Bike for the wife

[jasonc]

So I want to get one for her, whether she wants it or not yet, I haven't worked out.
Was looking at a flat bar. She's 163cms. Would a 47cm mens frame fit?

[Milar]

My wife is 164cm and we recently bought a size small Roma Sport from Cycling Express ( http://www.cyclingexpress.com/cycle/cle ... sport.aspx ). Size is perfect and she loves it, done a 50km ride and couple of 40km's too, I wasn't sure how much use it would get but it has worked out perfectly.

[find_bruce]

Bike for the wife? Sounds like a fair swap

Am eager to see how you go as so far my encouragement has not met a positive response

[jacks1071]

Bike for the wife? Sounds like a fair swap

Am eager to see how you go as so far my encouragement has not met a positive response

Throw in a goat and two chickens and you've got a deal

[Mulger bill]

Buying the GLW a bike cold, without her input?

Stormy waters...

[jasonc]

Buying the GLW a bike cold, without her input?

Stormy waters...

I live in QLD, storms and lots of water are a way of life

I went to Aldi yesterday and bought her a helmet. She didn't jump up and down screaming at me

My wife is 164cm and we recently bought a size small Roma Sport from Cycling Express ( http://www.cyclingexpress.com/cycle/cle ... sport.aspx ). Size is perfect and she loves it, done a 50km ride and couple of 40km's too, I wasn't sure how much use it would get but it has worked out perfectly.

I noticed that frame size is 45cms. would the couple of extra cms make it a deal breaker?

[Wakatuki]

Jasonc, i have just managed to get my wife on a bike. She had a old Raleigh ogre mtn bike and had to work 3 times as hard as me on a simple ride. It needs a new saddle, has squealing brakes etc and was ridden oh at least once in the last 5 years. So I said I would get her a proper one. We looked through eBay, bike exchange etc and she started to get interested and understood what the differences between were, picked her two faves from the 5 we liked. We set a $400 budget incase it wasn't going to pan out.
Anyway, we blew that to $520 because she wanted THAT one.
She is 165cm and not very bike confident. So I went for the smallest suitable frame, a 48cm. This way male or female bike had a low bar and high saddle, easy for her to drop off! We ended up with a 3 yr old specialized dolce with triple crank ,she's not powerful and it's hilly here. She washes it more than the car, bought her own pink helmet and now has cycling shoes, but not clipping in yet. (Using shimano a530).
To sum up, get her involved. She will see it as her decision a bit more.
We are just off on our first 30k ride this morning. Hopefully at a decent pace!

[jasonc]

To sum up, get her involved. She will see it as her decision a bit more.

good idea. I have shown her a photo of one I found, no response so far..

[Wakatuki]

Wow, no response....

Sorry to hear that.
Try a big chain like 99 bikes they filled my mrs with good info, bike paths, tips, no technical specs discussed just comfort and advice given, not rammed in and other women in there too. Yet the 2 local small LBS she just wanted to get out of, I preferred the tech stuff!

Try and "drop in" for coffee or breakfast at cycling haunts, might plant the social aspect seed.

My GLW has yet to be informed it was an early Xmas present

Keep calm and carry on.... Back off the pressure if needs be, suddenly it will be her idea!

[wombatK]

Two things that are worth thinking about

1) Get a saddle that is wide enough for a woman's butt. Most mens saddles are not, and saddle discomfort
is close to the main reason women don't find cycling fun.

Ideally, measure your wifes sit bones - but be careful to avoid any insensitive implications that she's got
a fat butt Then make sure the saddle is at least as wide as the sit bones.

2) Get her a bike with relatively slick high-pressure tyres (100 psi or more), so that when you're coasting
along at 25 kph, she will be too. Knobbly MTB tyres, or lower pressure town tyres with deep treads,
will all have her working much harder than you to keep up. That's another fun spoiler.

The Roma Sport from CE seems to have the right sort of tyres, but their specs are short on describing the
saddle width.

Good luck with your quest

[il padrone]

Two things that are worth thinking about

1) Get a saddle that is wide enough for a woman's butt. Most mens saddles are not, and saddle discomfort
is close to the main reason women don't find cycling fun.

Brooks B18 is an attractive one for ladies and very comfortable

[Wakatuki]

Apparently, my bike story is not quite how the wife see's it!

She said she went along with it, trusted my short list but it was me who decided she was having a bike.

Today on our first real ride, a slow ride along maroochy river on cycle paths and she is now hooked, we had breakfast while out.
On the drive home she wanted to try the mountain so I dropped her off at the top of the closed mountain road and she freewheeled and cycled all of the way home, another 6k, with me following in the car She says she feels on top of the world, hopefully this means some flex on my bike upgrade/replacement.

I hope you can get your wife in the saddle and find something you both enjoy...

My GLW really did not like clay pigeon shooting, so much so that she objected to me applying for a gun licence.
Im glad she did now. Golf, don't; we both hated that.

