Good Ladies Starter Bike - Scott Contessa and Others?

Jonesy.

Morning ladies,

Forgive this intrusion into your forum from one of the 'other kind'.

I am researching what bike to buy for my other half, as she is slowly coming around to the idea of cycling with me. She doesn't want to spend too much - perhaps up to £350ish - and I think she's concerned about top-tube clearance so would prefer a bike designed for the female market.

I've read a good review on Radar about the Scott Contessa, and that fits her price bracket. Does anyone ride this bike? Is it a good all-round starter?

Are there any other bikes you would recommend we look at?

Many thanks,
J

Ditch Witch

It's really very personal. Not all women are built the same so she should try some out. I'm tall and ride a bloke's bike, but some of the ladies here will give you some good advice.

(I like the Scott Contessa, btw last season's tri bike was black with pink trim )


Then, when she has her bike, come back and I'll give you my standard lecture about not pushing her too hard and treating her like one of your male friends If you want a riding buddy for life, take it at HER pace and don't you DARE huff at her for being slow or timid!

Jonesy.

Ditch Witch wrote:

It's really very personal. Not all women are built the same so she should try some out. I'm tall and ride a bloke's bike, but some of the ladies here will give you some good advice.

Yes we'll certainly try a few to get the right fit for her. And the right colour scheme too, of course

Ditch Witch wrote:

Then, when she has her bike, come back and I'll give you my standard lecture about not pushing her too hard and treating her like one of your male friends If you want a riding buddy for life, take it at HER pace and don't you DARE huff at her for being slow or timid!

Okay, but you haven't met my partner (obviously). If anything, she will be the one racing ahead and I'll be shouting at her to slow down! We go on day-long hikes and hill climbs together, and she's normally way out ahead of me while I plod along behind. I'm just better suited to marathon style endurance exercise while she prefers to go fast, then stop and rest, and then go fast again :-)

Ditch Witch

Sounds like you'll be well matched then!

SpinningJenny

Jonesy - your lady sounds like a goodun I'm more of your slow and steady approach, but it turns out, not that timid...

Just to put my tuppenceworth in - I'm a shortun at only 5'3" and I have a guy's bike (see my sig!). I was worried about exactly the same thing, but found that this one fitted me better than the Spesh women's fit.

I make no comment about the design/flower/colour part - DW is a pink festishist and I'm errr, not!

Best advice I can give:

Know your budget
Know what you want the bike for
Try several bikes in that range and price bracket
See which one works best, feels best, she falls in love with
Go with an open mind
Ask the shop staff for advice - something that feels a bit off can be changed (saddle/handlebars/pedals etc etc

Finally - get her on here!

Ditch Witch

Yes, that's very true. Women's bikes are designed for "women's bodies" which are, in theory, long in the leg and short in the body. Mine however, and many others', are long in the body and short in the leg (I'm 5'11" with a 30" inside leg) so men's bikes fit me better as they are longer. Even with that, I ride a 19", have a longer stem and my seat is slid quite far back.

I can't help thinking that the top tube clearance would only be an issue for women with very short legs. If the bike fits her in length, it will be the right height for her, regardless of top tube angle. I can't help thinking (and I could be completely wrong so would be grateful for correction) that the angle of the top tube on women's bikes is for aesthetic reasons only; a hangover from step throughs so you could ride them wearing a dress Particularly if women are supposed to be longer in the leg, why do "we" need an angled top tube?

See:

http://bicycle-types.suite101.com/artic ... _the_frame


In short, don't assume that a women's bike is going to be the best fit for her.

Jonesy.

SpinningJenny wrote:

Jonesy - your lady sounds like a goodun I'm more of your slow and steady approach, but it turns out, not that timid...

Just to put my tuppenceworth in - I'm a shortun at only 5'3" and I have a guy's bike (see my sig!). I was worried about exactly the same thing, but found that this one fitted me better than the Spesh women's fit.

I make no comment about the design/flower/colour part - DW is a pink festishist and I'm errr, not!

Best advice I can give:

Know your budget
Know what you want the bike for
Try several bikes in that range and price bracket
See which one works best, feels best, she falls in love with
Go with an open mind
Ask the shop staff for advice - something that feels a bit off can be changed (saddle/handlebars/pedals etc etc

Finally - get her on here!

Thanks, we'll do exactly that. Try them out, and see which bike she falls in love with. So long as she doesn't love it more than me

Then again, at times I think she believes that I love my bike more than her. But I don't. And after all, it would look very strange taking my bike out for a meal to a posh restaurant. "I'll have the pan-fried turbot with the pea velouté, and some GT85 and Rock N Roll chain lube for the lady".

