A New bike for my Wife

[Newcastle Dave]

My wife took up cycling a little under 2 years ago now (in her early 50's) and we originally bought her a Norco Yorkville.

She has been quite happy with this, and has progressed from doing laps around the local netball courts to quite confidently riding biek paths such as the Fernleigh track and Warners Bay cycleway etc. She will also ride very quite backroads when we venture out to Swansea.

She now has caught a little of the N + 1 bug (I have 2 bikes, and am thinking of another, so why cant she). Also most of her friends are riding either straight road bikes or flat bar roadies.

She tried a ladies road bike the other day, but wasn't real happy with the drop bars so I am thinking a flat bar roadie may be more appropriate.

What we are considering are the following

1) Liv Thrive 0 Disc (although the local Giant shop does have $300 off the Thrive 1)
2) Trek FX 2 4 Women's
3) Merida Speeder 400 Juliet
4) Specialized women's Sirrus Sport Disc

Anyone with opinions or experience with any of these ?

(probably hit the bike shops this weekend. I know the dealer has the Thrive in stock, not sure about any of the others)

[PA]

I read the title and thought this could be a good swap.

[Thoglette]

She tried a ladies road bike the other day, but wasn't real happy with the drop bars so I am thinking a flat bar roadie may be more appropriate.

I think it was Sheldon Brown who wrote something like: "most people who don't like drop bars are actually objecting to how they have been set up". That is, drop bars are usually set up to give an aggressively sports oriented riding position.

Which brings me to the actual question: What is your wife hoping to change with bike number 2?

The answer to that will tell you which direction you should go.

If it's "more of the same, just betterer" then something like a Rivendell Clementine might be the go.
(thanks lovelybicycle)

[Usernoname]

Most Giant and Splesh dealers have test bikes, although they can be more upmarket and once you're tried a 'good' bike it's hard to accept lower spec. I prefer flat bars for everything beside road group riding. Traffic and road surfaces are just not good enough (for me) to enjoy dropbar setup for recreational riding. Would be very valuable to give both a try. The giant looks good, but be aware of propriety seat post, I've got one on a Toughroad, seems fine but locked in to that post only.
On a side note - on one of the shop rides (50-60k 500-700m climbing) I used to do, there was a guy on a Sirrus that kept to front/middle of the pack, so they can be no slough!