Bike for the missus, commuting/fitness/light bike packing.

seanoconn

My wife would like to take up cycling and I need some advice as to what bike to suggest.

She would be using it to commute to work, cycling with me on the roads for fun and fitness, hopefully building up to some long journeys. And a little bit of light gravel bikepacking. I ride a Canyon endurace which is ideal for my needs and would like her to get something similar. She’s young, fit and flexible, competent on a bike but has limited experience of the road, is daunted by the look of drop handle bars and doesn’t like the idea of riding fast, yet.

I’d rather she didn’t get a bike that was too slow and heavy but will I put her off cycling with something more racy?

Thoughts?

PMark

I would probably get a lightweight hybrid that has enough tyre clearance for large tyres, something like the Specialized Sirrus.

navrig2

My experience of trying to do the same for my wife is that the first thing to resolve is what bars she wants/needs/likes.

I bought my wife a drop handlebar bike but after 3 months it was rejected largely because of the position. It was sold and replaced with a flat bar hybrid which has seen a lot of use. Luckily the first bike was bought on C2W and I was able to sell it without making a loss (totally against the rules though).

Do you have friends with bikes you could borrow for a few rides?

Munsford0

Son's Gf was in a similar position; wanted something she could ride alongside him on his road bike but didn't fancy drop bars. Pointed her towards a flat bar Boardman hybrid. Light, fast, good hydraulic discs. She goes a bloody sight faster on it than I do on my road bike, and she's just done her second London - Bristol charity ride on it.

'Twas 3 years ago I think, but something like:

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybrid-bikes/boardman-hyb-8.6-womens-hybrid-bike-2021---s-m-l-frames-366262.html?_gl=1*15m5anc*_up*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1oPqxpv_9wIVku3tCh1l1ADDEAAYASADEgKCpvD_BwE

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Do you have access to hybrids and drop bar bikes she could try on a turbo and see what style is a viable option? We all know drop bar bikes are faster, but you need something you feel confident on and ideally is at least quite light.

For a go-anywhere hybrid style, On One Whippets tick the box nicely, but it won't be speedy as a 1x on the road.

It looks like a new Free Ranger batch is about to arrive at PlanetX looking at https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFRRIV1700/on-one-free-ranger-sram-hrd-rival-1-carbon-gravel-bike , but in there might be the right size of Mystique in stock.

Purely as a road bike, https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/YBHOLCORRIV22/holdsworth-corsa-sram-rival-22-carbon-road-bike looks a pretty decent deal.

Obviously depends on budget, but then security at work might be an issue for something nice and shiny.

seanoconn

I don’t have access to any hybrids the right size she could try but I know she would feel more confident with a flat bar. Selfishly I was hoping she’d get used to the idea drop handlebars but you’re all too sensible and not giving me any ammo to sway her.

photonic69

Four years ago my wife bought a Giant Rapid (discontinued) for such scenarios as you describe. She's done over 8,000 miles on it with zero problems. It takes full mudguards, a pannier rack and has hydraulic disc brakes.. It's light and nimble and she rides it along at a fair lick on the flats. It's been the perfect bike for her.
The nearest now is the Giant Escape but it seems very similar in spec.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/escape-disc-2-2022

Worth popping along to your local Giant store to have a look.

JimD666

Wife tried dropbar and never got on with the positioning. Currently riding a Boardman MTX8.something Hybrid from Halfords and is loving it. The small amount of front suspension just helps take a bit of the sting out from the poor roads.

molteni_man

Hi,
When my wife got into cycling about 10 years back one of the best things we did was source a woman specific frame ( in her case the Specialized Dolce before upgrading to the Amira)
Recently, we visited our local Giant/ Liv store here in Southampton looking for a gravel bike I was really impressed with the range and the fit and we ended up getting her a Devote Advanced.
Checking Liv have a great range of women specific hybrid bikes
https://www.liv-cycling.com/gb/bikes/road-bikes/city-and-hybrid
Have a look. The Alight DD Disc looks good.
Prices are very competitive. Not sure about current stock, the Devote was a 8 week wait.
I bought my daughter a Specialized Dolce recently which is a drop handlebar with a more relaxed focus ( think Specialized Roubaix male equivalent). It was old but virtually unused. Paid £140! Tash uses it to commute across London and loves it!
Quick look on Gumtree and there a loads for sale currently !
https://www.gumtree.com/
Incidentally loads of Liv Avail road bikes on Gumtree too!

Hope helps!

W12_Lad

My wife tried drop bar and hated it.
I dumped her.

amrushton

Drops aren't for everyone. Straight bars with the extensions on the bar ends work well for a lot of people