
> 
> The geo looks similar to the Roscoe 7...


My wife's is green and she loves the color. Being a former Kawasaki motocross guy, I like it too...








but yeah, I don't like the new color of the 7. The 5 and the 9.7 looks cool.


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

The 3 Liv bikes I saw look good geo wise, but that fork hurts.. coil spring on all 3... one is a 2x and the other 3x... I could always get the bike as is and convert to 1x NX Eagle and change out the fork for solo air 100mm (not sure if it could handle a 120mm)


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

Jem7sk said:


> My wife's is green and she loves the color. Being a former Kawasaki motocross guy, I like it too...
> View attachment 1267031
> 
> 
> but yeah, I don't like the new color of the 7. The 5 and the 9.7 looks cool.


That color is hot, man! What year is that Stache? I do like the chainstay placement.


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## Jem7sk (Jan 17, 2013)

}{yBr!D^ said:


> That color is hot, man! What year is that Stache? I do like the chainstay placement.


2017.


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

Cool, I like that color for her, I'm going to check on pinkbike to see if there is a lightly used one in that color (S)


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## twodownzero (Dec 27, 2017)

The Trek Roscoe is the best selling hardtail at my LBS. I prefer a higher spec build but the bikes you linked to will be perfect for her. She will need the smallest size.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Most gravel bikes don't have front suspension. The selection of women's gravel is pretty pathetic. I ended up with a Revolt even tho I am a die hard Liv fan, just because I could get a carbon frame.

Thing is, you *can* do easy, buff singletrack on a gravel bike, but it can be a pretty rough ride if it is anything but buff. In this case, you need good bike handling skills to compensate for lack of suspension. Then to top it off, a gravel bike puts you in the body position close to how we old people used to ride cross country bikes in; IE, laid out more like a road bike (not slack). There is a reason why mountain bikers have moved towards more slack geometry and suspension

Why would you choose this for a beginner mountain biker? Get her something trail appropriate. A small or XS frame shouldn't have top tube standover issues.

Edit: I see you are leaning towards a HT which is a good idea.


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## SkolinIN (Feb 16, 2017)

my wife got a Specialized Fate Comp Carbon and its been great


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## mthopton (Apr 17, 2015)

We just went down this road as well and my Wife landed on a Trek Fuel EX8 WSD. What she loved about it were the 27.5+ tires and the stability they offered along with the ease of a 1x drivetrain and solid stoppers. She has taken to the trails quite well thus far. She is also 5’3” and a size small in the Trek. We were able to find a shop that was selling their very lightly used demo bike for a pretty significant discount.

My biggest advice is let her ride as many bikes as you can and let it be HER decision. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## EKEL (Sep 12, 2014)

The Roscoe & Stache are both good options. If possible, find a shop that will rent or a demo day near you where she could try a couple of different bikes and sizes to see what feels comfortable. And yes, a 27.5 or 29er will roll over things much better for her, absolutely better than a 26er (which is what I started on). And color is important, so it's great that you're looking for a color she likes! I'm sure you'll do this, but since she hasn't ridden in awhile make sure to take her on flat pavement/dirt/easy paths & let her get comfortable with the bike. I came across a woman the other day on a trail who didn't know how to shift her bike, husband was off in the distance, and I just hoped she wasn't going to give it up because she was discouraged/uncomfortable with the basics of shifting while also trying to tackle a trail. Good luck to you both.


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

For the sort of use she will be utilizing the bike for will be a learning curve for different surfaces... it will be used mainly on pavement I would say because of my daughters... I'm sure rarely she will be hitting the trails with me. I do plan on teaching her the basics of the shifter, how to shift and when to shift, along side how to use the dropper post and when it's appropriate to engage it. On top of that feathering the brakes through a turn rather than slamming on them. 

Reasons why she is more interested in smaller wheels is due to her height. I'm not that tall and I've often explained to her that given the correct frame size the big wheels won't even be a factor and on top of that learning how to properly mount your bike helps wonders. Mine is a 29er on a Medium frame Ibis DV9 and my feet are planted flat on the floor... obviously the saddle/post is all the way down to do this lol. 

