Womens specific frame or bike - road/town/gravel use

[jamiebae]

My wife wants a new bike, and her requirements make it very difficult to find something suitable. The main use of the bike is riding on a mix of tarmac and gravel next to the lake, almost always with a child seat on the back or a child trailer being towed behind it.

Currently she has a Decathlon town bike and an old basic Scott Contessa mountain bike with slick tyres. The MTB gets used all the time because it's faster and nicer to ride than the heavy and upright town bike.

Her requirements are that it's pretty - that means it looks like a Pashley or similar and is a nice colour (no red). It also needs to be a dropped top tube or mixte style frame.

In an ideal world it should have disc brakes, Alfine or Nexus hub gears (not 3 speed as it doesn't give the range required out here) and not be a total boat-anchor.

The closest I can find is a Charge Grater Mixte but it has rim brakes and Mrs J doesn't like the look/colourscheme. Wiggle sell various 'Bobbin' brand bikes, most of which look rubbish but there's one called a 'Black Orchid' which would be ideal if it wasn't black (see a theme here).

If I can find a frame I'm happy to build the bike up from that, but buying something like a Pendleton or a Bobbin which weighs 15+kg is pointless as other than the look it will be worse in every aspect than the tatty old Scott bike she rides now.

Any thoughts at all!? I'm a bit stuck...

[ecsrobin]

So what she wants is a cyclocross bike that looks like a Dutch style bike.

The problem is as you know that bike doesn't exist, you could get a frame and build up a bike but I expect the frame to weigh around the same as a small hatchback.

However what about the Trek Neko? http://www.trekbikes.com/ie/en/bikes/mountain/dual...

[anonymous-user]

Have a look around for the Charge Hob if a mixte style frame is on the list of requirements, its discontinued now but might still be available, heres a new one on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Charge-Hob-3-/1516270152...
http://road.cc/content/review/79807-charge-hob-3

Personally I'd look at the Pinancle Neon, mrspablo has one and its a great bike for the money, very light too and with space for 35c tyres it doesnt need heavy and ineffective suspension to be comfy. Its rim brakes but they are good quality textro mini-v brakes and work very well, with good pads they are no worse than cheap cable discs.

[jamiebae]

That Trek looks good, there's a trek dealer round the corner from my office so I'll have a look at lunchtime. I'm not sure the Pinnacle passes the 'pretty' test.

I'm working on the Charge as I think it's the best option really, no need for suspension forks and I think hub gears are a better option for her use.

http://www.chargebikes.com/grater/grater-3-mixte

I'm proposing a change of saddle and grips to make it look nicer, not sure if that'll help though...

[DeuxCentCinq]

My wife wanted a very similar thing, and we bought a Dawes Galaxy Cross. It's not female specific, but get a small frame and change the saddle...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/dawes-galaxy-cr...

We ordered from CRC as it was £200 cheaper than anywhere else. She's had it a week, and loves it. Only critcism is it is a bit heavy, being the bombproof steel frame.