[cyclotaur]

To sum up, get her involved. She will see it as her decision a bit more.

good idea. I have shown her a photo of one I found, no response so far..

She probably has better things to do while you are out riding .....

My wife claims she likes me riding on Sunday mornings because she can watch Insiders without me interupting - I think I believe her ....

[Ken Ho]

Dude, google Electra bikes. Very lady friendly. Get her involved. Take her shopping, make it fun. FFS........

[BionicW]

You guys are hilarious!

I'd do anything to make my husband enjoy cycling.

I'm just buying a new bike - his eyes glaze over when I discuss cranksets, gearing, wheels and carbon.

What's your secret

[Phil]

You guys are hilarious!

I'd do anything to make my husband enjoy cycling.

I'm just buying a new bike - his eyes glaze over when I discuss cranksets, gearing, wheels and carbon.

What's your secret

Haha - can you please talk to my wife - she does the same when I talk bikes.

[marinmomma]

You guys are hilarious!

I'd do anything to make my husband enjoy cycling.

I'm just buying a new bike - his eyes glaze over when I discuss cranksets, gearing, wheels and carbon.

What's your secret

Haha - can you please talk to my wife - she does the same when I talk bikes.

Just imagine my house with both of us being bike nuts our kids eyes glaze over once we start talking bikes

Good luck Jason with getting your wife onto a bike...you may regret it, although I do think it makes it easier for you to get to up- grade your gear...
I now make all kinds of 'helpful' suggestions on upgrading...then I have a strong case for mine!!

[jasonc]

Good luck Jason with getting your wife onto a bike...you may regret it, although I do think it makes it easier for you to get to up- grade your gear...
I now make all kinds of 'helpful' suggestions on upgrading...then I have a strong case for mine!!

the suggesting this morning from Mrs JasonC was that she'll get a bike after I buy her a new car. I can tell you there is no new car coming....

[Venus62]

First post here so please forgive the thread hijack! I am the wife of a cycling enthusiast but until now, I've been more of a recreational cyclist. I own a Scott Sportster hybrid bike, which I like, but my husband has been trying to convince me I would enjoy riding more (less hard work) with a road bike. The more I read, the more I am now coming around to the same opinion. I also have been invited to join a women's social cycling group, and I don't think my hybrid will make the grade!

I'm thinking a flat-bar road bike is the way to go, as I don't enjoy leaning right over and I can't see me getting into racing type situations.. Hubby doesn't mind spending a decent amount on it to get me interested, so while definitely not looking at top end, I'm not after bottom of the range either. I think he is secretly hoping that I'll take his current bike and he can upgrade (we are of similar heights) but if I'm going to do this, I want to do it properly. Any advice welcome!

[marinmomma]

Hi welcome to the forum, I'd go for the drop bar myself I started riding one about 2.5 years ago and haven't looked back and now I'm starting to get into racing!
If your hubby is happy to part with the cash get the best bike that you can afford and one that you love to ride!
Test ride anything that you can get your hands on and enjoy the experience!
If you want to go the drop bar option find a more relaxed type frame not an all out racer frame, then you're in a more upright position.
You can also play around with the height of the bars and the angle of the stem to ensure a more comfortable ride

Hth

[Venus62]

Thanks Lisa. I've spent a ridiculous amount of time on this forum and others trying to come to grips with all this! I won't make any hasty decisions and will be sure to explore all options. I'm also in Brissie; any suggestions of a LBS that is particularly good for women?

[Benz250]

You guys are hilarious!

I'd do anything to make my husband enjoy cycling.

I'm just buying a new bike - his eyes glaze over when I discuss cranksets, gearing, wheels and carbon.

What's your secret

Haha - can you please talk to my wife - she does the same when I talk bikes.

Yeah, talk to my wife as well, someone let me know the secret!

[BionicW]

Thanks Lisa. I've spent a ridiculous amount of time on this forum and others trying to come to grips with all this! I won't make any hasty decisions and will be sure to explore all options. I'm also in Brissie; any suggestions of a LBS that is particularly good for women?

Hi Venus, I use Merv, Erin and Lydia out at NRG Cycles out at Jindalee. I started coaching with them about 3 months ago and had never purchased a thing from them. They have always treated me as part of their group despite never having made an initial purchase. Now I've just purchased my second road bike from them and Merv's service is so good that he's doing a full biomechanical fit for me outside of work hours. I've obviously started purchasing bits and pieces from them as they have given me the most amazing start to road cycling (I'm going to race next year).

Website is www.nrgcycles.com.au . Your best contacts are the staff above - Erin is pretty amazing around a bike set up.

[BionicW]

PS - Lisa has also given you some terrific advice!

[marinmomma]

Thanks Lisa. I've spent a ridiculous amount of time on this forum and others trying to come to grips with all this! I won't make any hasty decisions and will be sure to explore all options. I'm also in Brissie; any suggestions of a LBS that is particularly good for women?

Bronwyn at Planet Cycles is good, she did a great fit for me when I bought my Specialized Dolce that I use for commutes.
Good luck with the search