So, to her her only requirements are small wheels (she didn't know the size) which I'd believe 26" would be what she has in mind, (I'd prefer 27.5/+ for her really) and the colors are a must... everything else is for me to pick. I do plan on taking her to different shops to get the right fitment for her. I'm sure she's in-between XS-S depending on manufacturer.. Trek has her in a small as XS's range the highest her or height.. so I'd rather her not be cramped in the cockpit and use Small which accommodates 5"~5'3"


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## Leafkiller (Sep 2, 2018)

Another vote for Liv. Both my wife and I ride Livs. Matter of fact I'm getting a Liv gravel bike next month. I went HT for both of us. My wife is only 4'11" and she rides a small bike no problem. She doesn't do that much trail riding. Matter of fact most of her rides is on concrete sidewalks that I do a lot of riding on. She has a Bliss bike while I have a Tempt. The Thrive is the one I'm getting next month.


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## mLeier (Oct 17, 2017)

}{yBr!D^ said:


> Little insight on her... she's beginning her adventure in cycling and hasn't ridden a bike in quite sometime. She's 42, weighs 118LBS @ 5'1" (swears she's 5'3" ) her inseam I'm not too sure what it is but it should be close to 25 I believe comparing to myself (5'7"/160LBS/30 inseam)
> 
> My main concern is her comfort, stopping power, good drivetrain (nothing crazy 1x NX or NX Eagle) and a dropper are a must. I'm looking into a HT over FS because it will help her develop that skill needed to focus on handling and to properly place the bike on the trail lines.


I'm a 42 year old woman who is 5'2" (with shoes), my inseam is 28.5" barefoot.

I started biking when I was 40. If your main concern is comfort, for the love of god, get her a full suspension bike. I fully understand that hard tails may help to develop technical skills better and faster, but unless your wife is planning on quickly becoming an expert and has goals to become a sponsored rider, there is no need for the slight edge that learning on a hard tail might give her. Fun and comfort should be the main goals. I'm telling you that the comfort of the rear suspension makes biking way easier on my body and makes the whole thing way more enjoyable. I never even lock my rear suspension out on long climbs. I can also tell you that if she loves biking and does it enough, her skills will progress quickly even on a full suspension bike. I'm fact, she may progress even faster because of the confidence that rear suspension gives when riding over obstacles rather than feeling like you are being bucked off the bike. In 2 years, my skills have increased amazingly. I've gone from being a complete beginner to riding lots of long, hard black diamond trails in the mountains. I ride in the expert women's groups on group rides and hold my own in the men's advanced groups. If you want her skills to progress quickly, some real coaching will get her there faster than learning on a hard tail over a full suspension.

I also say that 27.5" wheels are a must. I even demoed a few 29ers and really liked them except that the top tube was too high for me. 26" wheels are outdated, slow, and don't roll over things as well. There are reasons that hardly anyone is making them anymore and being set on that wheel size really limits your choices.

I love Liv bikes. I'm currently riding a 2015 Liv Lust and I just ordered the new Liv Intrigue Advanced.

If you get anything other than the lowest end bike, they will come with a 1x drivetrain. Regardless, your wife likely isn't an idiot, and implying that a 2x would be too complicated for her to learn on is doing her a disservice. 1x drivetrains are very new and everyone has been riding and learning on 2x or 3x drivetrains forever. Plus, you can pretty much leave the front in the easiest ring and just forget about it and only use the rear chain ring for most riding. I only switch my front chain ring on long, smooth fast downhills.

If you plan on her riding with you and hope that she learns to love biking as much as you do, do not buy her any bike that you would not buy for yourself.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Word.


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## Khiori (Aug 16, 2014)

Everything that mLeier said. I started riding in 2013 on a Scott Aspect 26" hard tail 3x8. Loved it so much ended up killing my front fork. About a month after replacing it (and adding a dropper) in 2018 I upgraded to a Scott Contessa Genius 27.5" full suspension 2x11. The only time I even consider riding my hard tail is when I have this sadistic desire to torture myself. My husband rides a Scott Spark 29" and will sometimes use mine because it's just that much fun to ride. (it looks like this one https://hubsandhops.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/scott-contessa-genius-.jpg)


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

5’4.5” here, 29.5” inseam. 

Not a fan of WSD, for exactly the reasons you state. 

I’m also not a fan of 29er wheels, but that’s a personal preference. 

If you want her comfortable, I’d say either a 650b or 650b+ (plus for hardtail definitely, optional for full suspension). 

I’m a bit fan of plus tires on a hardtail and even at 45 it makes riding a hardtail more forgiving. If you’re gonna do a hardtail, anything but aluminum because it’ll be really harsh. My hardtail is steel. 

