Buying a female bike for my wife

AndrewJames
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 4:30 pm

Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby AndrewJames » Sun Aug 25, 2013 5:18 pm

Hi

I am investigating bike options for my wife.

I need to make it as easy and less tiring as possible for her so its enjoyable hence I think it has to be the larger wheels ie. 700C over 26inch.

Another pet peeve of hers in the past has been slipping gears however until now she had only had 2nd hand bikes Id found for her.

Use: casual riding at the weekend, for now with baby carriers but possibly also a moderate commute on paved city paths.

The only offroad would be limestone paths which are mostly smooth but we do encounter a large drop-offs from the smooth paths down onto the limestone paths.

Budget is around $500-600 I think.

I was thinking of these

Giant Cypress DX $449http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bik ... ifications
Shimano Altus

Giant Cypress LX $549
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bik ... ifications" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The LX has Shimano Acera derailleur's over the DX Shimano Altus

This model Giant seems a step up from the Cypress models, which are in the 'comfort' Giant range

Cross City 2 W

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bik ... 937/66381/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Drivetrain


Shifters
Shimano SL-M310 Rapid Fire 24sp

Front Derailleur
Shimano M191 34.9 8sp

Rear Derailleur
Shimano Altus 8sp

Brakes
Tektro, V-brake

Brake Levers
Tektro

Cassette
SRAM PG830 11-32T, 8sp

Chain
KMC Z7 8sp

Crankset
SR Suntour NEX, 28x38x48T

Bottom Bracket
SR Suntour XCT sealed
also saw Trek, in the their womens section there are 3 options

Fitness Rangehttp://www.trekbikes.com/au/en/collecti ... itness/fx/

7.2 FX WSD $599
Shimano 8-speed shifting
Puncture-resistant Bontrager H2 Plus tyres
Shimano Alivio rear derailleur
Bontrager H1 WSD saddle
Bontrager aluminium Low Riser handlebar


Recreation

Verve 2 WSD $549 hybrid bike
http://www.trekbikes.com/au/en/collecti ... rve_2_wsd/#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dual Sport
seems lower on the list as its geared, it appears half and half btw road and trail, her riding will be 90/10

Neko $519
http://www.trekbikes.com/au/en/collecti ... /neko/neko" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Neko is a perfect hybrid: part refined women’s city bike, part adventurous trail ride, with fast 700c wheels, capable suspension, and a light, strong frame.





Any opinions is appreciated, particularly specifics about brands, derailuers, geometry anything technical you think sorts one model above another. Or maybe I am missing some other decent Brands?

thankyou

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9858
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby Duck! » Sun Aug 25, 2013 5:35 pm

First note: I work in a shop that sells Giant bikes.

The Cross City series is a flat-bar road bike, so quite a bit more aggressive geometry than the Cypress, which is a very comfort-oriented bike. The narrower 28mm tyres will be a bit more argumentative on the unsealed paths, especially when it's a bit damp 'cos they'll tend to sink in a bit more.

In between the Cypress & the Cross City is the Rove series, which I think could be the middle-ground you're after. It's a little bit lower & leaner than the Cypress, but not so much as the Cross City, and it's also a more robust bike than the Cross City, which makes it a good, versatile package.

Above all else, don't just foist your choice of bike upon your wife. Involve her in the entire selection process because after all it's her bike. Let her decide what she likes.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

AndrewJames
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 4:30 pm

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby AndrewJames » Sun Aug 25, 2013 5:49 pm

Hi Duck

thanks for the response

Don't worry I will be involving her to test ride the final pool of selections.

Do you mean the Rove 2 or 3?

Rove 3 $499
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bik ... /#overview" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Shimano Acera 8sp Rear Derailuer, is that the same as the Cypress LX

When you say the Cypress is very comfort orientated, do you think too comfort orientated if she choose to use it for basic commutes? she had complained about being uncomfortable on her previous bikes, and I do think even the commute option will be about 80/20 compared to the need for comfort. ie. Commuting 20% of the time but in in immediate days it will be zero, it will be just family rides around lakes, rivers on paved paths and smoothish limestone paths.

If the City Cross will sink into the paths too much, how does the Cypress fare as a commuter then? too slow as its tyres are too wide?

What about Trek?

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9858
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby Duck! » Sun Aug 25, 2013 6:26 pm

I'm not familiar with the intricacies of the Trek range, because they're not one I've dealt with, but they are decent bikes; I certainly haven't seen anything that rings alarm bells.

