# Please help a guy help his wife



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

As a guy, I have been cautioned to tread lightly in this sub-forum, but what the heck here we go.....please be gentle.

I am trying to assist my lovely wife in selecting a MTB. Some background:
-She has only ever ridden bicycles on pavement, but I have been riding all sorts of offroad machines for over three decades, and it would be nice if she could join me on substantially benign trails.
-She is 5' 3-1/2", 110#, and 50 years young. I can't really relate to her geo since I am 6'2" and 220#, and have not insignificant lumbar and lower limb orthopedic issues.
-Historically, she seems to run the 3x6,7 "vintage" bikes that we own exclusively on the largest front sprocket, like a 42 or 44t, and there is no way that I can see her being able to mash that high a gear offroad.
-She has never ridden a FS, but wants one probably for two good reasons. She doesn't particularly care for "bumps", and my 29er is FS.
-Our budget is $3k, and a couple of models that have been suggested in other threads include Trek Lush and Julianna. Those seem to be mostly available as 650b [27.5"].

We are going to the LBS for her to test ride some cycles tomorrow, and any advice that y'all might have from her perspective is greatly appreciated. The obvious thing is proper fit, and fortunately the store manager happens to be female. That lady convinced me to go XL on my SJ versus L, and she was right. I'll probably just stand back while the ladies do their thing together, and input when asked.

There is an old saying that a man should never try to teach his wife how to cook, shoot, or drive. While I might be better-than-average at all of those things, I definitely heed that axiom. I have been an engineer for quite a long time, but all y'all probably figured that out already with your intuition. Being perceived as overbearing in any way will turn her off to the concept of riding the trail with me completely, but I want her to get the proper equipment.

Thank you.


----------



## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Honestly, if she has never been off pavement, I would try to rent or borrow a nice bike and see if she likes it before I spent $3000. It's hard to tell from your post how interested she is in MTB'g, we just know you are interested in her going. That said, if you are going shopping, I would limit your participation, maybe just ask them to compare/contrast a few things about the models. Hard to generalize, but a lot of people with back issues are more comfortable with a more upright position, and I would definitely recommend flat pedals for the orthopedic issues.


----------



## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

^ agreed! Also, making sure she's comfortable and gets some padded shorts if she doesn't already have some. If she's not comfortable to begin with, she'll be miserable and won't want to ride. If you have any beginner women's mtb clinics, I highly recommend signing her up for one - nothing like learning with other ladies to give you support. When riding with her - let her take the lead. Nothing worse when first learning than trying to play catch-up with your riding partner. Take lots of breaks and make it fun and non-competitive. 

Looking forward to hearing how the bike shopping went. Invite her to check out this forum.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

First off, thank y'all for taking the time to reply.

It is a very good suggestion to try and find a way to gauge her interest in MTB'ing before plopping down a large amount of $$$. Unfortunately, I don't really know anyone her size to borrow a bike from. The bikes that we currently own are clearly too large for her [19" Diamondback that a friend of hers gave her 20+ years ago, 19.5" Trek that I have had for a while, and size XL Specialized that I bought recently]. While the OM Flyer is arguably small enough for her, it would seem a really terrible idea to put a beginner on a single speed all rigid offroad. I hadn't thought about the rental possibility, and will definitely inquire when we are at the LBS.

Maybe it is worth considering a lower end bike initially, even if we sell it at a loss in the not too distant future? In any case, it seems prudent to start with proper fitment from our LBS pro. It should be relatively easy for me to maintain a low profile during this initial visit with my wife to the LBS [despite the fact it is entirely contrary to my general nature], because the manager lady seems to know what she is talking about based on how rigorously I have inquired previously, and I have confidence in her recommendations as evidenced by my getting the XL SJ versus L.

My wife has her heart set on a FS, but I somewhat doubt whether or not she would really notice the difference between various suspension design pedaling characteristics, or a Wally World Special versus higher end air shocks, components, and frame materials. I am not trying to cheap out on her, but this may be a "process" rather than a one-time buy. My biggest concern with a low end model might be that it isn't tuned for her light weight, and it could act more like a rigid if the preload [sag] doesn't have much range of adjustment.

She seems to have some level of interest as demonstrated by the fact that she bought a pair of padded cycling shorts the other day when helping me make an online order. She also has a proper fitting bump helmet for use with NV, but that topic is well outside the scope of this thread [although please feel free to contact me if you are interested in NV, and I will try to reciprocate with experience in that area].

She is also extremely supportive of my recently returning to cycling as a much needed form of "low impact" PT. It may have been ambiguous in the OP, but I am the one with congenital lower extremity orthopedic issues, and have also had a pair of associated lumbar laminectomies. A more upright riding position definitely seems better for one with lumbar issues, and I have replaced the factory bars on my SJ with raised ones, as well as running the saddle a little lower than might be otherwise considered optimal. She is very healthy structurally, and also plenty damn intelligent!

I for sure can't use clipless pedals because corrective surgery some 44 years ago resulted in my right foot being rotated approximately 15-20 degrees outward, and the torque that they put on my knee and hip becomes quite painful based on past attempts. It also seems like a disaster waiting to happen putting a beginner offroader such as my wife in clipless initially.

The suggestions on "how" to execute a ride are also good ones. We'll have to investigate availability of a local ladies' clinic, and it might not be beyond the realm of possibility that our LBS pro would go ride with her, but my understanding is that she is primarily a road rider.

Having the less experienced and/or less fit rider take the lead definitely makes perfect sense as well. My normal riding partner [a male business associate and friend] can easily outpace me, and probably maintain at least 2-3x the endurance; he almost always has me to lead, unless it is a trail that I am entirely unfamiliar with.

Once again, thank you ladies for your quality insight, and please keep it coming. Will report back later today of a hopefully favorable experience at the LBS.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

If she is tiny and riding a road bike, she probably pumps up her tires too hard (over 100 psi?) and is feeling every little roughness in the road. She doesn't need a full suspension to smooth out bumps in the trail; that is what tires are for.

The first thing she ought to test ride is a fully rigid bike like a Surly Troll or some bike by Salsa, or one of those gravel grinder bikes, but with wide tires pumped soft. Then she can find out what a mountain bike is like without a suspension. After she has that benchmark, she can try a hardtail, and then a full suspension bike.

Bike shops are in the business of selling you the bikes they have. That doesn't mean that the bikes that are available at your LBS are the right bikes for your wife's intended use. 

It's not at all obvious to me what the point of a full suspension would be for your wife, if she intends to ride on benign trails. A lot of times people move to FS bikes so they can bomb down rough hills faster. Is that something you think is important to your wife?