If you’re going to do a full suspension, you have a bunch of options. Don’t forget to check for used sales either for XS frames because you might find a great deal that way, no matter the wheel size.


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

Sorry that I wasn't able to reply over the weekend. Parent/Husband life can be somewhat demanding... when it comes to my wife she's not a picky person when it comes to these things, she sort of depends on me to make these decisions since she doesn't know much about it and is not willing to do research on it. 

I might end up seeing myself riding alone or eventually getting my little one's into more than her. It's mainly for both of us to get back in shape and feel better. Let's just say this is a sad attempt at creating something new for us to both do together. Regardless, after looking into multiple brands and seeing how crappy the selection is... I thought of just getting any Liv bike stripping it and building something better out of the frame (since they don't sell the frame alone.)

Now, a FS bike in theory would be best for her to create the maximum amount of comfort I don't think this will benefit her and might make her slack off some... she's not stupid (as someone mentioned up above) but if she is incapable at driving my 6spd car engaging the clutch/brake and creating a rhythm between shifts as she hears the engine whine to tell her where to place the shift/gear then a 2x/3x would be overwhelming for her... on top of that running the risk of the front derailleur losing it's chain placement and having her fly off the bike and getting hurt, I'll pass... 1x + chain guide would be best but it's unnecessary, yet I prefer to be on the safe side. She drives a VW CC with a DSG transmission and doesn't know nor understand (even after explaining it to her) how to manual shift the car which improves response... VW auto transmission are sluggish and they need a bit of help when accelerating... she just floors it and hopes it will respond.

I did the math with a Liv Bliss @ $480, strip the fork, draivetrain and brakes... $350 for NX Eagle drivetrain 1x11 (cassette, derailleur. crankset, chain and click shifter), $249 SDG Dropper 125mm w/remote, $274 RockShox Reba RL Solo Air 100mm travel, $200 F/R Shimano SLX M7000 Brakes + Rotor Bundle 180mm/160mm total's out to $1553 which would be the same thing as a starter Liv Embolden FS with a 2x and a crappy fork and decent Shimano brakes... +200 more and you get the $1800 better version of the Embolden FS... 

She's very modest and would probably freak out if she knew that I'm going to be spending anything above $500 for a bike... (to her this is absurd). 

The good thing about building it would be "special" since I built it for her but she won't get the feel for the thing before hand to make sure.. XS would be too small for her I'd think and since it's always WS, a small should be good. 

The Trek Roscoe 7 would be the smarter buy because it comes with everything 300 less and when things break the upgrading would be easy because everything is in place. We will see... I'm going to visit a Giant shop and see if they have some Liv's there and plan whether to buy the trek ready to go or build something special for her.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

> Now, a FS bike in theory would be best for her to create the maximum amount of comfort I don't think this will benefit her and might make her slack off some... she's not stupid (as someone mentioned up above) but if she is incapable at driving my 6spd car engaging the clutch/brake and creating a rhythm between shifts as she hears the engine whine to tell her where to place the shift/gear then a 2x/3x would be overwhelming for her... on top of that running the risk of the front derailleur losing it's chain placement and having her fly off the bike and getting hurt, I'll pass... 1x + chain guide would be best but it's unnecessary, yet I prefer to be on the safe side. She drives a VW CC with a DSG transmission and doesn't know nor understand (even after explaining it to her) how to manual shift the car which improves response... VW auto transmission are sluggish and they need a bit of help when accelerating... she just floors it and hopes it will respond.


oh good lord. Just let her ride the fricken bike and drive the fricken car for crying out loud.


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

formica said:


> oh good lord. Just let her ride the fricken bike and drive the fricken car for crying out loud.


I'm just explaining the person who you don't know, no need for hostilities. Not all women are static.


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## mLeier (Oct 17, 2017)

}{yBr!D^ said:


> I'm just explaining the person who you don't know, no need for hostilities. Not all women are static.


I agree with Formica. Driving a standard and shifting gears on a front chain ring are two completely different things. And again, you can pretty much just leave it in the easy front ring. That's how I ride mine 99.9% of the time.