The Cypress has a very upright position, resulting very stable, somewhat ponderous handling. It's great for those rides where you're not in any hurry to get anywhere, just cruise & enjoy the scenery, very much as you describe the eventual purchase's initial use to be. You're also correct in the very wide tyres being quite a drag on the sealed surfaces, which along with the barn-door aerodynamics may become a concern once commuting comes into the mix and with it the possible additional attention to getting to the destination a little more efficiently. The suspension seatpost, while nice when things get mildly bumpy, can also become a bit of an annoyance. The self-adjusting saddle height will sap energy that could be better used in propulsion of the bike, and over time thay can become loose, resulting in movement of the saddle that may increase the risk of muscle injury due to continual changing of alignment.

While still by no means road bike or even competition MTB-aggressive in its setup, the Rove is a bit more "sporting" in its geometry, which will go a long way to improving the feel when the hammer gets put down a bit. The overall positioning also lends itself a bit better to having a load, such as panniers or a baby seat on the back, as there's a little bit more clearance behind the seat, and the slightly more forward riding posture helps counterbalance the weight on the back.

In the immediate outlook for cruisy riding, the Cypress would be a better pick, but looking at the longer term where the focus shifts, I think the Rove is much better once the riding starts to diversify.

The running gear on the Cypress LX & Rove 3 is virtually identical.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

AndrewJames
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 4:30 pm

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby AndrewJames » Sun Aug 25, 2013 6:52 pm

Thanks again Duck,

I think we need to think about whether this commuting will occur or not. That said our recreation rides are sometimes 10kms around a lake or park area so that's a commute for some.

I think any of these bikes with 700CC tyres will be better, forward propulsion wise over the old 1990s MTB 26inch she had though right? ie. she will find it easier to glide forward even on the Cypress over the 90's MTB? (even if MTB has semi slick)

Also even the Cypress's tyres on the site say 700*38, the MTB she has is 26*1.90 - which is wider?

With the Rove then, what would I gain jumping up to the Rove 2@ 729

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bik ... ifications" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

* another thing - shock absorbers, I see the Rove and City Cross drop them? I understand fixed front forks are more efficient and don't soak up energy but the ability to lock out the shockies on the Cypress does that make the Cypress's front forks equal to the Rove then?

* I note your comment about the Cypress being less suited to baby racks or panniers, I assume its still possible though?


Do you have any opinions on the derailleurs ?

Acera vs Altus vs Alivio

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9858
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby Duck! » Sun Aug 25, 2013 7:17 pm

The 700c tyres will roll a lot more efficiently than the old 26" (at that vintage, who knows what state the internals of the hubs are in, they may not be doing the efficiency any favours either). The 1.9" tyres on the MTB are 48mm, vs the 38 on the Cypress, so you have a correspondingly wider footprint.

On the Rove 2, the big upgrade of the 3 is the hydro disc brakes. Quite a bit more powerful than the V-brakes of both cheaper bikes, more controllable braking power, and less effort to boot, thanks to no cable friction. It also goes to a 9-speed block on the rear gears, so although the overall gear range is the same, the intervals between the gear ratios is smaller, resulting in smoother shifts, both in operation and actually riding because there's less of a change in pedalling speed (cadence).

All Roves still have suspension forks, it's only the Cross City, being essentially a road bike without drop handlebars, that goes rigid. They're very similar forks to what's in the Cypress. You do lose the suspension seatpost in the Rove, which I don't think is a bad thing.

As far as listed derailleurs, the order through the Shimano ranks is Altus -> Acera -> Alivio. They're all reasonable enough, but as you work up the range they just get a bit nicer in terms of construction tolerances & spring tensions (more tension = sharper performance).

You can still fit racks & things to the Cypress, but when the loads get heavier (such as a child on the back), the stability is a bit more compromised than on the Rove.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

jaffaman
Posts: 180
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:30 pm

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby jaffaman » Sun Aug 25, 2013 7:59 pm

To your question a few posts above, a 700x38 is 38mm. A 650x1.9 is 1.9 inches which is 48mm, so the MTB is wider.

Nothing wrong with the Cyprus as a commuter. Depends what you want. You are more upright on the Cyprus so you tend to have a good view of things around you. Yes, it may be a little slower, but unless speed is the absolute objective, it will be more comfortable, and in my opinion anyway, the position is a little safer. If something goes wrong you can generally get your foot down quickly to stop from completely going over. And if you do want to go faster it will be a little more effort, so you get fitter quicker! My wife has a comfort bike very similar shape to this, though a 26", and we regularly do 10-15km rides and she loves it. She finds a "normal" bike too high, too scary and not as safe feeling, so won't ride them.

