Road bike recommendations for my wife.
Discussion
Lady Balfour has very much taken to MTBing this year. She is an ex runner and says that cycling gives her the same buzz that running did.
She won't want to MTB in the winter, I doubt. So I am wondering about getting her a road bike.
Any suggestions? I am thinking Spesh Allez, but other ideas appreciated.
She won't want to MTB in the winter, I doubt. So I am wondering about getting her a road bike.
Any suggestions? I am thinking Spesh Allez, but other ideas appreciated.
I've got an Allez E5 which I was lucky enough to get t-boned on, I rekon ill be able to get it working again but its scraped to s
t, replaced it with a Tarmac with 105
My only complaint is its very very stiff. Transferred road vibrations like you wouldn't believe. Some nice 28mm GP 5000 tires solved most of that thankfully. Fun bike, easy to ride, can slam the stem to make it a little more aggressive if you want. The Shimano Claris gears are OK, I would sooner have spent a little more for the Elite or Sport to get a better gearset. Brakes were great and easy to setup to have no slack.
t, replaced it with a Tarmac with 105My only complaint is its very very stiff. Transferred road vibrations like you wouldn't believe. Some nice 28mm GP 5000 tires solved most of that thankfully. Fun bike, easy to ride, can slam the stem to make it a little more aggressive if you want. The Shimano Claris gears are OK, I would sooner have spent a little more for the Elite or Sport to get a better gearset. Brakes were great and easy to setup to have no slack.
Worth looking at:
Liv bikes are Giant’s women’s specific brand
https://www.liv-cycling.com/gb/bikes/road-bikes/pe...
I’m quite a fan of Pinnacle (Evan”s own brand) for good value bikes. My wife has the Arkose gravel bike.
https://www.evanscycles.com/bikes/road-bikes_c/pin...
Liv bikes are Giant’s women’s specific brand
https://www.liv-cycling.com/gb/bikes/road-bikes/pe...
I’m quite a fan of Pinnacle (Evan”s own brand) for good value bikes. My wife has the Arkose gravel bike.
https://www.evanscycles.com/bikes/road-bikes_c/pin...
MrsPB has a 2017 Merida Scultura Juliet which (a) fits her well and (b) was great value for money when compared to the usual suspects from Specialized, Trek and Giant. She uses it for triathlon training so it gets a fair works out. Worth a look - Merida are one of the biggest frame makers in the world and, I think, own or used to own a big chunk of Specialized.
Donbot said:
I thought womens bikes were marketing BS. The women in my club ride whatever bike fits them.
Just buy something that fits nicely, the saddle is something people tend to change anyway. Unless she has a fondness for the colour pink.
You probably can't go wrong with an Allez.
I think that it's a bit of both. Women are anatomically different from men in some respects, eg proportional arm and leg length, pelvis etc so a specific bike geometry makes sense. But they are also not so different that it is impossible to fit a "male" bike, possibly with some tweaks.Just buy something that fits nicely, the saddle is something people tend to change anyway. Unless she has a fondness for the colour pink.
You probably can't go wrong with an Allez.
Depending on how small she is this may be more or less of an issue - 5'10" no issue at all - 5'0" then you are limited to the smallest bikes in the range and often the geometry is just scaled down rather than adjusted (eg toe overlap). Small women's bikes used to use 650c wheels to cater for this - not sure how common this is now.
Re comfort - as already said above, get or fit wider tyres - at least 25mm and 28mm if poss.
David_M said:
I think that it's a bit of both. Women are anatomically different from men in some respects, eg proportional arm and leg length, pelvis etc so a specific bike geometry makes sense. But they are also not so different that it is impossible to fit a "male" bike, possibly with some tweaks.
Depending on how small she is this may be more or less of an issue - 5'10" no issue at all - 5'0" then you are limited to the smallest bikes in the range and often the geometry is just scaled down rather than adjusted (eg toe overlap). Small women's bikes used to use 650c wheels to cater for this - not sure how common this is now.
Re comfort - as already said above, get or fit wider tyres - at least 25mm and 28mm if poss.
She is 5ft 3in and built like a racing snake.Depending on how small she is this may be more or less of an issue - 5'10" no issue at all - 5'0" then you are limited to the smallest bikes in the range and often the geometry is just scaled down rather than adjusted (eg toe overlap). Small women's bikes used to use 650c wheels to cater for this - not sure how common this is now.
Re comfort - as already said above, get or fit wider tyres - at least 25mm and 28mm if poss.
Louis Balfour said:
She is 5ft 3in and built like a racing snake.
This article is interesting - if you haven't already googled your way to ithttps://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitness/bike-fit/cus...
Other thought that occurred to me - if you also have a road bike (I'm guessing you do) then get a groupset that is compatible if not the same (ie Shimano 10-speed or whatever the case may be - doesn't matter if it is Ultegra or 105) as that will limit the aggravation of what fits what and sharing wheels, cassettes etc etc.
David_M said:
Louis Balfour said:
She is 5ft 3in and built like a racing snake.
This article is interesting - if you haven't already googled your way to ithttps://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitness/bike-fit/cus...
Other thought that occurred to me - if you also have a road bike (I'm guessing you do) then get a groupset that is compatible if not the same (ie Shimano 10-speed or whatever the case may be - doesn't matter if it is Ultegra or 105) as that will limit the aggravation of what fits what and sharing wheels, cassettes etc etc.
I had not seen that article, thank you.
It is undesirable to ride a road bike in winter because there are thin tires, and there is a chance that she will slip when riding a bike and then fall. But if she doesn't want to buy a mountain bike, you can find a middle ground and buy a gravel bike. Which is very similar to a road bike, but it has small differences. I would advise you to read an article on the Internet about using a gravel bike as a road bike. You will understand that buying a gravel bike or a mountain bike in winter is better. It's up to you, I just advise you, because I have about 25 years of experience riding a bike.
Edited by Christild on Wednesday 16th February 09:03
Christild said:
It is undesirable to ride a road bike in winter because there are thin tires, and there is a chance that she will slip when riding a bike and then fall. But if she doesn't want to buy a mountain bike, you can find a middle ground and buy a gravel bike. Which is very similar to a road bike, but it has small differences. I would advise you to read an article on the Internet about using a gravel bike as a road bike. You will understand that buying a gravel bike or a mountain bike in winter is better. It's up to you, I just advise you, because I have about 25 years of experience riding a bike.
Odd post, odd timing, and utterly, totally wrong (and I own a road bike, an MTB, and a gravel bike)Edited by Christild on Wednesday 16th February 09:03
Hard-Drive said:
Odd post, odd timing, and utterly, totally wrong (and I own a road bike, an MTB, and a gravel bike)
Hmmm, I don't agree. My two road bikes have 23 and 25 mm tyres, can't fit bigger. Neither are great in winter or when the road is slippy. The front wheel went from under me last week on the 23mm bike, it wasn't that cold or wet. If I could fit 28 or 30 mm tyres I would, and would feel much more confident.I would NOT advise riding a mtb on the road, they are heavy and slow.
Daveyraveygravey said:
Hard-Drive said:
Odd post, odd timing, and utterly, totally wrong (and I own a road bike, an MTB, and a gravel bike)
Hmmm, I don't agree. My two road bikes have 23 and 25 mm tyres, can't fit bigger. Neither are great in winter or when the road is slippy. The front wheel went from under me last week on the 23mm bike, it wasn't that cold or wet. If I could fit 28 or 30 mm tyres I would, and would feel much more confident.I would NOT advise riding a mtb on the road, they are heavy and slow.
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