I applaud you for trying to find something that you and your wife (and your kids) can all do together and that will help you get in shape. It worked for us. Mountain biking has absolutely changed our lives. Between my husband and I, we have lost over 80 lbs and are in the best shape of our lives since we started biking 2 years ago. It has also been amazing for our marriage to have something that we both love and are passionate about and can do together. That is why I am trying to help you to have the best chance of success to get your wife to love biking too. I am telling you 100% that a full suspension will give her a much better chance of enjoying biking. Slacking off... what does that even mean? Who cares if the bike does some of the work for her? She's a 42 year old
Woman. She doesn't need to become an expert biker, she just needs to have fun and love biking. By all means, get her a 1x or just remove the front shifter if you don't think she can handle it. She's not going to notice the difference between a shitty fork or a good one, and it's not likely that whatever lower end brakes that come on the bike won't be enough to stop her on what trails she will be riding in the beginning. Forget about the upgrading for now. Everything will work just fine as is. That's why they make them that way and sell a million of them every year. Giant knows what they are doing.

I also totally understand the money aspect, but this is an INVESTMENT. It's an investment in you and your wife and in your physical, mental and emotional health. Resale on these bikes is also good if she doesn't love it. If money is the main factor, why not look for a used bike?


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## Muirenn (Jun 17, 2013)

I agree with the Liv line because she is so petite. Few brands do a good job of sizing smaller riders.

Also, the smaller wheel platform at her size makes sense.


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## Khiori (Aug 16, 2014)

I'm curious now. Does she want to ride or is this your idea? Maybe if she's looking for exercise a cruiser and pedal path would be adequate until she's sure a full commit to mtbing is in order?


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

mLeier said:


> I agree with Formica. Driving a standard and shifting gears on a front chain ring are two completely different things. And again, you can pretty much just leave it in the easy front ring. That's how I ride mine 99.9% of the time.
> 
> I applaud you for trying to find something that you and your wife (and your kids) can all do together and that will help you get in shape. It worked for us. Mountain biking has absolutely changed our lives. Between my husband and I, we have lost over 80 lbs and are in the best shape of our lives since we started biking 2 years ago. It has also been amazing for our marriage to have something that we both love and are passionate about and can do together. That is why I am trying to help you to have the best chance of success to get your wife to love biking too. I am telling you 100% that a full suspension will give her a much better chance of enjoying biking. Slacking off... what does that even mean? Who cares if the bike does some of the work for her? She's a 42 year old
> Woman. She doesn't need to become an expert biker, she just needs to have fun and love biking. By all means, get her a 1x or just remove the front shifter if you don't think she can handle it. She's not going to notice the difference between a shitty fork or a good one, and it's not likely that whatever lower end brakes that come on the bike won't be enough to stop her on what trails she will be riding in the beginning. Forget about the upgrading for now. Everything will work just fine as is. That's why they make them that way and sell a million of them every year. Giant knows what they are doing.
> ...


I suppose I just want the best for her right out of the gate, can you blame me? Even though 95% of the parts on the bike she wouldn't know if they are of quality or not I couldn't sit there riding next to her knowing I could of gone a little further to ensure quality into her bike.

My main priority is comfort and ease of use. So, taking into consideration in the FS or a 27.5+ Steel HT and avoiding as much chain drops as possible which is why I'm so keen on a 1x. Granted she will not be an aggressive rider at first but this will open up sooooooooo many doors and having the options readily available is something I want to ensure without worry. The fork... even with novice ridinga coil spring non-air fork won't last much more than 6 month of use, at the very most. I'm not looking into a Pike or a Lyrik... Judy Gold or a Reba RL will suffice. 100/120mm. The Bliss comes with mechanical brakes... minimum hydraulics is a must... maybe not the SLX I found something more modest. I just threw somethings together to get a #.



Muirenn said:


> I agree with the Liv line because she is so petite. Few brands do a good job of sizing smaller riders.
> 
> Also, the smaller wheel platform at her size makes sense.


Which is why I considered Liv and then plans to strip it into something better. The Geo on the Bliss looks solid... just not a lot of info from the site on the frame and current parts on it for future replacements.



Khiori said:


> I'm curious now. Does she want to ride or is this your idea? Maybe if she's looking for exercise a cruiser and pedal path would be adequate until she's sure a full commit to mtbing is in order?