User avatar
Mulger bill
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 29060
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Sunbury Vic

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby Mulger bill » Sun Aug 25, 2013 8:22 pm

Duck! wrote:Above all else, don't just foist your choice of bike upon your wife. Involve her in the entire selection process because after all it's her bike. Let her decide what she likes.
QFT!
By all means give your GLW a list of suggestions of what you feel would suit her riding style and plans but in the name of domestic harmony, let her choose.
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

tekapo
Posts: 220
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:30 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby tekapo » Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:56 am

My 2 cents.

Any bike from a proper bike shop will be fine. If its just for casual rides and short commutes, the specs doesn't matter too much. Just make sure you get the right size and have a proper test ride.

(But do avoid Tourney only to the extent that Tourney ranges from the really crap supermarket end to some fairly decent Acera-eque parts. Personally the Tourney rear derailleur on my Mongoose is actually pretty good, shifts well and no complains.)

AndrewJames
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 4:30 pm

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby AndrewJames » Wed Aug 28, 2013 3:00 pm

Hi all

thanks for the continuing replies

with this

On the Rove 2, the big upgrade of the 3 is the hydro disc brakes. Quite a bit more powerful than the V-brakes of both cheaper bikes, more controllable braking power, and less effort to boot, thanks to no cable friction. It also goes to a 9-speed block on the rear gears, so although the overall gear range is the same, the intervals between the gear ratios is smaller, resulting in smoother shifts, both in operation and actually riding because there's less of a change in pedalling speed (cadence).

I put this to a shop today, more or less, one thing they brought up with the disc brakes is

-unless its being used offroad a fair amount allowing the pads to be scuffed up, the oil from pathway and roaduse builds up ensuring more frequent replacement of the pads and even rotors due to them becoming glazed, he mentioned a replacement cost for disk brake pads vs V-brakes which was, at least as a %, quite a bit higher. He seemed to think that well adjusted V-brakes, given the applications I described in this thread would be fine, stopping power wise. - If that is so, then I think, I prefer v-brakes.

Then, the 9 speed block on the rear aside, I don't think there is a reason to move up to the Rove 2?

Also with the 9 speed block on the rear, will the shifting be noticeably better? not trying to be cheap just trying to quantify it, keeping in mind that probably any of the options listed here will be vastly better as brand new bikes that I keep regularly serviced over the 26inch MTB with slippery dropping gears she is coming from.

mitzikatzi
Posts: 1916
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:21 am
Location: Perth

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby mitzikatzi » Wed Aug 28, 2013 3:27 pm

AndrewJames wrote:...snip...

-unless its being used offroad a fair amount allowing the pads to be scuffed up, the oil from pathway and roaduse builds up ensuring more frequent replacement of the pads and even rotors due to them becoming glazed, he mentioned a replacement cost for disk brake pads vs V-brakes which was, at least as a %, quite a bit higher. He seemed to think that well adjusted V-brakes, given the applications I described in this thread would be fine, stopping power wise. - If that is so, then I think, I prefer v-brakes.

..SNIP...
I have nearly 10 000km on a disc brake used mainly on the road. I replaced the brake pads at about 6000 Km. I have never needed to deglaze the discs (rub with steel wool or a scotch brite pad). The last disc brake pads cost the same as the "fancy" v brake pads (kool stop) I brought at the same time

Wheels last anywhere from 10000 to 20000km before the rims need replacing. Did the shop mention what this costs? New rotors are much cheaper to replace.

(some rims last more than 20k km)

Oh did I mention disc brakes stop you in the rain.

tekapo
Posts: 220
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:30 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby tekapo » Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:46 pm

AndrewJames wrote:Hi all
Also with the 9 speed block on the rear, will the shifting be noticeably better? not trying to be cheap just trying to quantify it, keeping in mind that probably any of the options listed here will be vastly better as brand new bikes that I keep regularly serviced over the 26inch MTB with slippery dropping gears she is coming from.
The chain/gear slipping may still occur on a new bike if its not adjusted properly, e.g. the cable might not be tensioned properly, cables may also stretch after some time before settling into their proper length. There should be a barrel adjuster where you can do minor tension adjustments.