If smoothing out bumps is a big goal of hers, she might also try getting on a fatbike. A lot of times, when women get on fatbikes, they can't stop grinning. A fatbike *is not fast*, but is speed what is important to your wife? Or would she be happier if she could just roll over everything, without fear of slipping and without feeling the bumps?


----------



## mudgirl (Jun 19, 2007)

the other Anne said:


> If smoothing out bumps is a big goal of hers, she might also try getting on a fatbike. A lot of times, when women get on fatbikes, they can't stop grinning. A fatbike *is not fast*, but is speed what is important to your wife? Or would she be happier if she could just roll over everything, without fear of slipping and without feeling the bumps?


Anne beat me to it, but I was going to suggest a fat bike as well. They're not super expensive, they will give her some suspension (make sure you only inflate the tires to about 5-7lbs of pressure), and they are SUPER fun! Great for gravel, dirt, bike paths, double track, and single track, and for smiles!


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

My wife seems plenty small to me size wise, but then again I am a bit larger than average.

The only bicycles that I am aware of her riding in the past two decades are the 19" Diamondback dinosaur fully rigid MTB that her friend gave her way back when, and the 19.5" Trek MTB with a substantially obsolete suspension fork that I recently rebuilt to verify if I could even ride a bicycle anymore before plunking down cash for a modern bike.

The plan is to simply introduce her to the LBS manager lady with whom I have been doing business, and then I will go BS with the mechs in the shop while the ladies do their thing together regarding options, sizing, and potential test rides.

Their isn't specific intention to make a purchase today unless my wife finds something that is perfect in her mind. This is not to suggest "exercising" the LBS lady, but rather normal due diligence when buying something expensive and important.

It will be most interesting to see what they come up with together.

As far as tire pressure, I am still learning that on the new bike with modern components; presumably tubeless allows one to go even lower? I bought all of the parts for the 2Bliss conversion, but just haven't gotten around to executing it during the holidays. I do know firsthand that 6psi in the Heep tires with beadlock wheels is pretty kick ass on the rocks versus 20 or 30 psi. 

The FS is fabulous for my back even though 130mm of travel is waaaay overkill for the type of trails near our home. Whether or not my wife "needs" FS is sort of moot if that is what she thinks she wants.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

What she wants now is not necessarily what she will want when she tries some different bikes. You're an engineer, right, murderman? So you understand that we want to use the tool that solves the problem we have. If the problem is that trails are too bumpy, then a bike that makes the trails feel not so bumpy is the bike for the task. 

But any mountain bike, from fully rigid to FS, should run tires with lower pressure than road tires. Your wife is probably a lightweight if she's only 5'3". She can and should run any tire at the lower end of its pressure rating. Probably the rigid Diamondback she has should be running tires at 30 psi or lower. Pneumatic tires were invented for a reason!


----------



## mudgirl (Jun 19, 2007)

Another option, if you're not in a huge hurry to buy a bike right now, is to wait until summer and attend an event (or several events) that will have demo bikes available for her to ride. If you happen to live in the Northeast, NEMBA has an "Adventure Series" which is a ride sponsored by NEMBA each month, from May to October, I think, and there are generally demo bikes available at these rides. They also do a big weekend event up at the Kingdom Trails in East Burke, VT, in late June that will have many bike manufacturers attending with demo bikes. 

Similarly, there is Dirtfest in late May down in Raystown, PA, if you happen to be in the mid-Atlantic. I'm sure there are other bike festivals around the country that I'm not familiar with. 

FS can definitely make the ride more enjoyable, especially when approaching those middle years. I wouldn't discount it based on the fact that she has never ridden one before. My back takes significantly more of a beating when I ride my rigid fat bike, even though I usually ride it on mellower terrain than my FS, than when I ride my FS 29er. Comfort is key when riding bikes for most newbies. If they can't get comfortable, they're not likely to enjoy it nor want to continue doing it. 

You also may have a bike shop or bike shops near you that will allow you to demo some bikes. Some of them may charge a fee for demo'ing, but a lot of them will put the cost toward the purchase of a bike if you end up buying a bike from them.


----------



## rangeriderdave (Aug 29, 2008)

Mountain biking is hard ,you sweat ,get bumps and bruises ,it's hot or cold .So being comfortable on the bike is important .You have a good plan ,she should do everything to make sure she is getting what she wants,and will ride. There is a learning curve for new riders ,what works today may not next month or year.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Good morning ladies. 

Here is some data from our visit to the LBS yesterday. Unfortunately, it didn't go quite as well as I had hoped for, primarily because the female manager was not there as I had been previously advised that she would be. Since my wife had made the effort, we proceeded with whom seemed to be the most senior "salesman"...more on that later.

I kept my nose completely out of their discussions, and instead BS'd with the techs and played with the OM Flyer recently purchased online. OT, there was a young lady 13 years my junior who was refreshingly well informed regarding "old school" BMX stuff.

My wife test rode at least a few cycles in the strip mall parking lot; I believe 27.5 and 29, HT and FS, and size S and M, although I am not sure exactly which combinations. They would have all been either Specialized or Trek because those are the mainstream brands that this LBS reps.

She seemed to prefer the M versus the S, which was a little bit surprising to me, but her measured inseam w/o shoes is 30-3/8". That seems to generally correlate well with a 17" frame or size M based upon the couple of bike sizing calculators that I have looked at.

What was even more surprising was that she felt comfortable on the 29. I am nearly a foot taller than her, and twice her weight, and more experienced although not necessarily more talented, and I find my new 29 to be a bit of a handful even on not-so-technical trails. My suspicion is that it relates to the parking lot demo ride versus being in and amongst things like trees, roots, sharp corners, and creek bluffs.

As Anne cautioned, the gentleman that my wife engaged with tried to "up-sell" her on a $4k model that happened to be in stock. It included a Command Post; seriously, a Command Post for a beginner riding on trails that amount to not much more than narrow fire roads with trees! That was when I got involved, and the discussion sort of degenerated.

I asked my wife if she understood that "feature", and when the salesman and I jointly explained it, she said, "I don't need that; I will just put my seat where I want it and leave it there."

Then I asked the salesman how much that "feature" added to the price, and he was like, "only around $700 or so."

It seemed most sensible to let things rest at that point as well as after we got home.

It also seems sensible to just not bring up the subject again until if/when she does. I genuinely perceived more interest than there might actually be. Sorry for wasting y'all's time.