She has mentioned that back in Cuba she use to love riding her bike everywhere. How she had something similar to a mountain bike (obviously nothing remotely close to modern). So, yes, it was my idea to bring back fond memories with something new for her to enjoy here with her family. She doesn't care for the details.. So, if I put in front of her 4 bikes she'd look at me and be like, "What do you want me to do with this?" This weekend I'm going to take her to a couple of shops so she can sit and roll on some bikes... probably rekindle something lingering inside of her for biking.


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## mahgnillig (Mar 12, 2004)

My hubby doesn't know much about components and such, but he knows what he likes the feel of when he gets on a bike, and I wouldn't dream of choosing for him because bike choice is such an individual thing. 

Do you have any demo days in your area? Take her to a demo and buy her the bike she likes the feel of best. It might not be any of the bikes you pre picked for her (also, I'm about your wife's size and there's no way she only has a 25" cycling inseam - she needs to get it properly measured, crotch to floor with no shoes on.) Do you know any other female riders? If you can't find a demo day then maybe she could go shopping with an experienced female rider who can help her choose. 

Don't take this the wrong way, but you are focusing way too much on what you think she should have and how she should ride. Focus on what she wants to get out of the experience, and maybe buy her a gift certificate to a ladies riding clinic so she can get up to speed once she has her new bike.


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## Muirenn (Jun 17, 2013)

She absolutely needs to go shopping and test styles and sizes.

Also, Salsa makes a Timberjack in teal (since you mention that as something she wants). She would probably like it as an entry-level bike. It's inexpensive enough to make upgrades quite easily.

https://salsacycles.com/bikes/timberjack/2019_timberjack_deore_27.5


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

mahgnillig said:


> My hubby doesn't know much about components and such, but he knows what he likes the feel of when he gets on a bike, and I wouldn't dream of choosing for him because bike choice is such an individual thing.
> 
> Do you have any demo days in your area? Take her to a demo and buy her the bike she likes the feel of best. It might not be any of the bikes you pre picked for her (also, I'm about your wife's size and there's no way she only has a 25" cycling inseam - she needs to get it properly measured, crotch to floor with no shoes on.) Do you know any other female riders? If you can't find a demo day then maybe she could go shopping with an experienced female rider who can help her choose.
> 
> Don't take this the wrong way, but you are focusing way too much on what you think she should have and how she should ride. Focus on what she wants to get out of the experience, and maybe buy her a gift certificate to a ladies riding clinic so she can get up to speed once she has her new bike.


This should be the response to every single guy here asking what to buy for their female counterpart.


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## Muirenn (Jun 17, 2013)

Also, here is a multi-surface bike. All City are very high quality steel. And they have her size. Personally, I'd love to have this bike. And, once again, it's a recommendation that follows what she asked for: teal.

https://allcitycycles.com/bikes/cosmic_stallion

This is a beautifully spec'd bike. The fork alone retails for around $500.00, assuming Whiskey forks for all road bikes are as much as mountainbike Whiskey forks. Shimano 105. Very solid with a high quality lightweight, smooth riding steel.

The 'Space Horse' from the same brand is similar, but a more ordinary steel alloy with a steel fork instead of the high end carbon Whiskey. It's much cheaper, and your local shop may have one in stock to try. It's black with teal stripes. Only about $1400 instead of $2500.


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

Hmm, I'm not trying to come off as a controlling sort of guy. I'm not trying to shove a bike down her throat because I'm technically buying the bike for myself (I already have one) and even though she doesn't know much about the sport and most likely will not follow me into the trails at least she will have a trail worthy bike when/if she decided to go for it. I'm not one for "man-splaining" I like keeping my girl in the loop of things so teaching her about these things (to me) is a sign of taking car of her as she undertakes something new. Regardless what she wants to do I will always support and help her along the way (as I would expect the same in return).

So, please keep the hostilities of gender to a low because I didn't start this thread to seem overbearing and controlling of my wife. She actually controls me ...... all marital situations are different and she counts on me with all the technical stuff, in general.

So, back on topic, we went to a couple of local shops to have her sit on a couple of bikes and use them (As I mentioned above I was going to do this weekend). Currently, there are no active demo days nearby. She got on a couple of women specific bikes (Liv included) but ultimately (to make a long story short) fell for the 2019 Ragley Blue Pig 27.5 HT (Steel). The fork can house Plus tires so if things get harsh I could swap out the 2.6"(F) and 2.5"(R) for 2.8's or 3.0's. The feel of the bike and the components that are backing it is a win/win imo. 

