You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
As above really.
She is 5ft 3 and wants to get a womens specific bike as she has ridden 2 small framed bikes I have and still feel they are too big.
So whats the best womens bike out there for £500, doesnt have to be a 2012 model either.
Ta
Oh and she doesnt want it to be pink and flowers all over it etc.
You can buy my women's specific 15" specialized Jett Expert 29er if you like but not for £500 I am afraid. Well worth more and the perfect fit for 5ft 3" person as that is what I am. It's in the classifieds - probably 5 or 6 pages down by now. As good as new. Very minor paint scuff that you can't really see on top tube. Photos available.
Search the Classifieds, you won't get anything new for that. Plenty of people on here buy bikes for the missus ... and don't get ridden again.
cinnamon - I quite agree with what your saying... however I cant really say that to her can I ?!?
Hence why it would be silly to spend more money until she 1. Realises she wants to get serious about it
or
2 Decides to use it once a year along the canal.
If you buy brand new, it will be heavy, the forks will be rubbish, the brakes will be rubbish etc etc. IMO obviously. 😉
There's normally plenty in the Classifieds - I just feel that you will get something better/lighter which means that she is more likely to ride it. Wimmins logic innit? 🙂
Have a look at Winstanley's for Marin, Obrea and Whyte and Pauls Cycles for Cannondale, GT, Scott and Cube
My missus has had her 2012 Giant Revel W for a couple of weeks. Loves it. Decent spec, not overly girly colour scheme and fits her very well. She just completed a 22 charity cycle at the weekend and really enjoyed it. Here is a photo of said bicycle:
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7078/7181048988_8224e89fe6.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/colinhines26/7181048988/ ]IMG_2653web[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/colinhines26/ ]colinsphotos26[/url], on Flickr
Kona are always good for the shorter woman. Really she should try out a man's frame too.
I'm riding an extra small Turner Flux (second hand from the classifieds).
Agree with second hand, you'll get so much more for the money.
My best guess for her would be an 'On one inbred', second hand with decent forks and a light set up.
Mrs FD got her new bike this weekend. To be honest I hear what you are all saying above, but at this stage the fact that she is even keen to get on a bike, I think its good that she got one she likes, and she really like this one...
To be fair it looks nice 😆
[img] 
[/img]
CG - whilst what you are saying is undeniably true to some extent - £500 won't buy you an amazing bike with great forks, breaks etc, it will buy a bike that is perfectly acceptable for a newbie to MTB to suss out whether they like it or not.
I've not checked specs/prices in that range recently but stuff like Specialised Hardrock used to be an affordable entry level bike available in various specs between £300-600. I'd expect with shopping around you'd be able to get hydraulic disk brakes a cheap air fork, with a weight around 30 lbs. There's a few new-bike-aholics on here who would do well to go back to such a 'basic' machine; whilst double the money will get a much better bike, if she is new to the game she probably won't appreciate the benefits. If she really likes it then you have two options - upgrade bits on the bike to make it better or splash out £1k on a new bike.
That connondale does look nice, it will also give you plenty of scope for upgrades with the fat headtube.
When my girlfriend was getting into mountain bikeing the thing she found the best was a good fitting pair of padded shorts. Im not going to recommend any brand as will be a case of whatever fits Mrs FD best but if you start to do longer bike rides they make a big difference.
[url= http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/Detail/12mykaht/myka%20ht/Myka%20Sport%20Disc%20Int ]Specialized Myka HT[/url]
Better half has ridden one of these for nearly 3 years. Seems to suit very well.
Paul
Poly - I agree with you on this. The bike will only initially be used on tow paths etc, Mrs FD doesnt have the fitness to even venture off road.
To be fair its a very nice frame for £500 and the weight wasnt bad either.
In the past Mrs FD always borrowed my small Klein Attitude, although a very very nice light bike, it was way too much for her, and in fact scared her when she was riding it. Even riding the Cannondale around a car park she was standing out of the saddle and looked much more confident on a bike then I have seen her before.
My daughter has a 'Dale similar to that (Trail SL). She doesn't race but is happy to ride off road occasionally; for which the 'Dale is perfect. The fork is acceptable, the brakes are good and it's not as light as something that costs much more but it's a decent bike. GFI.
Don't purely consider women's specific bikes either, my gf is rather a long legged beast and found the geometry of a man's bike fit her better. Plus if you get her to try them our and she decides she really likes one she's maybe more likely to ride it more.
FunkyDunc - well done! That looks nice and how good is your timing with the current sunny weather??!!
poly - I would suggest that a couple of years ago £500 would get something reasonable but with the silly price increases of bike components, it doesn't go far these days. Nevertheless I still feel that blokes can under-estimate a woman's strength compared to their's and what is an acceptable bike weight to them isn't for a woman.
The weight issue is what I reckon puts off so many ladies from riding bikes, togeether with badly fitting bikes. Just my experience.