----------



## Bethany1 (Jan 18, 2012)

You didn't waste anyone's time. I'm glad you didn't walk out with a bike that was "upsold" on your wife or something she wasn't sure of. 

Just because your wife is on the smaller side doesn't mean she couldn't ride a 29er or a 27.5 with ease. 

If you didn't look at WSD bikes that would be another option when/if she is interested.


----------



## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

You can't induce any woman to go on the dirt. They have to WANT to first. If she is open to that, I would get her a hardtail with 100mm of front suspension, so she can begin the learning curve on dirt. Get her knee/elbow pads/padded, full finger gloves, because crashing is gonna be a rite of passage for anyone. Let her build her skillset on the HT and when she gets more proficient and stronger.....upgrade her wheels to a much lighter wheelset, so she can relish the joy of fast spin-up.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

Murderman, it's too bad that the salesperson you liked wasn't there, because this other guy may have killed your wife's interest. Is this your local bike shop? If so, I suggest you mention your wife's bad experience to the manager. The manager wants people who come in his shop to be happy with the salespeople. 

I question the advice of putting a new rider in pads, too. That sounds like a good idea for a person who you know or expect is going to be an aggressive rider from the get-go. But for someone whose desire is to go for a nice ride out in the woods in the trees, padding just suggests that the ride is going to be dangerous. If the person doesn't want to be doing something dangerous, they'll just avoid the entire ride.


----------



## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

Don't give up yet, but take your time. Demo events are a great idea, but tend to be few and far between. LivGiant puts on wonderful demos, by the way, and it will help your wife to mingle with other women riders. The enthusiasm is contagious!

Definitely stick with the lady manager for future LBS visits- not necessarily because she's female but because she has demonstrated that she understands the importance of fit. Also, because your wife has been riding bikes that are significantly too large for her, she may initially insist that a properly sized bike feels "way too small". In that case stick with the manufacturer's sizing guide and only consider sizing up if her height places her in the overlap zone. She will thank you later.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Well, it looks like I may have found a "suitable" loaner bike from one of my friends. It is a size M, 29er, FS. 

When I asked my wife if she would be willing to try it on a local trail she seemed receptive, but asked how narrow was the trail. I told her that some parts are fairly narrow, but that would help her to better understand the pros/cons of a 29" wheel. She said, well maybe she would be better with a 27.5 then, and I suggested trying this one for a short ride if it could be available.

I also provided a brief description of pedal bob, but she seems set on FS. Her comment was that when she went down the curb the other day at the LBS parking lot, she liked how smooth it was.

She mentioned looking at the Juliana website and liking the yellow one. I pulled it up and politely agreed that the color was nice, but that the frame was CF. She asked what that meant, and to keep from getting into too much detail, I said that it was very fancy plastic versus the aluminum that some other frames are made of. I told her that the benefit is lighter weight, but that the downside was that it is more delicate. She said that she wanted a metal one that could be banged around a little bit.

With patience, we seem to slowly be making progress one step at a time.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

Terrific! The best way to understand what you like is to try some bikes.

A size M 29er seems way too big for someone 5'3", though. That's a lot of bike for a petite woman.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Anne, it sure seems that way to me as well, but her measured inseam surprisingly tends to indicate a size M or 17" based on the various "sizing program" recommendations that I have come across. More importantly she seemed to prefer the M over the S when she briefly tried both in a strip mall parking lot the other day. Maybe that is because she has been riding a 19" [definitely too big] most recently, since that is the smallest we currently own besides the single speed? It seems harder to assess reach based on body measurements, but that presumably can be more easily "managed" through stem and bar selection/adjustment.

What seems more "way too big" from my perspective is the 29" wheels, which is why I want to actually put her on one in a very mild offroad environment rather than a parking lot. It is not an attempt to induce failure by any means, quite the contrary. I went straight from 26 to 29, and to be perfectly candid I find it a handful sometimes even though I am above average size, albeit not at all in good shape or particularly athletic in general.

I built a PVC bike rack last weekend, so maybe the visual effect of seeing my 29er next to the 26 that she has been using will give some perspective, but in all fairness, an XL 29er is a beast of a machine size wise.

We are smack dab in the middle of our "two weeks of winter" here, but will hopefully get some more practical experience the weekend after next.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

Seems like the cockpit would be way too long on a size M 29er for a woman who is long-legged and only 5'3". She necessarily has a short torso. Unlike you, I don't think that the reach issues can necessarily be solved with a shorter stem.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Actually, I think that we are on the same page. Her perception of what a bike is supposed to "feel" like is likely skewed from only having ridden ones that were clearly too big for her, even before we met way back when. 

I'd really like to see her spend some time on a size S, either 26 or 27.5, but this is a delicate process, and she needs to find the right solution for herself with some gentle and supportive guidance. 

It would be great if she could hear what all y'all are saying directly, but she doesn't do forums and never has.

The other "hurdle" is that she seems to like the highest gear that any given bike has to offer.....all the time. On flat pavement with only 110# to move, that might be OK most of the time, but if it is any softer than that or when incline comes into play, we all know it won't work. One step at a time...

Thanks again for your patience.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

This is not a criticism of you, murderman, because as you say we're on the same page. But I do want to criticize the bike shop salesman for trying to sell a $3700 mountain bike with full suspension and a dropper post to a rider who has not yet learned how to use her gears. She's going to ride down a hill so steep and rough she needs a dropper post? And... how was she going to get to the top of that hill, if she doesn't yet know to shift to a lower gear?

This is the kind of salesperson that gives bike shops a bad name.


----------



## mudgirl (Jun 19, 2007)

murderman said:


> What seems more "way too big" from my perspective is the 29" wheels,


29" wheels can be very confidence inspiring in the right terrain, regardless of height. I am 5'1" with a 29" inseam. I used to live in an area where the trails were relatively flowy--not a lot of switch backs or abrupt, steep, technical climbs. I test-rode a 29er FS Giant Anthem four years ago and was immediately sold on it within a half mile of riding it. It's one of the only 29ers that has a short enough top tube to fit me in terms of reach; standover is not an issue with this bike, either. I bought it and my riding immediately improved and continued to improve by leaps and bounds--after previously riding for 5 years on a HT 26" bike.

A year and a half ago, I moved, and the trails where I now live are twisty, lots of tight switchbacks, very technical, and lots of abrupt, short, steep climbs. I now find the 29er cumbersome and want to go down to a 27.5" wheel size. I can't get the front wheel of the 29er off the ground easily to manual, and the trails are so technical that it won't just steamroll over the chunder the way it did where I used to live. I also have a hard time turning the big wheels around the tight corners here.

