The NBF has visited Mrs EKE!!

EKE_38BPM

Edit: The thread has been updated. See the latest posts for pics of the bike and first ride report.
Mrs EKE has lost her cycling mojo and believes a new bike will held her find it again.

She has no interest in racing or sportives but enjoys days out on the bike. Last year we did Brighton to London, a 50miler around London and went for a very silly (but very enjoyable) ride around the park in the snow. So, purely recreational.

Of all the bikes she has had though the years she has never had a brand new bike, so 2nd hand is out the window.
Five minutes of googling lead her to this:

The Spesh Vita Step Through, £400 from Evans, but she wants a drop bar step through, like the old 'racer' Mixtes:


Does such a new bike exist these days?
Should I find and refurb a mixte/step through with new components?
Should I buy a hybrid *shudder* and change the bar and components to drops? Whatever option we go for, she wants interupter levers as she likes to have brakes close by, even when she is on the tops.

tl:dr
Mrs EKE wants a drop bar step through road bike. Who sells 'em?

veronese68

I bought my Mrs a brand new mixte a year or so back. Well not new but completely unused, still had protective caps over the wheel nuts, but sold it to a friend of hers because she hated it. Haven't seen a modern version.
If she wants interrupter levers why not get gear levers up there as well. Then you could do away with the levers on the drops. I think such bikes are called hybrids.
I think you'll have to refurb an old one as you say. That would probably make the nicer bike, but it won't be new. Convert a hybrid, just make sure the brakes and the mechs will work with road sti's. So either cable discs or calipers, not V brakes or hydraulic discs.

EKE_38BPM

Just had an idea.

Buy a mixte frameset and a road bike with the components suited to her, shift the components from the road bike to the mixte, sell the road bike frameset (or keep the frameset to use myself).

Using a Soma Buena Vista frameset and a Ribble Audax, the numbers come in at around £900 and I get a free frame. Probably available for cheaper if I use a different donor bike.

rjsterry

http://velotraffic.com/2010/06/best-mixte-bikes-2010/

A new drop bar mixte is a bit of a rarity, but it seems you can get hold of a new frame and build up to your own requirements.

Edit: Actually, the VO is no longer available; theKona Roundabout is available, but has pretty low-grade kit and needs the bars changing.

UndercoverElephant

Spotted this in the CRC sale:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mobi ... elID=90597

Any good?

EKE_38BPM

To stop hijacking Menthel's thread, I'm back to using my "Wife's Bike" thread.

We've agreed to the bike build option and the buying of bits has started.
NOS Raliegh Mixte frame, forks and headset plus some other bits from the same seller, all 10% off the list price.

Currently looking at a Shimano R501 wheelset for £90 and a Sora groupset for £211.

I was given a £600 budget and am currently coming in under that so may get fancier (lighter) bits to hit the budget.

rubertoe

r501 @ £65.66

RS10 @ £92.67

EKE_38BPM

rubertoe wrote:

r501 @ £65.66

RS10 @ £92.67

Nice one. Which ones off the better VFM?
Keep 'em coming.

rubertoe

I have the 501's

I cant fault them, I had them on my Carrera and I have a pair to go on my Peugeot.

I cant comment on the RS10's but i hear that they are pretty good.

UndercoverElephant

EKE_38BPM wrote:

may get fancier (lighter) bits to hit the budget.

Yet the quoted frame weight in the eBay listing was 2.8 Kg?

EKE_38BPM

After months of buying parts and a week or so of building and fettling, Mrs EKE's bike is (almost) finished. The mudguards and pannier rack still have to be added, but I didn't want them in the pics.







NOS Raleigh Mixte frame. Made in 1987 but never built into a bike.
Sora 9 speed groupset with 165mm cranks for little girlie legs.
Miche Excite wheels with 25mm Continental Gatorskins. She is used to 2.5" knobbly MTB tyres so 25mm slicks are a revelation to her.
Cane Creek S6 headset. Mrs EKE is mad about lizards and the Cane Creek headset has lizards laser etched onto the top cap, so I kept that as a surprise for her.
Cane Creek Interrupter levers. She wants drops for longer rides but commutes in a more upright posture so wanted to be able to brake from the tops.
Leopard print handlebar tape. As well being mad about lizards, Mrs EKE is mad about animal prints. She requested this bar tape.
Charge Ladle Saddle. She has this on her other bike and was a specific request.

Still to go on:
SKS Chromoplastic mudguards
Pannier rack (can't remember which one)
Specialized Zee side entry water bottle holder (with Elite straps to attach to the frame)

Previous bike: 17.32kg (inc mudguards, pannier rack and kick stand)
Current bike: 11.32kg (as it is, so excl mudguards, pannier rack and water bottle holder).

