Hi everyone.

I'm actually a bloke, but am trying to help my next door neighbour get a bike. I don't know much about beginner's bikes (I ride a Kona hardtail and aYeti 575!!!) so would like some help.

At present she rides a Halfords special gas pipe bike. It's the wrong shape, size and spec. We are looking for a women's specific bike to suit a 5' 0" rider, who weighs not much more than our cat. (We've got a BIG cat!).

The bike will be used mainly on towpath type terrain, with little serious off road use. The fire roads round Grizedale would be the limit of off road riding. Gears are not Julie's strongpoint (even in a car), so maybe some form of Sturmey Archer 3 speed would suffice.

At her height I'm not even sure if 26" wheels are appropriate. Pedals would obviously have to be flatties, and suspension probably doesn't come into the equation.

Maybe a basic form of tourer would suffice, rather than anything approachin g a rough stuff jobbie.

I know we can/should/will go to LBS, but would like some idea of what to look for in a bike, other than does it feel cumfy! So, can the collective ladies give some clues as to what to look for in a bike?

Any advice is worth having, thank you.

Is this the same as Mini Magic is asking for, there is some advise on Mini's post.

But basically look at Specialised who do women specific bikes and my son has a Decathlon with 650 wheels (26) which is ideal for him.

Alternatively look at Islabikes who do child specific bikes with smaller easier to manage bars, levers etc. Their biggest frame size would suit a small woman and i know a couple who have them, their bikes can be built up for cyclo-x (which is where they started cyclo-x bikes for kids) or as pure touring depending on what you want on them such as chunkier tyres and/or mudguards.  A bit pricier than Decathlon, depends on what you want to spend.

They only usually have a single chain ring so only 8 gears to cope with, one reason why i would not get one as I find the company a little inflexible in their attitude that children can't cope with multiple gears and would not entertain supplying a bike with a double chain ring, despite the fact they are often supplied tot he children of cyclists who are already used to multiple gears thru their mtbs etc.

Alterntively where do you llive, I have 18" frame that takes 650 wheels and has mudguard eyes, needs tarting up a bit, it is an old 531 steel frame made by a specialist frame builder Stan Pike in the early 1980's, hardly ridden and collecting dust in my shed for 14 years.

If your neighbour is new to cycling she might not appreciate the pedigree of the frame thou., that is not being rude or condescending it is just that bikes from the old frame builders are not often come by and would not want it to "wasted". 

No it's not the same post. I should have read the threads before posting!!

Thanks for the reply. I've passed details of the forum to my neighbour for her to think about. I'm certain that my neighbour wouldn't appreciate the frame pedigree, and as you say It's better going to someone who will understand it better.

The Islabikes suggestion is excellent.

Are you the same Sharon Clifford who lives Leyland way, and rides for a midlands (Coventry I think) based club?

OOooops yes that's me found me out.

Except I live in Horwich.  You have me at a disadvantage cos don't know who you are????

Nearest Specialized shop around here is the concept store at Chester, part of the Bike Factory it is very good place to visit.

I'd certainly second the Isla bikes suggestion, they do mountan as well as road bikes and know a couple of small women who use them because they are built fully in proportion http://www.islabikes.co.uk/index.html I can't comment on the companies flexibility issue but I'm pretty sure that Isla Rowntree will have a good reason for not putting double chainsets on the bikes. As she has specced everything for each bike specifically and having been a top level rider for many years as well as working for Halfords speccing thier bikes in the past I'd trust her to get it right for good reason.

If you got for adult bikes then a women specific build is the best way to go as everything should be sized to fit and most mainstream makes now seem to do them in MTB, road and hybrid bikes. From the sounds of it either MTB, hybrid or Cyclo cross bike would be the answer. Absolutely no need for suspension it will just add unnecessary weight. At 5ft she is probably getting towards the lower end of what most suppliers of adult WSD bikes cater for.

What to look for would be handlebar width, brake lever reach, toe overlap, crank length, bottom bracket width (ie no triples) top tube/stem length and finally but most importantly colour its got to look good everything apart from colour is covered with Islabikes

Re the Sturmey Archer type gearing you are probably talking quite a bit of money there, a guy in our club has a rohlhoff (sp?) hub gear works well but not sure about off road on it though.

Thank you for your help - I'm in Chester often so will Check it out.

JCope the cafe at Croston, now which one, we stopped using the one in the centre of the village as it got a bit run down, it has now changed hands and become cafe rendezvous, not tried it since it changed hands.  the wednesday one at Eccleston farm shop, the owner of the farm shop did not like us being there and changed rental terms radically for the lady running the cafe so she gave up, it is now being run by someone else, but the unfortunately for them the cyclists were alienated by the landowner.

Wednesday runs tend to go to Fettler's Wharf a new one on the canalside.

Sharon --- I'll pass that onto 'The Chap Next Door'.  He's very kindly serviced my husbands bike today and quess what 'approved' my new one.

I found a 15" Giant Cypress LX-W with the suspension seat pin swapped for a 'normal' one was fine.  So my hyusband handed over the cash ... and I had to cycle home!   First bike I've had that came with a manual!  I had the dealer fit a TorTec Expedition Rear Rack Panier.

So I'll start by trying a short tour of the Cheshire Lines.