So, it really depends on the type of trails you'll be riding as to what the best tool (bike) will be for the job. I really hope she is able to get out and demo a variety of bikes to figure out which one will suit her to get started. Personally, I always recommend a HT 29er or even a 27.5" now to newbies. That way they're not investing a ton of money into a bike before they've figured out how committed they are to the sport. It will likely be enough bike for them to learn on and refine some skills until they figure out what sort of riding/trails they enjoy, and what bike they'll need for that. Then they can spend the big money!


----------



## yzedf (Apr 22, 2014)

I met a similar sized woman out on the trails a month back or so. She had picked up a used Santa Cruz model (before they spun off Juliana as a women's only brand) for under a grand. Full suspension, aluminum and mostly XT components. Now is the time to find those deals, if she decides it's not for her you sell it for similar money and move on.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

Mud girl, interesting that you post about 29" wheels being less suited to tight switchbacks. I've been having a terrible time mastering switchbacks. Mostly, no doubt, it's my own skills lacking, but riding 29+ wheels is not making it any easier.


----------



## mudgirl (Jun 19, 2007)

My boyfriend rides the same trails I do on a 29er. He doesn't have any trouble getting around the switchbacks because he knows how to kick his rear wheel around behind him-unweight the front wheel and then use your hips to swing the rear end around behind you. It'd be a useful skill for me to learn, but I haven't yet...


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

If you unweight the front wheel, how are you kicking the back wheel around? Your weight then would all be on the back wheel. Seems to me it would be a lot easier to kick the rear wheel if you first unweighted it. Not that I can unweight either front or rear wheel, so what do I know.


----------



## mudgirl (Jun 19, 2007)

Oops I meant rear wheel. Don't mind me. I'm slightly dyslexic.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

I went to my preferred LBS alone this morning just to see what they had in stock as well as to try better evaluate options and hopefully make beneficial recommendation for my wife. I visited for probably 45+ minutes with both the salesman with whom she had dealt with previously as well as the lady who is the store manager.

Apparently, the previous "up sell" was not at the suggestion of the salesman, but rather my wife asking, "what is the next higher one up".

My short list recommendation includes two Specialized [SJ FSR Comp and Rumor Comp], three Treks [Lush S, Superfly FS8, and Fuel EX], and two Juliannas [Juno and Joplin]. They are all aluminum frames except for the Joplin CF, and it is priced several hundred dollars higher, but I wanted to include at least two models from every brand. They are all 29ers and FS except the Lush, Fuel, and Juno are 27.5".

What I find quite interesting is that for a given price point, ~$2700 in this case, the WSD models don't have nearly the same spec components as the "men's" models. Presumably this is due to lower volume? I sure hope that it isn't gender discrimination.

Anyway, the manager lady and avid rider [Jessica] seemed to feel that a 29er might actually be better than a 650b for my wife despite her smaller stature, based on riding style. The 29 won't spin up as quickly, but once rolling it will maintain momentum better. My wife is more of a steady state rider versus transient, and switchbacks will be very rare.

Based on the component specs versus price point, I am inclined to recommend the same bike that I for bought myself, i.e. a SJ FSR, although in a size M versus XL. They happen to have one in stock in my wife's size and are willing to take the time to tune the suspension properly for a test ride. There is the added domestic tranquility benefit of getting her the same as I selected for myself.

The geo between the WSD's and the "men's" models doesn't seem to be hugely different. My wife is sensitive to standover height, an the SJ seems reasonable in such regard.

Thoughts? Thanks to all y'all again for your patience and support.


----------



## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

The Stumpy fsr is a great bike, but medium is not your wife's size. At 5'3" she needs a small.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

I can't really relate to her geo because we are so different in size, but a S would seem more appropriate to me as well. She rode a couple bikes, and seemed to prefer the M, but that is not to suggest they were properly adjusted. Her measurements taken according to the guidelines on  this sizing website :

Actual inseam - 30-3/8"
Trunk - 23-11/16"
Forearm - 12-1/4"
Arm - 22-5/8"
Thigh - 21-7/8"
Lower leg - 20-3/4"
Sternal notch - 52"
Total height - 63-1/2"

Does that equate to size S or M?

If "we" can pick the appropriate frame and wheel sizes, I can select a model based on component specs versus price point.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

The bikes you list are fine bikes I'm sure, and for $2700 they should be. But unless $2700 is nothing to you, I think you and your wife would be a lot better off with more testing before shelling out that kind of coin. Also, Lady Di is right that a medium is the wrong size for your wife.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

We both have pretty good professional careers and corresponding discretionary income, but $2700 is a lot of money to anyone like us who wasn't born with blue blood, hence evaluating this in such detail.

My biggest concern is that if she gets another bike which is not well fitted/tuned, and with less than decent components that she may not give this sport another chance. Her patience for "testing" and optimization is rather thin [the opposite of me]; it is more like, "let's just buy a bike and go riding."


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

It seems to me that you can find a bike for less than $2700 that has decent components and is well adjusted, particularly if you go to the used market, but even if you buy new. And you can also buy a $2700 bike that is the wrong bike for her, which a size medium would be.

If the bike shop is saying that a $2700 bike is an entry-level bike, they're lying.


----------



## sooshee (Jun 16, 2012)

I'm 5'9.5" tall and ride M in the men's Specialized bikes, so I really wouldn't think a M would be appropriate for someone 5'3", either. 

When spending $2700, let alone really any amount of money, sizing is important. Riding an incorrectly sized bike just sucks (my first mountain bike was a size too small for me). Make sure she can test out the proper sizes that are properly set up before buying.


----------



## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

You my friend have the patience of a saint! I guess with equal seasoning I may acquire your vigilance ^^ (I'm only 12 years married). My beloved rides (haven't passed 2x hands/fingers yet) my old 29er that is an L but a little small for me (H: 181cm, Wing-Span: 187cm, W: 222lbs), it fits her reasonably well, and more importantly she likes the ride.

When she does ride it's solely for fitness purposes. Maybe discovering your better half's reasoning for hitting the trails, you might find a better suited steed.

With three youngish children in tow, just my wife wife and I riding together regularly is several seasons away yet. I would like to get her involved more as I think she would enjoy it and be a great trail buddy.

Re, your wife - I would approach a local MTB club for advice, maybe even ask a local female rider to take her out for a ride. Attend - demo days, race/social events etc. as women are more social creatures this could be another way to hook her in to mtb-in. Gods speed and good luck.

