5ft6" female rider on 29er?

MTBDanno
MTBDanno Posts: 60
edited January 2017 in Women
I'm looking for a bike for my girlfriend, shes 5ft6".

Looking at the Trek Cali S 2017

https://www.evanscycles.com/trek-cali-s ... ance-modal

This bike comes with 27.5 wheels on the XS and S size but once you get to the M they up the wheels to 29ers.

At 5ft6" shes right in the middle of a S/M. Do you think a medium with 29ers will be manoeuvrable enough for her? shes quite petite and not massively strong so i'm thinking she might be better suited to a small on 27.5?

I've opted for 27.5 wheels on my new bike and I'm 6ft4", I know height doesn't determine wheel size, but whats your opinion on her riding a 29er?

Comments

  • Hinaultscrapcousin
    Hinaultscrapcousin Posts: 647
    What kind of trails will she be riding?
  • MTBDanno
    MTBDanno Posts: 60
    Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:
    What kind of trails will she be riding?

    Light trails, towpaths, gravels - it wont be anything heavy, i'm just concerned that a 29er might be a bit cumbersome for her? equally a small frame might be too small... ideally i want a medium frame with 27.5 wheels but they don't offer it.

    I decided on a 27.5 for myself for the same reasons and im alot bigger and stronger than she is.
  • MTBDanno
    MTBDanno Posts: 60
    oxoman wrote:
    Danno, don't get to focused on wheel size just get the best you can afford and its not the trek. See the link below the bike is top notch spec and they are only going cheap because the name didn't sell enough plus she got married. It will also save some money to get some decent clobber for her to wear.
    http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/m ... utain-bike


    I looked at these, unfortunately she not a girly girl and a white bike wont do. She wants a black one!! :lol:

    Sometimes you just need to give the lady what she wants... shes also a fan of the curved 'womens' frames.

    Do you have any other suggestions? what are the decathlon own brand bikes like?
  • Hinaultscrapcousin
    Hinaultscrapcousin Posts: 647
    MTBDanno wrote:
    Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:
    What kind of trails will she be riding?

    Light trails, towpaths, gravels - it wont be anything heavy, i'm just concerned that a 29er might be a bit cumbersome for her? equally a small frame might be too small... ideally i want a medium frame with 27.5 wheels but they don't offer it.

    I decided on a 27.5 for myself for the same reasons and im alot bigger and stronger than she is.

    Strength isn't really going to be much of an issue, just look at the size of most pro cyclists. For that kind of riding I would think she'd be fine on a 29er.
  • MTBDanno
    MTBDanno Posts: 60
    I need to look into it and get a bike fitting for her to see what size shes going to need before I make a decision

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