And I may well try to get her on this forum, I think you could persuade her that it's not all about the top tube clearance!

Ditch Witch wrote:

I can't help thinking (and I could be completely wrong so would be grateful for correction) that the angle of the top tube on women's bikes is for aesthetic reasons only; a hangover from step throughs so you could ride them wearing a dress Laughing Particularly if women are supposed to be longer in the leg, why do "we" need an angled top tube?

I would have to agree with you. I reckon it's all marketing propaganda - just another way for the bike companies to sell more products. Also, in terms of coming off the bike in a crash and landing astride the top tube - that's pretty rare in my experience. I always fall off sideways. If you're going so fast that you're propelled forwards, chances are you'll go flying over the handlebars anyway and won't land on the top tube.

Mrs Toast

Ditch Witch wrote:

I would have to agree with you. I reckon it's all marketing propaganda - just another way for the bike companies to sell more products. Also, in terms of coming off the bike in a crash and landing astride the top tube - that's pretty rare in my experience. I always fall off sideways. If you're going so fast that you're propelled forwards, chances are you'll go flying over the handlebars anyway and won't land on the top tube.

Well, there's quite a few bloke's bikes with slopey swoopy top-tubes (proper technical terminology there!) - just look at the Specialized Stumpjumpers and the like. I think clearance is important, just for ease of getting on and off the bike, but I think that applies to both genders. In fact, I think top-tube clearance is more important for men, given that they keep their jewels swinging on the outside. Most impractical...

Can't say much about the Contessas, other than they're very pretty. The paint jobs do sort of remind me of Impulse deodorant sprays...

Ditch Witch

And after all, it would look very strange taking my bike out for a meal to a posh restaurant. "I'll have the pan-fried turbot with the pea velouté, and some GT85 and Rock N Roll chain lube for the lady".

Don't tell me you haven't thought about it

Jonesy.

Ditch Witch wrote:

And after all, it would look very strange taking my bike out for a meal to a posh restaurant. "I'll have the pan-fried turbot with the pea velouté, and some GT85 and Rock N Roll chain lube for the lady".

Don't tell me you haven't thought about it

Well...I must admit, there was a time when I was planning to run away with my bike to South Africa, to do the Cape Epic. It's still in the pipeline, but it refuses to travel on anything less than business class, so I'd better start saving up.

Ditch Witch

Well, if you will have an affair....

SpinningJenny

Ooh, all the chat I missed!

I reckon that the low top tube is a leftover from the skirt wearing days (hmm, must try that out on the trails ). As for whether womens' bikes need that, well I don't have long legs for a woman, but i can still get my leg over (hehe) AND have not found myself in any compromising and frankly painful situations when forced to put both feet on the floor. But I do agree with DW - sudden unplanned dismounts tend to be of a sideways nature

As for loving her bike more than you... ah well, it's just a different kind of love - you know that, dontcha

Jonesy.

SpinningJenny wrote:

Ooh, all the chat I missed!

I reckon that the low top tube is a leftover from the skirt wearing days (hmm, must try that out on the trails ). As for whether womens' bikes need that, well I don't have long legs for a woman, but i can still get my leg over (hehe) AND have not found myself in any compromising and frankly painful situations when forced to put both feet on the floor. But I do agree with DW - sudden unplanned dismounts tend to be of a sideways nature

Indeed, unless you're planning to dress up like someone from Larkrise to Candleford then I don't think getting your leg over (the bike) should be an issue. Though I'm not sure how dress-adorned women used to ride bikes without getting the hem caught in the chainrings?

SpinningJenny wrote:

As for loving her bike more than you... ah well, it's just a different kind of love - you know that, dontcha

I can see that becoming a Channel 4 documentary: The Woman Who Married Her Mountain Bike.

SpinningJenny

Jonesy. wrote:

I can see that becoming a Channel 4 documentary: The Woman Who Married Her Mountain Bike.

Well, there was that woman that married the Berlin Wall - Mrs Berliner-Mauer.... she found 'him' sexier than the Great Wall of China, apparently....

Jonesy.

SpinningJenny wrote:

Well, there was that woman that married the Berlin Wall - Mrs Berliner-Mauer.... she found 'him' sexier than the Great Wall of China, apparently....

Yes, I can see that. Must have been the quality German brickwork (or rather, Soviet-German brickwork). Meanwhile, Hadrian never got a look in...