Sent from my Kin[G]_Pad ™


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

That sure sounds like at least three "votes" from y'all ladies that my wife should seriously consider the size S. In conjunction with 29" wheels, that might be a good combination? The saddle height could be adjusted to fit her for either a ~15-17" frame, but the reach not so much, particularly on a "men's" geo frame with her comparatively short arms.

As far as the price point, $2700 seems to be where the brand new FS bikes with "decent" spec components are at. Sure there are plenty less expensive models, and there are certainly ones that are waaaaay more expensive with the law of diminishing returns coming into play. We are certainly not in a dollars-for-grams situation, but I am only suggesting for my wife that which seemed a good balance for me when shopping for a new bike which is arguably a bit overkill for my riding application.


----------



## mudgirl (Jun 19, 2007)

I went to that website and input your wife's measurements, and the bike measurements it spat back out at me are exactly the bike measurements that I am looking for in my next bike--in a size small frame. 

On the other hand, I've sat on one of the 2015 FSR Stumpjumpers pretty recently, as it was one of the bikes I was initially considering for my next bike purchase, and the size medium did feel like it might fit me. The trend with bikes more recently has been to shorten the top tubes, especially on all mountain oriented bikes. Honestly, if I were to seriously consider the Stumpy, I'd need to test ride both a small and a medium to compare how they felt underneath me. I absolutely hate feeling cramped in the cockpit, and I had a decent amount of bend at my elbows when I sat on top of the medium and didn't feel really stretched. Really, it would come down to how they both felt when I rode them in order for me to make the call. As a reminder, I am 5'1". She really needs to get on the bikes and try them out on the trails--not in a parking lot.


----------



## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

5'4" here, and I ride a size small Giant Trance X 29er. Granted, not a Specialized, but I'd be surprised if a medium was the size for her. But, like mudgirl says, she should try to demo that bike in both sizes on some trails - that's where the difference is really going to be evident. That being said, if she's riding more for fitness and on relatively flat double track and gravel roads, she may appreciate being more stretched out on a medium? The thing is, if she finds herself really enjoying it and wants to give singletrack a try, the difference in size will be a lot more noticeable. Personally, I'd rather ride a bike that is slightly too small than too big.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Y'all aren't really helping the decision much....I kid, I kid! My wife does seem to be borderline size S/M from all of the information available.

I have historically preferred bikes that are "too small" for me, but that probably stems from the BMX influence some 35+ years ago. The gentleman at the LBS actually alluded to that concept when I sat on a size M 27.5 earlier today and said that it felt great. I am glad however that the manager lady "talked me into" a size XL versus L when I bought my SJ, as she was right. But this is not about my bike selection, it is about my wife.

In light of the fact that her riding will be relatively wide open spaces, i.e. paved bike paths and easy trails, the larger size [M] might make better sense? My concern is that she has been "conditioned" to too large a bike having spent all of her limited time the past 20+ years on 19/19.5" frames.

The real shame is that my riding partner of late has a 2013 17" Cannondale Rush 29er that he will loan us for as long as she'd like and to use on whatever path, trail, etc., and to adjust the suspension, saddle and bars at will, but for whatever reason she won't take up the offer. I really wish that I could convince her stubborn self of the importance of finding the right fit through some actual seat time on various models.

She just wants to buy a bike and be done with it.....


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

murderman said:


> The real shame is that my riding partner of late has a 2013 17" Cannondale Rush 29er that he will loan us for as long as she'd like and to use on whatever path, trail, etc., and to adjust the suspension, saddle and bars at will, but for whatever reason she won't take up the offer. I really wish that I could convince her stubborn self of the importance of finding the right fit through some actual seat time on various models.
> 
> She just wants to buy a bike and be done with it.....


She may want to just buy a bike, but does she really want to just RIDE it when she has it? Or is she trying to get you off her back? If she wants to ride, then seems to me she'd take the Cannondale offer, and go riding.

If I were you, I'd insist that she ride the Cannondale five or six times before shelling out $2700 for a new bike that might end up gathering dust in the garage. It's not like there's anything wrong with the almost-new Cannondale.


----------



## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

A 27.5 in medium will have the best resale value. :devil:


----------



## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

Just so you don't think we're making up size suggestions, below is Specialized's 2014 size guide. According to the chart your wife is a solid small for the Stumpjumper. On another model, the Hardrock, she's actually borderline xs/s. My 5'2" daughter used to ride a xs Hardrock and it fit her perfectly. A situation in which a borderline rider would need to size up includes long legs, long arms. short torso- that's me! I'm 5'7" but if I didn't have scoliosis (the kind you can't tell just looking at me) I'd be ~5'9". Therefore, where I'm borderline sm/med according to size guides the need for more seatpost typically has me sizing up.









(edit: sorry for double pic- couldn't get it out)


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Di, I know that all y'all's input is genuine and informed; my apology if it was implied otherwise. I am very appreciative of how patient folks have been with this discussion.

Anne, I am receiving mixed signals from my wife as far as interest goes. For whatever reason, she seems reluctant to do much testing, but on the other hand she bought herself a pair of riding gloves the other day. Heck, just this morning I asked her to try and find me a deal on some Five Tens since she is the master of internet shopping [apparently for everything except bicycles], and next thing I know she is trying to pick her out a cycling helmet because the NV helmet I bought her is "ugly".

I am a little frustrated, but must maintain composure. I think that her motivation for riding at all is twofold. A) She knows that PT is beneficial for me to lose a few pounds and to strengthen my lower back after a couple of surgeries. She seems interested that it would be an activity that we can do together. B) She used to workout for 2 solid hours, 5 days a week on the treadmill, elliptical, and with light free weights. Work schedule has eliminated that activity from her routine the past few years.

She would probably prefer pure road riding, but I absolutely hate that type of riding and one of the objectives is for us to do together. Besides, in the area we live, road riding is fairly close to a death wish. The paved paths with maybe a little bit of easy dirt mixed in seems like a reasonable and safer compromise. FS is arguably overkill, but it is beneficial for my orthopedic issues, and the moment that she rode one it became a "must have" for her as well because she doesn't care for the "bumps".

The Cannonade loaner offer seems like a no-brainer to me, but I have to be somewhat diplomatic with my insistence.

I am really glad that I found this sub-forum, and more importantly that all y'all have been so gracious as to not "kick my ass" as was suggested might happen by another member.


----------



## yzedf (Apr 22, 2014)

"Which one would you buy today?" That's the one you get a demo of. If she likes it, buy it.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Well ladies, we have a _really major_ breakthrough...actually a few of them! 