It was a joy to see that big joyful smile on her face, as if she was reliving a moment back in Cuba.

Only thing is I wasn't able to get it at the store the "demo" at the store wasn't for sale, so I found one cheaper on CRC.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ragley-blue-pig-hardtail-bike-2019/rp-prod176530

There is the link in pricing and specs.


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## mLeier (Oct 17, 2017)

Very pretty bike. Hope she loves riding it!


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## Muirenn (Jun 17, 2013)

I actually have some concerns over that particular bike. Very slack head tube angle coupled with steep seat tube. It’s designed for very specific, technical terrain and won’t be suitable for the type of on/off road riding she plans. And I see you are in Miami. I’m just north of Savannah, GA. We don’t even have the type of terrain that bike is designed for. She would be much better off with the Trek bikes you listed, or anything designed for cross country mountain biking. And they are certainly trail-worthy.


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

mLeier said:


> I'm a 42 year old woman who is 5'2" (with shoes), my inseam is 28.5" barefoot.
> 
> I started biking when I was 40. If your main concern is comfort, for the love of god, get her a full suspension bike. I fully understand that hard tails may help to develop technical skills better and faster, but unless your wife is planning on quickly becoming an expert and has goals to become a sponsored rider, there is no need for the slight edge that learning on a hard tail might give her. Fun and comfort should be the main goals. I'm telling you that the comfort of the rear suspension makes biking way easier on my body and makes the whole thing way more enjoyable. I never even lock my rear suspension out on long climbs. I can also tell you that if she loves biking and does it enough, her skills will progress quickly even on a full suspension bike. I'm fact, she may progress even faster because of the confidence that rear suspension gives when riding over obstacles rather than feeling like you are being bucked off the bike. In 2 years, my skills have increased amazingly. I've gone from being a complete beginner to riding lots of long, hard black diamond trails in the mountains. I ride in the expert women's groups on group rides and hold my own in the men's advanced groups. If you want her skills to progress quickly, some real coaching will get her there faster than learning on a hard tail over a full suspension.
> 
> ...


Agree with all this. Avoid hardtails unless just riding gravel paths, avoid 29ers unless she is tall/ strong or the next XC phenomenon, buy her a good high quality bike. Really focus on buying a bike properly adapted to the trails nearby that you suspect will interest her.

Would also suggest buying used so you can flip it in a year with minimal money lost because realistically you will not get it dead on right. The fit, her interests, her strengths are yet to be determined.

Ps. And prepare to get roasted by a few vocal members here for trying to do your wife's wishes, to use your knowledge and interests to find her a bike she'll succeed on. I was.

Pss. I see you guys bought a bike. Congrats! Now the fun begins.


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

Suns_PSD said:


> Agree with all this. Avoid hardtails unless just riding gravel paths, avoid 29ers unless she is tall/ strong or the next XC phenomenon, buy her a good high quality bike. Really focus on buying a bike properly adapted to the trails nearby that you suspect will interest her.
> 
> Would also suggest buying used so you can flip it in a year with minimal money lost because realistically you will not get it dead on right. The fit, her interests, her strengths are yet to be determined.
> 
> ...


Everything said in this thread is suficiant and helpful enough to steer us on the path where she is going to like to ride... she will ultimately decide on what surface she would prefer. Regardless of her choice, I'm not worried about getting roasted in a public forum because I want her to be happy with this new venture, the "baking" is my main concern because I will be racking up brownie points at home. 

RE: Pss: I ended up cancelling the order on the Blue Pig. Geo is too aggressive for her skill level and she might get hurt.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Maybe this thread should be moved to GD.


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## mahgnillig (Mar 12, 2004)

It's a shame you cancelled the order if it's the one she liked... maybe the geo is a bit aggressive, but it's not like she's going to fall off it just because it has a slack HTA. I would slap some 3.0s on that bad boy and go ride... looks like a blast!


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

}{yBr!D^ said:


> Everything said in this thread is suficiant and helpful enough to steer us on the path where she is going to like to ride... she will ultimately decide on what surface she would prefer. Regardless of her choice, I'm not worried about getting roasted in a public forum because I want her to be happy with this new venture, the "baking" is my main concern because I will be racking up brownie points at home.
> 
> RE: Pss: I ended up cancelling the order on the Blue Pig. Geo is too aggressive for her skill level and she might get hurt.


