Female XC HT for under £1000?

[WildCards]

With all this talk of the Cycle2Work scheme i'm going to see if the OH can get a nice new bike from her employer as she rides to work everyday. So, what is the best XC hardtail she can get for the money? And what are the differences between a womens specific bike and and a blokes? just a different saddle or is there more to it than that?

I've had a quick squiffy on CRC and they have a 2007 Kona Kula Lisa for £850.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

[pdV6]

The geometry is usually tweaked to suit more typical female proportions.

[mat205125]

... and they are painted in colours that no man could live with (except on a Cove maybe)

[WildCards]

mat205125 said:

... and they are painted in colours that no man could live with (except on a Cove maybe)

Ha! colour of the bike is usually the least of my problems once i'm all Lycra'd up, but I see what you mean, although this Kona is similar colours to a Yeti, so it can't be that bad.

[JPJ]

As for the geometry, some ladies are proportionately longer in the leg and shorter in the body than your average male, plus narrower across the shoulders. This is what the women specific designs tend to try and cover. However, not all women are that shape, and some suit a small mans frame better, albeit with narrower bars in most cases.

Lots of bikes out there to try, my recommendation is to get the lightest one possible for the money.

[WildCards]

I quite like the frames Merlin produce, Merlin & Rock Lobster jobbies as they look like good, no-nonsense bikes. She fits my bike perfectly and even uses one of my old ones for the commute, so perhaps i'll try her on a mans small frame and get her a cushy seat.

Edited by WildCards on Wednesday 7th November 14:59

[JPJ]

I've had a Malt 4 for about 18 months now and still love it. They're very precise on singletrack and also remarkably light in comparison to a lot of bikes in that price bracket. I believe a couple of other guys on here have got them, and I've not seen a bad word written about them.

[gbbird]

Malt 4's are excellent bikes indeed. But not so sure if the geometry would be right for a lady. My 15.5 inch Malt 4 feels rather bulky and well proportioned, so not sure it would be right for a lady

g

[custardkid]

the kula looks nice, and konas are mint off road (if she is going to take it off road?)

[WildCards]

custardkid said:

the kula looks nice, and konas are mint off road (if she is going to take it off road?)

That's the idea, i've recently spent about £300 turning the Marin she currently uses into a decent commuter bike but she's started to make noises about joining me for some of the fun stuff, so this would give us the perfect opportunity to buy a nice trail bike.
We've been looking at what Spesh, Trek and Marin offer by way of womens bikes and of course, she's buying on colour at the minute.

[custardkid]

WildCards said:

custardkid said:

the kula looks nice, and konas are mint off road (if she is going to take it off road?)

That's the idea, i've recently spent about £300 turning the Marin she currently uses into a decent commuter bike but she's started to make noises about joining me for some of the fun stuff, so this would give us the perfect opportunity to buy a nice trail bike.
We've been looking at what Spesh, Trek and Marin offer by way of womens bikes and of course, she's buying on colour at the minute.

: puts on slightly out of date bike salesman hat from 1999:

99.9% of bikes come out of one of 3 factorys in 'bike town' in tiwan(sp?)
(expect my lovly Orange which was made by some monkey in halifax... any way)

this doesn't mean they are all the same.

treks and marins tend to be will speced, Kona and orange tend to spend more on the frames.
treks and Marins are designed in california where it is open, with rolling hills and dusty ground. as such have frame geometry that echoes this, larger, longer stems, long flex tubes.
Kona and Orange are designed in vancover and Halifax where is is muddy, steep and wooded. this means the frames have dropped top tubes to give more space for you to move on the bike, tighter triangles to make the frames more responsive, shorter stems etc.

so if your going to ride across salsbury plain get a Marin. if your going to ride in the woods get a Kona and live with the fact its not wont have spangley mech, but will be more fun.

but at the end of the day....... if it doesn't fit her she wont ride it, if its not the right colour she wont ride it.


god luch

custard


PS a missus that doesn't cry when you take her mountain bike where did you find her?!?!

Edited by custardkid on Thursday 8th November 12:44

Edited by custardkid on Thursday 8th November 12:45

[Sir Jonny]

I've had a quick squiffy on CRC and they have a 2007 Kona Kula Lisa for £850.


I had my eye on one of these for my other half for obvious reasons. Either frame or whole bike. She won't be happy if Mrs WC gets one!!!!!!!!!

[WildCards]

Sir Jonny said:

I've had a quick squiffy on CRC and they have a 2007 Kona Kula Lisa for £850.


I had my eye on one of these for my other half for obvious reasons. Either frame or whole bike. She won't be happy if Mrs WC gets one!!!!!!!!!

I thought a tandem was more her thing?

custardkid said:

PS a missus that doesn't cry when you take her mountain bike where did you find her?!?!

Ahh, thats the thing, at the minute she can handle dropping off a high kerb and she pootles to work and back everyday. Either she's going to get a huge shock or she'll be a good girl and get on with it.

Edited by WildCards on Thursday 8th November 13:48

[Sir Jonny]

I lied. It is the Lisa HT in pink that I am looking at.

[WildCards]

Sir Jonny said:

I lied. It is the Lisa HT in pink that I am looking at.

You can't get many flowers in that though mate?

[Sir Jonny]

WildCards said:

Sir Jonny said:

I've had a quick squiffy on CRC and they have a 2007 Kona Kula Lisa for £850.


I had my eye on one of these for my other half for obvious reasons. Either frame or whole bike. She won't be happy if Mrs WC gets one!!!!!!!!!

I thought a tandem was more her thing?

Yes she is fond of me doing all of the work. She made it round the Belvoir loop unassisted though, with only one emergency mars bar stop.

Tandems are awesome incidentally.

[Sir Jonny]

Am one post behind dude. I can not afford a van for Christmas.

Her Clio is for sale to fund a van.

Just edited as said I could afford a van by mistake. If she saw that I would be in trouble!

Edited by Sir Jonny on Thursday 8th November 13:55

[WildCards]

Sir Jonny said:

I thought a tandem was more her thing?

Yes she is fond of me doing all of the work. She made it round the Belvoir loop unassisted though, with only one emergency mars bar stop.

Tandems are awesome incidentally.

That was a joke!

Sir Jonny said:

Am one post behind dude. I can afford a van for Christmas.

Her Clio is for sale to fund a van.

So was that. And for something really funny see your email.




Anyway, enough spamming Jon, ring me if your not busy.

Back to the thread, I appreciate all the info so far chaps, any other suggestions?

Edited by WildCards on Thursday 8th November 13:58

[Sir Jonny]

Can't see it until tomorrow dude. Guessing it is rude though. PH is my only link to the outside world.

Off topic do you fancy MPH 07 on Saturday? No trouts.