For our 13th wedding anniversary yesterday [plus the four+ years that we lived together before that] my wife bought us a pair of Polar HRMs. She is familiar with that brand from the devices integrated on her treadmill and elliptical. I would probably prefer the RC3 model with integrated GPS, but I am smart enough not to say anything negative about the RCX3s that she likely got a bargain deal on. I haven't had the opportunity to test it out yet as the black one for me has not yet arrived, so I currently have just a picture with description.

I was shopping online yesterday for a new stem to experiment with a shorter length on my SJ, and found a pretty decent deal for a 75mm Truvativ T30 on Amazon Prime. When I went to checkout on our shared account, there were several different ladies cycling shorts and helmets saved in the cart, so she has definitely been looking into this. Kinda ironic that I was looking into a shorter stem as I endo'd on concrete again last night...fark! Pretty sore this morning with a very tender rib that must have caught the bar on the way over, bruised chin and both wrists, as well as ego. Fortunately the standard riding gear of helmet, gloves, and prescription safety glasses prevented it being worse. I did get some "cool" scratches on both brake reservoirs though. :thumbsup: These bad ass hydraulic disks take some getting used to.

Here is the *real bigee*...she told me that she has scheduled up an appointment on Sat 7 Feb 15 for a "professional" fitting session at  our LBS fitting studio . It seems as though they are maybe more catered to roadies, but the fact that K arranged this on her own removes any uncertainty that I previously had regarding interest. My wife said that she is "scared" of riding the 19" Trek HT because of the standover height, and that is a most reasonable concern. She said that she has declined the Cannondale loaner because she doesn't want to ride someone else's bike; I have a little more difficulty accepting that position, but married life is one of understanding and compromise.

While it would potentially be most beneficial for her to have an actual bike for them to fit her to, I am not about to rock that boat. We do have an agreement that we will compare notes before she actually buys a bike. We discussed briefly that the WSD models come with lower spec components at the same price point. For example, a SJ FSR [men's] comes with 130mm Revelation fork and X9 [clutch-type] RD versus the Rumor [WSD] with a 110mm Reba and X5 RD, with pretty much all of the other components being the same.....for the same exact MSRP! The geo difference is well within the range of reasonable saddle height and stem length adjustment when comparing a "men's" S with a "WSD" M for those particular models. I mentioned this to our LBS manager lady during a recent visit, and her response was, "that's why I ride 'men's' bikes."


----------



## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

I suggest to be very cautious about a fitting session with roadie fitters, unless they are not road bike fitters and have experience fitting mountain bikes. It's pretty typcial for a a rider that is used to a road bike fit to be initially feel better on a mountain bike that is too big for them as they are used to being more extended. But... if these guys understand mtb fit, then it's worth a listen.

as for the 19" frame... I'm 5' 4.5" and I'd be terrified of it too.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

They do mention MTB fit on that site, as well as the roadie prevalence. To be perfectly candid, my wife is likely more of a "hybrid" or "roadie" than a hardcore MTB'r.

Part of the process is apparently to assess her anticipated riding style, and that should be a very good thing.

In any regards, I am not inclined to dissuade her momentum in choosing to get "properly fitted".

I am 6'2", and the top bar of the 19"HT gets pretty cozy with my sensitive parts, so yeah, it is waaay too big for my wife.


----------



## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

murderman said:


> We discussed briefly that the WSD models come with lower spec components at the same price point. For example, a SJ FSR [men's] comes with 130mm Revelation fork and X9 [clutch-type] RD versus the Rumor [WSD] with a 110mm Reba and X5 RD, with pretty much all of the other components being the same.....for the same exact MSRP! The geo difference is well within the range of reasonable saddle height and stem length adjustment when comparing a "men's" S with a "WSD" M for those particular models. I mentioned this to our LBS manager lady during a recent visit, and her response was, "that's why I ride 'men's' bikes."


I hear you, but I wouldn't get stuck on this issue if the WSD fits/feels better, the better components won't matter if it ends up sitting in the garage.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

My wife has definitely taken the initiative, and I am very excited about that! It seems most sensible for her carry on with minimal, but supportive input on my part.....she is plenty smart and independent.

It just seems unfair that in order to get "WSD" geo, one must make sacrifice on the component specs at a given price point. Sure a better RD can be bought for not a whole lot of money, but good forks are a bit more pricey, and travel is inherent to the frame/fork design combination. The geo difference isn't all that huge either for the mainstream models that I have been comparing, in the neighborhood of 15mm for both stack and reach. Am I missing something or aren't those sorts of adjustments within reasonable range for the saddle and stem/bars? "Marketing" is not necessarily uncommon for this industry, just like many others.

I will be off the bikes for a week or two as the trip to the doc yesterday indicated a broken rib from the crash on Monday. It isn't quite as painful as impacted kidney stones or ruptured lumbar disks [both experienced personally more than once], or natural childbirth as I understand from others [my kid sister has done that by choice...twice!]. Getting older kinda sucks in some ways.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Hello again ladies. Here are the latest developments:

My wife has cancelled her appointment with the "hardcore" roadie fitter. Between the various web-based sizing info and all y'all's input, she is now understanding that a size S (~15.5") would be appropriate for her height and comparatively short waist/arms, so the $300 price tag would be better put towards hardware. It was her decision, but I do happen to agree with it.

She seems insistent on FS, although I think that a HT might actually be better for her, since she only wants to ride pavement. The apparent downsides to FS are cost and weight, neither of which are prohibitive.

We have also discussed 27.5 versus 29, and she seems to now want 27.5 without much experience with either.

The available selection of 27.5 FS compared with 29 FS or 27.5 HT is pretty slim, and keeps leading to the Trek Lush S. Those seem to be pretty hard to find in a size S?

I sure wish that I could convince her to at least try out the loaner size M Cannondale 29er as a data point to see what she does and doesn't like, but she won't "borrow someone else's bike" for whatever reason.

Now that the frame size consideration seems to have been addressed, do y'all have any recommendations on how best to present information regarding the wheel size and FS/HT aspects to a somewhat stubborn spouse who seems more interested in just buying a bike versus testing reasonable possibilities along the way to best selection? 

A small part of me just wants to buy an inexpensive bike in a size S and say, "here is your new bike, let's go ride." She doesn't know the difference between a nice bike and a mediocre one, not to suggest that I would somehow "abuse" that ignorance. If she embraces the sport and togetherness, that one can be donated to charity, and we will get her a real one. The downside potential of that approach is turning her off completely.

ETA - I rode 3.5 easy miles this past Sunday, so the broken rib seems to be doing a little bit better with patience.