Honestly modern Geo makes the bikes more stable, longer and lower, and generally a lot safer. What you gain going with old school geo is nimble and lightness, which if she is going down a busy sidewalk or maybe going in tight trees, can be advantageous, but I would never call old geo 'safer', quite the opposite really.

The seat tube angle is the one thing I have issue with, the modern steep seat tube angles work great for steep climbs but are less efficient for flat ground pedaling ime. And if you live in FL, I think there is a lot of flat ground.

As far as plus tires go, there is a reason that fad died extremely quickly. The larger balloon tires bounce sort of uncontrollably. I think plus is a good way to go to lend confidence to a beginner, and it adds a measure of 'suspension' and traction to a hardtail. They get lots of traction and feel soft at slow speeds. It's cool for a beach cruiser, snow, or muddy conditions. But as a proper trail bike (yes I know some ride them very well) they really are not the way to go. They bounce uncontrollably and then the tires cut and the rims bend very often. If you add psi to prevent this, the few advantages go away. If you choose plus, stay with the 2.6-2.8 ish tires. The bigger the tires, the bigger the bounce.

If my 5'1" loved one wanted to cruise done the street and the occasional decomposed granite trail, I'd probably purchase them a 27.5+ hardtail. But for any real trail riding for a small female I'd buy them a dual suspension 27.5" bike, choose a unit that is known for pedaling efficiency.

In my experience, females aren't as active (i.e. standing, moving about) on their mountain bikes and they really get beat around on a hard tail on the trails. A lot of women buy HTs cause they are lighter and efficient but I don't think it's helpful to their riding in the end. I don't think for a second that hardtails make average people better bike riders, I think it just makes them learn to ride at a slower pace. You also have to ride differently on a HT and this will have to be unlearned if moving to a FS in the future. Most of the riders I see on HTs & single speeds (excluding the newbs that bought the cheapest they could find) are very fast experienced riders intentionally trying to make it harder on themselves. I spoke to an acquaintance today that has access to the top Enduro race bikes (he races the local Pro class) yet he has switched to a HT bike and the reason he stated was because the trails had all gotten boring to him on a FS bike, too easy. Most don't have that problem.

If she wants to ride some trails, find her a 2-4 year old trail Giant or Trek (or the like) 27.5" bike with around 100mm travel. This will be light, efficient, and fun to ride on beginner to Intermediate trails.

Good luck.


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

Went ahead with her 3rd fave...

https://www.bikebling.com/Orbea-Lau...427D79&gdffi=469d524f8f7c41bb9bd48b5a911568e9

ordered a women's specific seat, a SDG dropper, and some other things that were missing..


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## mahgnillig (Mar 12, 2004)

Nice! The dropper is a good addition. Race Face makes Chesters in a sweet teal colour that would totally match that bike (I have them on my DH bike).

Did she get her sit bones measured at the bike shop? Width is the single most important measurement for a saddle... and a unisex saddle might be fine for her if it's the right width, versus a women's model that is too wide or narrow. You can't tell from general measurements either... I am small with narrow hips but my sit bones are actually really wide. I had to sit on the arsometer at my LBS to find that out!


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## EKEL (Sep 12, 2014)

Nice bike! I agree with mahgnillig about the dropper, & I also have the RaceFace Chesters on two bikes, love them with five ten shoes. But if you do get any type of flat pedals with pins for her, maybe encourage her to wear shin protection at first to prevent those painful shin strikes. Enjoy!


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

Chalk it up to ignorance, I didn't know there was such a measuring device (they could of named it something else lol, arse-o-meter, sorry, guy moment.) since I already ordered a saddle WS, I'll just trial it for now and see how she likes it, if it's a win, then we will go with it. If not we will go back to the shop and take on this arsometer.

This is the saddle (Cyan)...
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/sdg-components-allure-ti-alloy-saddle

I did have the Chester's in my crosshairs but the overall look, looked plasticy... now, I know many people have said it's a great pedal I went with the Crank Brothers Stamp 3 in blue... looks anodized aluminum. 
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/crank-brothers-stamp-3-pedals

The Dropper is the one I run in on my Ibis DV9
31.6x413mm (125mm)
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/sdg-components-tellis-dropper-seatpost

Got her a universal display stand for the garage
https://www.jensonusa.com/MSW-DS-200-Universal-Display-Stand

MRP Chainguide + Bash Guard
https://www.jensonusa.com/MRP-AMG-V2-Alloy-Single-Ring-Guide

