Women Specific MTB's

Butterfly2346

Could anyone offer any advise on women specific/ full suspension/ trails MTB's. I'm looking for a bike that can do the likes of Afan and Cwm Carn... but something that is nice and light, for climbing! My budget comes in at about £1,500.

I quite like the look of the Kona Dawg and the Cube stereo WLS... and I was told about Iron Horse do some nice Women's bikes?

warrerj

What are your vital stats ?? Sorry couldn't resist it ...

What's your inside leg and are you typical ladies proportions ie long leg short body ?

What do you ride at the moment ?

Are you more on the XC side riding or do you want somthing that is more trail - all mountain ?

Butterfly2346

I come in at 15" - I know I measured myself and have two HT's that fit real nice : )

As to the what riding I do - everthing! It's a bit XC and a bit lets go nuts : )

warrerj

Is that you ride a 15" HT ??

As my wife found out frame size means diddly squat !!

WHat HT's you riding ? AND are you short in the body and long in the leg ?

Woens bikes may not be the best option for you depending on you proportions. Wify is 4'10" and after 12months of searching and demoing ended up with a Giant Trance X2 mens in XS.

In all that time searching I don't think there are may womens bikes I haven't looked at !!

Butterfly2346

Well, I'm 5f2... and I ride a GT 3.0 Avalanche and Cube WLS pro... both of which I like... I do like the geo of a WS over a man's bike hav'in ridden those in the past... I'm more after what makes for a good spec bike for trails/ XC stuff....

.... for example I already know I don't need a burly 6" downhill rig... but my CUBE (though I love it) does hurt over rocky sections after a while (when having to stand off the saddle hurts the legs after a while).

supersonic

Try mens and womens. Settle on what suits you and not what the manufacturers say should. Though a WSD is more likely to fit and suit due to lighter springs, thinner grips, ladies saddle etc.

The Specialized FSR Safire range looks good value.

Butterfly2346

I went in a looked at a Myka a while back... and found it to be quite heavy!

The cube for 2009 weighs in at just 12.8kg ( I think...)

Butterfly2346

Saying that perhaps the Safire is lighter than the others spesh's?

supersonic

Which Myka?

Mongoose Canaan worth a look as well for XC and trail riding, great specs, pretty light.

Butterfly2346

Here's the cube http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=30543

supersonic

The Safire should be lighter, though Spesh don't publishe weights.

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/1026579/Spe ... roogle.txt

M5 frame is lighter, and that is one hell of a spec for that money! Though I wouldn't advise buying online, but to visit a shop and test.

Cube looks ok - maybe a little overpriced, and not particularly light.

Butterfly2346

supersonic wrote:

Which Myka?

Mongoose Canaan worth a look as well for XC and trail riding, great specs, pretty light.

Thanks for that, is this what you were thinking of? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/mon ... e-ec000868

supersonic

Yep, that is one of them! Sub 30lbs (I think it is 28 that one), great spec and I really like the suspension system (climbs and pedals fantastic!)

Butterfly2346

mmmmmmm................ I well have to go to the LBS and see what it feels like! Not a bad price neither : )

supersonic

The set up is very similar to the GT Idrive. Unfortunately the importers have done away with the 5 inch version of the idrive, and only seem to imort the more expensive 4 inch versions. Though some good deals in some shops.

But yeah, trying a few out will give you a feel for the differences.

Butterfly2346

Like the spec's..... except the chainset and after having formula brakes.... though I've only had avid 3's and there was nothing wrong with them... do like formula though!

warrerj

My wife loves her Trance X2 (now that she's swapped out the Kends tyres).
We're 15min from Cwm Carn and 45min from Afan we ride a lot there, XC all around South Wales and spend 2 weeks trourign around the Alps in the summer and it did all it was asked.

Others she demo'd were :

Giant Anthem WSD - VERY fast, racey bike but was too close to her HT and short of travel up front.
Spec Safire - Nice bike but she found it a bit too upright for longer XC rides
Sant Cruz Juliana - Swing arm too wide for her and she kept catching her feet on it. Was too light up front and heavy on the back - just did not suit her.
Giant Cypher - She thought it shold come with a shopping basket it was so upright !!
Spec Era - Too short in the top tube
Kona Four Lisa - Too short in the top tube and very heavy

I can't recomend the Spec and Giant demo days enough the gys were really helpfull and had the full range to try. Mountain Mayhem was good to try bikes and talk to so any manufacturers in the same place. We even stopped a girl on the Skyline trail and asked to sit on her bike - she didn't mind

As sonic says the only way is to try as many as you can then short list and give them a full demo.

warrerj

Where are you based ?? I may be able to point you in the direction of LBS worth visiting with a good range to try.

The othe bikes worth a look are the Trek Fuel EX 8 WSD a little over your budget @ £1695 but may be worth a look.

Butterfly2346

Thanks!

I think your right... I have to ride 'em

I think I will try the CUBE/ KONA/ and SPESH!

Also read good stuff about Trek in a article (I think the sister mag for this site) I give that a go too....

Thanks again : )

Butterfly2346

I'm in Bristol...

I know of a few Zero-G do CUBE and SPESH...

.... not sure about Kona's and Oranges :?

zero303

Hey Jo,

How about one of these?

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... =BRGENGEAR