----------



## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

> she only wants to ride pavement.


Whaaa? Did you say this before and I missed it? All this trouble for a pavement bike?



> A small part of me just wants to buy an inexpensive bike in a size S and say, "here is your new bike, let's go ride." She doesn't know the difference between a nice bike and a mediocre one, not to suggest that I would somehow "abuse" that ignorance. If she embraces the sport and togetherness, that one can be donated to charity, and we will get her a real one. The downside potential of that approach is turning her off completely.


this.


----------



## mudgirl (Jun 19, 2007)

b


murderman said:


> The available selection of 27.5 FS compared with 29 FS or 27.5 HT is pretty slim, and keeps leading to the Trek Lush S. Those seem to be pretty hard to find in a size S?


The best bang for your buck with bikes is Giant. I would look at the Lust 3 in Small for $2100 as well (the components are a little better): Lust 3 (2015) | Giant Bicycles | United States

The Trek Lush looks like a solid bike as well. I think you're overthinking this too much. If money really is no object, buy a bike and be done with it. She can figure out what she wants out of her next bike over the next couple years while she's riding her "starter" bike and learning what her riding style is. I rode for 5 years on a basic hardtail, 80mm of front travel Specialized Rockhopper and I still loved the sport, and took that thing down some pretty freakin' gnarly trails, too. I'm about to pull the trigger on my fourth bike, and I'm still trying to figure out what my riding style is. It's a never-ending evolution if your heart is truly in the sport.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Formica, yeah she doesn't like "the bumps" offroad, hence the FS, and considers some of the local MUP's "too narrow" with the trees close on both sides along the way. I am however not at all interested in road riding particularly around where we live since is is a pseudo death wish with the soccer moms and other idiots in full-size SUVs and P/U's texting while they drive. A compromise seems best to enjoy together, and that might be neighborhood surface streets combined with local MUPs. Hopefully, at some point she might become interested in some dirt, but in any case, I will continue that. 

MG, thank you for the Giant link; that seems quite promising. BTW, your SN is cool. I have spent plenty time in some serious mud with trucks, quads, MCs, etc. while growing up in the state of LA. I am quite possibly "overthinking" this. I get paid decently by my clients to keep bad things from happening, and it is difficult to separate that professional mentality from personal life.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

It's not a bad idea to give your wife a lovely present of an inexpensive size small bike. Even though she has no use for a full suspension, you should, I guess, get her an inexpensive bike with a full suspension because that's what she thinks she wants.

(If she's going to ride pavement, you know and I know that she should be riding a bike with 2.4" tires and no suspension at all. Something like this beauty:
Hunqapillar

or this nifty bike (which takes a suspension fork if you feel like it):
Troll | Bikes | Surly Bikes

or any of the other fine rigid bikes made for road/trail use. But there's no sense giving her something she doesn't think she wants.)


----------



## Bethany1 (Jan 18, 2012)

Actually I'd check out Surly bikes and see if she finds something. Awesome, comfortable and very versatile. You can add a suspension fork to most of the bikes if needed. Steel is comfortable and she won't feel like she's bouncing all over. They come in great color schemes as well.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

I found a LBS that is only a couple of miles from where my wife works that has size small Giant Lust in stock.....woo, hoo! Hopefully, she will go by there for some saddle test time either by herself or with me at her discretion.

Unfortunately, they only have #1 and #3 and I am inclined to recommend #2 to get the CTD fork and shock without spending the extra $800 on not much better components. They can get a #2 within about a week if my wife likes the other variants.

There may be a light at the end of this tunnel...


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

The light at the end of the tunnel turned out to be a high speed train heading straight at me!

How does one diplomatically convey that a CTD fork and rear shock is more important than the color of the bike?:madman:


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

> How does one diplomatically convey that a CTD fork and rear shock is more important than the color of the bike?


One doesn't, because it isn't more important to her than the color of the bike. It's more important to you, but you wouldn't be the one riding the ugly colored bike.


----------



## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Bikes are awesome, they have 2 wheels and they can coast or be self-propelled. Just get her one she likes and enjoy a ride.together for an ice cream cone or a sunset.


----------



## Bethany1 (Jan 18, 2012)

You don't. It's her bike and her color choice. Blame the manufacturer for the color and component choices.


----------



## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

I have a bunch of bikes. One of them is a horrible color. The bike is great and I ride it all the time, but I hated the color when I got the bike and I hate it every time I see it. One day I'm going to get that bike frame powdercoated, because my dislike of the color has only deepened. If you want your wife to love her bike, don't urge her to get a color she doesn't like-- she'll just hold it against the bike and against you too.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

I know that you ladies are correct. If my wife gets a bike that she likes, then it will likely get used more often, and the converse is probably even more true. It is also extremely important that she is the one who selects the particular model, hopefully with some constructive technical suggestion on my part.

The reason I am so hung up on the CTD rear shock is because she would arguably be better off on a HT than a FS in the first place considering the anticipated "terrain". With a compression lockout, she can have the best of both worlds at the flip of a switch. She doesn't know the difference because she has never ridden a FS other than 5 minutes in a parking lot.

A "solution" has come to mind... We buy the color that she likes [to be perfectly honest, I like it better too, but that is entirely irrelevant], and get her actually riding on a properly sized bike for the first time in her adult life. If the pedal bob bothers her, than I can buy her a better rear shock with lockout. Obviously it is much easier and more cost effective to swap out a rear shock than to strip the bike to a bare frame and have it PC'd. The lagniappe is that the one she likes is in stock in her size at the LBS, so there can be instant gratification.

Ladies and men often think differently, especially when the latter has been an engineer for 25+ years. That is why I came to this sub-forum, and I genuinely appreciate all y'all's insight, support, and patience. My best friend from college [also an engineer] called me the other day to compare notes on his next bike. He has been MTB'ing for many years, and lost 100# in the process! Anyway, we went through the specs of his target model [Trek Remedy 9 29], and agreed that it had some really nice components. We also agreed on the size 21" since he is 6'4". We lastly agreed that the color is absolutely butt ugly, and his response was, "yeah whatever, it's a bike".

I hope y'all can appreciate that I am really trying my best to get my wife on a bike that she will be happy with both aesthetically and functionally.


----------



## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Oh, an engineer? You are definitely overthinking this. (Married to an engineer, all my kids are engineers)


----------



## Muirenn (Jun 17, 2013)

murderman said:


> Hello again ladies. Here are the latest developments:
> 
> My wife has cancelled her appointment with the "hardcore" roadie fitter. Between the various web-based sizing info and all y'all's input, she is now understanding that a size S (~15.5") would be appropriate for her height and comparatively short waist/arms, so the $300 price tag would be better put towards hardware. It was her decision, but I do happen to agree with it.
> 
> ...