A Carbon Fiber commuter stand which installs a little leg at the rear wheel quick release 12mm axle
https://upstandingbicycle.com/shop/the-commuter-upstand/

Front (CF) and rear Mud Guards
Front
https://www.rockguardz.com/mudguardz/rockguardz-mudguardz-cg350.html

Rear
https://www.rei.com/product/117274/sks-s-guard-rear-fender

I still have to get her a front light and a tail light for nighttime driving (if it ever happens)

PS: I didn't mention the water bottle and cage because that's a given... both color matching


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

If she is a curvy, hippy Latina she 99% needs a 155mm seat.
That's not sexism, just experience talking. 

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


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## Muirenn (Jun 17, 2013)

This compilation is quite accurate. Visible hip appearance has nothing to do with pelvic outlet formation, which determines sitbone width. It applies to all riding, not just bike touring. She'll want a saddle approximately the same as sitbone outside distance. Often, they talk about center to center distance--well that is easier to measure. But 3 people can have the same center to center width and need 3 vastly different saddle sizes depending on outside distance. Also, it is possible for inside distance between the sitbones to interfere with a cutout, hence the cutout can actually cause pain. The more a person sits up, the wider the bones land on a saddle. A very aero position may require a slightly more narrow saddle than if the person sits completely upright. Bone width (fine, medium, wide) also factors into overall width and saddle surface needs. But it's secondary to overall width.

Saddle Comfort and Bike Touring


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## }{yBr!D^ (May 23, 2019)

So, without further ado, with extensive help from Muirenn I give you my wife's new bike (that she loves) the 2018 Orbea Loki H10 (after I got through with it, it's like a H-LTD++). Originally I was looking for the 2019 Laufey but the Loki was renamed due to Copyright issues and essentially they're the same bikes. Even though Muirenn advised me to go with Jamis' Dragonfly my wife was just not feeling the pink... (no matter what I said, I tried Muirenn  )

These are the specs:
*Bottom Bracket:* Race Face (Upgraded: SRAM DUB BB)
*
Brake Calipers:* Shimano MT500 Hydraulic Disc (Upgraded: Sram Code RSC)
*
Brake Levers:* Shimano SLX M7000 I-Spec (Upgraded: Sram Code RSC)
*
Cassette:* Sun Race, 11-46 (Upgraded: Sram GX Eagle 12-Speed XG-1275 10-50t)

*Chain:* Shimano HG601 (Sram GX Chain)

*Crankset:* Race Face Aeffect Cinch, 32t (Sram GX Eagle Boost DUB Crankset 32t)

*Fork:* Fox 34 Float Performance 130, 3-Position, QR15x110
*
Frame:* Material Hydro Triple Butted, 29"/27.5" Boost, 12x148

*Handlebar:* Orbea OC-II Rise, 760mm (Upgraded: TruVativ Descendant Carbon Fiber 760mm)

*Headset:* FSA 1 1/8"-1 1/2" Integrated

*Pedals:* (CB Stamp 3 Blue)

*Grips:* (Ergon GA3 Blue)

*Rear Derailleur:* Shimano XT M8000 GS Shadow Plus, Direct Mount (Upgraded: Sram GX Eagle Derailleur)

*Rotors:* Shimano (Upgraded: Sram 180mm (F/R) Centerline)

*Saddle:* Selle Royal 2018 Trail Custom (She's undecided, using stock)

*Seatpost:* Race Face Aeffect Dropper, 31.6mm/125mm (Thinking of changing it to SDG's Tellis)

*Shifters:* Shimano SLX M7000 I-Spec (Sram GX Eagle 12-Speed)

*Stem:* Race Face Ride (Changed: Industry 9 A35 40mm Turquoise)

*1st Tire-set:* Maxxis Rekon+, 27.5"X3"F/27.5"x2.8"R (Upgraded/downgraded: F/R Maxxis Minion DHF 27.5"x2.5")

*2nd Tire-set:* F/R Schwalbe Addix Rock Razor 27.5"x2.35" (Considering switching them up and added a gravel/road setup for the Stan wheels)

*1st Wheelset:* F/R Sun Ringle Duroc 27.5 TR40 TLR

*2nd Wheelset:* F/R Stan's NoTube ARCH S1 27.5


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## Muirenn (Jun 17, 2013)

Very nice!


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