Women's MTBs - got it down to two options

t4sporter

I would really appreciate some help deciding between these two bikes. (other suggestions welcome)

They are the Felt Grace 2 at £299 http://www.rutlandcycling.com/30995/Fel ... n=pid30995

and the Pinnacle Willow One at £319 http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... 74#reviews

I read a great thread somewhere which advised to try and get the following: 8-speed cassette/cartridge bottom bracket/metal brake levers/compact crankset (42/32/22)/fork with alloy crown. I have tried to find the thread in my PC's history but it's buried somewhere, sorry.

Anyway, both these bikes seem to fit the requirements well and are the cheapest I can find / ones I don't hate the look of. I'm 5'8", 9.5 stone, hit trails and lanes mostly with my dog and I live in South Devon - ie HILLS EVERYWHERE I LOOK! I don't like too much forward lean so have decided to go for WSD - if you think I should do otherwise please tell me!

I'm not a technical rider, but been messing around on bikes all my life and am quite confident. I recently hit Haldon Forest and would like to get back there more often so I'd like something that will cope with a bit of that.

Any thoughts also on whether I'd be mad to buy online without trying would be welcome. I have tried other mountain bikes in shops recently so think I know to go for about an 18in.

Cheers, Anna

Long_Time_Lurker

At your pricepoint, what you want and what you can get will be severely comprimised. What you need is something that will get you where you want to go. Those two will easily cope with non-technical/flattish off-road and on-road.

No experience of Pinnacles, but I own a Felt Q series (with a similar 6061 frame, albeit that I have stripped mine down and turned it into a commuter bike).
The feel of the bike is quite stretched - built for XC/comfort rather than twitchy technical stuff, so it might suit your purpose if you are riding long winding trails.

Would definitely try one before you buy it - even if it is something higher in the range, just so that you can get a feel for the riding position.
I'm 6ft, 31" inside leg and ride a 19.5. Was mentioned by a friend that the frame looked big. I used to ride a smaller framed Giant - no company measures their frames the same way.

One thing - how serious about riding are you? If you intend to use it as a runabout (with your dog), you are fine. If you intend to go out regularly, you may be wanting to upgrade parts immediately (pedals, tyres and then onto brakes and then forks).
Adding a couple of hundred quid may negate the need to spend a few hundred pounds 6 months down the line.
My first bike was a £450 Specialized. I spent a further £300 upgrading within the first year. :oops:

The Rookie

Halfords are always worth a look
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499

I would add, don't rule out a mens bike, due to lower volumes womens 'specific' bikes are often dearer for the same spec than a man's (and often just a 'girly' paint scheme on the frame anyway!), a bike either fits or not and as you are of a height that many male riders would be anyway, why not try a mens? My Daughter is 5'4" and uses small men's bikes (for MTB - medium for on road).

Simon

t4sporter

Thanks guys. Plenty of food for thought there!

I can only find bike shops that do the usual Giant, Kona, etc, round here, but will look up Felt stockists and try and test one out. Bristol's the nearest Evans for the Pinnacle bike!

As for the men's frame - I'm a bit of a tomboy so have always steered well clear of a women's frame but figured that maybe the female geomoetry bikes actually make sense as my legs are long but my arms are often not really long enough to feel comfortable on a man's frame. I don't think I've ever actually measured my inside leg, but I buy a 32" for jeans.

I did look at the Carrera Vulcan, but couldn't find very many specifications (so assumed that meant bad things!).

My usage isn't that serious, although I probably will go through a phase where I get obsessed for a few months then it all dies back again.. My budget is already stretched at £300 tbh, so I will have to be happy with what I can get for that.

supersonic

Do you have a Decathlon near you?

The Rookie

The Vulcan is a perfectly well specced bike....

My daughter is more boy shaped than you (shorter legs) but the few women I know ride mens bikes and look for one that is slightly shorter in the top tube (the manufacturers all have different height/length ratios) and/or fit a shorter stem to compensate for the shorter arms while making sure the saddle is as far forward as the marks permit, my daughter rides with a 50mm stem (£8 new off ebay) and finds that perfectly comfortable. You can also go one size smaller (shortening the top tube) and make sure you can get the bars (riser bars or stem) and saddle higher to give you the height.

I know how you feel as I have short legs for a 5'10" bloke (I'm taller sitting down than my 6'1" mate) and have the opposite problem, but on an MTB I can't go for a larger frame as it inhibits me moving it around under me so I have to 'stretch out' a smaller frame with stem and saddle tweaks.

Simon