Regarding wheel size, try this thread at team estrogen womens cycling forums.

650 wheels and efficiency; reasons to choose

Basically, a smaller wheel is in proportion to her personal geometry, a larger wheel will cause decreased efficiency because it doesn't fit. Picture the wheel cogs in a clock, if one is too large or too small for the rest, efficiency is lost, and the wheels don't spin as easily.

Looks like you resolved sizing, but fwiw, I'm 5'7" with 33.5 inch measured cycling inseam. I use a 17" or so mountain bike. Pant inseM 35-36.

If she doesn't need a high performance off-road bike, you might check into a high quality hard tail steel bike and build with a Thudbuster seatpost, suspension fork, carbon bars, and most especially a carbon stem since that is where road vibration is centered.

Gunnar Cycles USA ? Rock Hound ? 29er or 26er ? fast steel frame

Welcome to Thudbuster.com

they have dfferent formulations of steel available at different price points. And they have both stock and custom sizes. Plus, custom colors, not just the few pictured. They have a list of historical colors of the month, somewhere. If color is a big deal, then this would probably do it.

you also might look into the Jamis Dragon. Lovely steel with suspension fork, Thudbuster, etc

also, if you have the bike built to accommodate wider tires, they will have more float. Something like a mid fat bike with 3 inch tires and Velovity Blunt 35 mm 650b wheels. (velo mine.com has them for a reasonable price, I just built a Surly Krampus 29+. And that is where I got my wheels, though I still think for her height, 26" wheels would be more comfortable, she would be very high off the ground with larger tires unless the geometry is perfect.

you might point out that a full suspension bike on pavement will be sluggish due to low power transfer. Could get tiring.


----------



## Njhardrock (Feb 17, 2013)

Most chicks wont use ctd... You said it yourself shes more concerned over color...

So do u want ctd? Cause ive learned what u want and what she needs are two totally different things... If shes small stay away from the 29r i feel bigger wheels hinder a inexperienced rider... To much bulk especially with cheap rims...

Last thing its a bike guy not a rocketshipp...


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

The rocket science has hopefully come to conclusion! I am going pick up a bike for my wife this afternoon when the LBS opens.

It is a Giant Lust 3. It has 650b wheels, which seems to be the consensus for her size/experience. It is a size small (16"), which also seems to be the consensus for her height and proportions. It is white/purple which is the color that she likes. Coincidentally, both of my new bikes as well as three of our cars/trucks are also white, so there is an experience base with that color. It is WSD, so presumably the geo, ergo, and suspension tuning are generally appropriate.

All she told me when I suggested that I was going to buy it today was:
-She wants curvy [raised] handlebars like on my bike.
-She wants a cushy seat like on my bike.
-She wants me to leave all of the reflectors in place versus removing them like on my bike.

Ideally she would actually take a test ride before purchase, but she is more in the mode of "just get me a good bike and I will ride it with you".

The fundamental mechanical aspects such as wheel size, frame size, and suspension design all seem robust, and she likes the color so we should be GTG. I am really looking forward to my best friend riding with me when she feels like it, and I really think that she will enjoy getting some form of workout once again [not to suggest that she needs any more exercise like I surely do].

Fingers crossed for success.


----------



## Muirenn (Jun 17, 2013)

Good luck!

Giant makes great women-specific products.


----------



## jewels (Mar 17, 2004)

Did you say she was going to ride on the road only? If so, consider some smooth city tires later on. She'll feel like she's flying next to you when you are on your knobbies. best of luck, I'm sure after a few fun bike accessories, she will be in love with her new toy.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Got the Liv (Giant) Lust 3 in the color that K liked, size S appropriate for her dimensions.

Also got two different "cushy" saddles for her to try, since the tiny hard one that came with it is not at all consistant with her expressed preference.

Got her some decent pedals (Shimano Saints) off Amazon, since it came with none. I specifically asked if color was important and she said no, so I got the same kind that I am running as that is a very neutral recommendation...no better, no worse.

Have a few different types of handgrips in inventory for her to select from since that is also a very tactile rider-to-cycle interface.

It is all prepared for saddle height, suspension sag, brake/shift lever positioning adjustment whenever she has some spare time from work.

I did take the liberty of a brief test ride to insure that the gear shifting was all in order FD and RD, as well as to do a little brake bedding. What a really fun little bike to ride! It is sort of between the OMF and the SJ. Of course, once it is setup for her, I won't consider riding HER bike.


----------



## murderman (Nov 24, 2014)

Well we got my wife's bike initially dialed in for her last night. The size small was definitely correct as the saddle height is only about 1/2" from the post being bottomed out. The fork and shock pressure is crazy low to get any sag with her light weight, like 50 psi in the fork and maybe 75 psi in the shock.

We just rode 10.5 miles on neighborhood streets and the local MUP, and she is definitely the epitome of a masher. She didn't downshift from gear #20 a single time! Wow, I only dream that I could push such a heavy gear, but she is literally 1/2 my weight, doesn't smoke, and spends her work day on her feet versus her buttocks like me.

For a first ride, the response is very favorable. She was happy with the bike selection, adjustments, and tuning. She well managed tight low speed turns with the 27.5, even without downshifting. I have a feeling that it might not have been such a favorable outcome with 29. I measured the o-rings post ride, and she utilized 60% of the front travel at the middle compression damping setting, and about 40% of the rear (non-adjustable compression damping). The rebound adjustment also seemed pretty good from my visual observation as there was no pogo'ing. Suspension load up is a non-issue for her terrain, since bumps are isolated rather than repeated in rapid succession so being aggressive in this regard seemed to make sense for an initial tune. She is quite comfortable with going down big curbs, but not up them at all. This was the first time she has been on a decent quality, properly sized, FS bike in her lifetime, and I was damn impressed! 

I doubt that she will ride as much as me, but she also doesn't need the PT either. Thanks again all y'all.


----------



## silvascape (Sep 11, 2014)

Great outcome. Hope you both have many fun rides together in your future.


----------



## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Frankly, on a Giant I don't think the CTD is more important than color. The DW linkage on the back is so good, you'd keep it in D anyway. It's completely unnecessary on the fork, for her. Save the money. Get the pretty one if she prefers it. When she's ready for The Whole Enchilada in Moab, upgrade to a Pike!


----------

