Going through it all over again...

chrisaonabike

Some may remember last August when I showed up here, clueless and confused. Although I'm slow, with about 2000 miles under my belt now and not having fallen off clipped in for a long time, I'm feeling more confident.

However, now that my OH has run the Brighton Marathon and sworn never to do it again (though she's entered the ballot for London next year - WTF?!), she's started thinking about cycling.

She's even less confident than I was (hasn't really ridden since she was a kid), but nevertheless we went down the Giant shop today and she tried out an Avail, size Small (she's 5'3" with a 30" inside leg), and we rode around on some quietish streets for a bit.

It's ALUXX, 105, £999, looks nice enough, and watching her riding it, it looked like it was about the right size, although on the hoods I noticed her elbows were locked quite straight most of the time.

Anyway, sorry for the long preamble, I'm just wondering how best to go about helping her look for and possibly choose a bike, given that I won't be able to ride the ones she tries, and will have to rely on interpreting what she says to offer any suggestions.

The possibility of getting a pre-buy bike fit occurs, but she doesn't know whether she wants to take up cycling yet, so that seems quite an expensive way forward.

Are there places that rent out decent road bikes for this sort of "try it, you might like it", sort of thing?

Should we go second hand, then if she likes it, think about getting something new?

All ideas gratefully received.

chrisaonabike

What are Pinnacle like, as a brand?

Apparently Evans in Kingston have one in a suitable size, so we're going to take a look.

Never heard of them, though, any thoughts?

KonkyWonky

Pinnacle are Evans own brand, don't know much about them other than that.

elderone

Chris,the giant ladies bikes are well liked by the women triathletes around here.If her arms are locked out then a shorter stem can be put on.Cant go wrong with a giant.

charlie_potatoes

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

What are Pinnacle like, as a brand?

Apparently Evans in Kingston have one in a suitable size, so we're going to take a look.

Never heard of them, though, any thoughts?

I have one and it's an okay bike.
Mine is carbon and although it's not especially light is comfortable enough for an all day ride.

chrisaonabike

elderone wrote:

Chris,the giant ladies bikes are well liked by the women triathletes around here.If her arms are locked out then a shorter stem can be put on.Cant go wrong with a giant.

Well she tried out a Specialized Dolce (Sora) today at Evans in Kingston, and then we went back to the Giant shop in Twickenham and she had another go on the Avail (105).

To my relatively inexperienced eyes, they looked much of a muchness in terms of fit, but she reported that the Giant was way more comfortable and generally much more responsive (not that surprising, given the different groupsets). So it's looking like our dining room might soon have to house two Giants, not one

She's even more inexperienced than I was 2000 miles ago - she had a bike when she was about 10 and hadn't ridden since then until a work colleague took her out briefly a few months ago. We had to practise stopping safely (as in, first stop the bike, then put your foot down - not the other way round :shock: ), but she was way better by the end, and for not having ridden in traffic ever, before today, she was actually damn good.