Just been for a ride around Harlaw resevoir and Mrs EKE loved it. "It's so fast!" was the main exclamation. Very comfortable and much lighter than she is used to.

She is very happy with her new bike.

unixnerd

My neighbour's wife has a Raleigh like that and I think it's a great looking bike. The split top tube design is very elegant and looks just right.

rolf_f

Eee gods! You've made a drop bar mixte look clumsy and inelegant! I'd never have thought that possible! I'm sure it is very functional though!*

* Pls refer to Pug pic on first post as to how they should look!

rjsterry

I'd have gone for a quill stem on personal preference, but think you're being a bit harsh Rolf. Out of interest, what band-on cable stops are those on the down tube?

rolf_f

rjsterry wrote:

I'd have gone for a quill stem on personal preference, but think you're being a bit harsh Rolf.

In all probability! But the stem is grim (a quill would have made such a huge difference) and no bike ever looked elegant with the colossal brake hoods Shimano make - then there are those hipsteresque wheels. It has a certain style for sure (it still looks far better than the average plastic bike - it is still a Mixte after all) but there's a lot of elegance successfully eradicated!

roger_merriman

I personally like it, It looks like someones bike, yes it does have rather a lot of spacers, could look better cut and one of those angled stems etc.

But it looks like a bike that will get used!

EKE_38BPM

Rolf F wrote:

Eee gods! You've made a drop bar mixte look clumsy and inelegant! I'd never have thought that possible! I'm sure it is very functional though!*

* Pls refer to Pug pic on first post as to how they should look!

A bloody harsh review, Rolf! If I were builing this bike for you I would have taken your needs/wants into account and the bike would have looked very different.
Mrs EKE hasn't ridden a drop bar bike for decades and wasn't/isn't sure of the length stem she wants. I went for an Ahead from Evans as if she wants a different length stem I can easily get it changed rather than being stuck with one length..
Same thing with the spacers. Because you can't replace steerer length once its been cut, I've left it long with the option of shortening it later.

Mrs EKE wanted white wheels, Mrs EKE got white wheels.

The cable stops are made by Altern 8.

Roger is right, this bike will be used every half decent day.
Mrs EKE is a bit of a FWC but is getting equipped for riding in worse weather as she gets more bitten by the bug and this bike is sporty/comfortable enough for longer rides.
I took it for a short spin yesterday. I'm impressed with the new Sora 2x9. The bike has quite a long wheelbase so is very stable. The front end feels light without being twitchy, but that may move onto twitchy once panniers are added at the back.

The Rookie

Other than the bar tape, I like, plain white to match the rims would have worked well, it will also look nicer once you resolve the stem/spacers (hopefully less spacers!), maybe consider polishing the spacers and stem back to natural ally so closer in look to a trad silver quill? I'd also say that lowering the bars (if that is what you need to do) by flipping the stem first not less spacers may look the more elegant.

veronese68

Generally, I think It looks good. I can't say I'm keen on the stem/spacers, but as EKE says once it's been cut you can't go back. As my experience with the Mrs has proved you have to give them what they want at first and then gradually change things as they allow, otherwise the bike just won't get ridden. Surely it's better that the bike gets used than looks pretty and sits in a shed gathering dust.

dhope

Veronese68 wrote:

Surely it's better that the bike gets used than looks pretty and sits in a shed gathering dust.

True dat. Hence my lovely Cooper will be getting a new owner tomorrow

SmellTheGlove

Nice spanner work EKE, like it.
It will certainly be recognisable round these here environs, normally reserved for either pure carbon or Argos full-bouncers and not much in between.

EKE_38BPM

Cheers. Mrs EKE loves it. It feels great and everyone (apart from Rolf) thinks it looks nice and unique.

Mudguards and panniers to go on tomorrow.

unixnerd

Mudguards and panniers to go on tomorrow.

I think it'll good with those. Some bikes don't but I think a Mixte looks bare without them.

EKE_38BPM

Now in use as a daily commuter. Here is the last picture of it without the Ms & Ps on a sunday morning ride.



Londoners: can you work out where the picture was taken.

veronese68

I like the way you took the picture with the sun behind her to maintain her anonymity. Unfortunately random wierdos on bikes may still recognise her due to the distinctive velocipede.
Glad she likes it, that's the most important thing.

hegyestomi

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Now in use as a daily commuter. Here is the last picture of it without the Ms & Ps on a sunday morning ride.

Londoners: can you work out where the picture was taken.

In a park near to a council estate?
What did I win?

EKE_38BPM

hegyestomi wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Now in use as a daily commuter. Here is the last picture of it without the Ms & Ps on a sunday morning ride.

Londoners: can you work out where the picture was taken.

In a park near to a council estate?
What did I win?

You have to be more accurate than that!