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9858
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby Duck! » Wed Aug 28, 2013 7:30 pm

AndrewJames wrote:Hi all

thanks for the continuing replies

with this

On the Rove 2, the big upgrade of the 3 is the hydro disc brakes. Quite a bit more powerful than the V-brakes of both cheaper bikes, more controllable braking power, and less effort to boot, thanks to no cable friction. It also goes to a 9-speed block on the rear gears, so although the overall gear range is the same, the intervals between the gear ratios is smaller, resulting in smoother shifts, both in operation and actually riding because there's less of a change in pedalling speed (cadence).

I put this to a shop today, more or less, one thing they brought up with the disc brakes is

-unless its being used offroad a fair amount allowing the pads to be scuffed up, the oil from pathway and roaduse builds up ensuring more frequent replacement of the pads and even rotors due to them becoming glazed, he mentioned a replacement cost for disk brake pads vs V-brakes which was, at least as a %, quite a bit higher. He seemed to think that well adjusted V-brakes, given the applications I described in this thread would be fine, stopping power wise. - If that is so, then I think, I prefer v-brakes.

Then, the 9 speed block on the rear aside, I don't think there is a reason to move up to the Rove 2?

Also with the 9 speed block on the rear, will the shifting be noticeably better? not trying to be cheap just trying to quantify it, keeping in mind that probably any of the options listed here will be vastly better as brand new bikes that I keep regularly serviced over the 26inch MTB with slippery dropping gears she is coming from.
V-brakes are just as prone to gunge pick-up from the road, if not more so. Worse, the soft pads are more likely to collect grit, which will grind away at the rims if not regularly picked out. As Mitzikatzi points out, in real terms, disc brake pad life is significantly longer than that for V-brakes, so the marginally higher replacement cost is offset by the less frequent need to replace them. And also as he points out, rotors cost a lot less to replace than rims. The best way to ensure disc pads stay in top shape is to actually jump on them quite hard evey so often, to get some force through them & scrub the surface up. Long, gentle dragging is what causes glazing.

Onto the gears, 9-speed is noticeably slicker than 8-sp, for two reasons. One is the sprockets are all physically closer together, so the shifts are smoother, and the shift stroke at the lever is shorter. The other reason is that in the middle of the cassette the ratio difference between one gear & the next will be a bit smaller, so there's a less aggressive change to pedalling speed with the gear shift.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

AndrewJames
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 4:30 pm

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby AndrewJames » Wed Aug 06, 2014 6:03 pm

Large delay in this thread.

I finally got my wife to get around to trying the below bikes at a store.
both $700rrp - I could go up if needed

Rove 2
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bik ... 944/66431/

Alight 1 (formerly Cross City)

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bik ... 937/66381/


We have dropped the idea of the Cypress in the earlier posts.

Duck

you provided a lot of advice including this

The Cross City series is a flat-bar road bike, so quite a bit more aggressive geometry than the Cypress, which is a very comfort-oriented bike. The narrower 28mm tyres will be a bit more argumentative on the unsealed paths, especially when it's a bit damp 'cos they'll tend to sink in a bit more.

In between the Cypress & the Cross City is the Rove series, which I think could be the middle-ground you're after. It's a little bit lower & leaner than the Cypress, but not so much as the Cross City, and it's also a more robust bike than the Cross City, which makes it a good, versatile package.

Above all else, don't just foist your choice of bike upon your wife. Involve her in the entire selection process because after all it's her bike. Let her decide what she likes.
I did take her to a shop and she actually prefers the lighter and easier to handle and turn (according to her) Cross City(Alight 1) model over the Rove.
It seemed like the advice above was leaning towards the Rove. So I want to ask

will the Cross City (alight) be okay for

Crushed limestone paths/ some gravel (but not MTB gravel paths in the hills)
odd drop off (10cm)
odd depression but not really pot holes

I ask because one person has advised that it will skid out with its 'small' tyres at the first sign of water or gravel, and not be able to go across grass or sand without really sinking in.

* I will add in there will be a baby on the back so skidding out would be quite a bad thing however that baby wont be on there forever, so possibly answer it with and without the baby factor.

This might need a tyre discussion
Rove 2 - 700 x 40c
Cross City (Alight 1) - 700 x 32C

Possibly I could ask the store to throw on a 700x38? on the cross city so it transfers less shock to the weaker Cross City frame and rider when on paths or drop offs.

I was told that 700C, the C stands for compact, and it means that the tyre width is fixed, all you can change is the sidewall height.

saw this
http://janheine.wordpress.com/2013/05/2 ... ters-make/

Image

I am more used to Cars, where one might have had 195/65/15 but then upgraded to 215/50/16 ie. there are 3 metrics here, width,sidewall height and tyre diameter. The 700c world only seems to have 2 metrics.

Thanks for any feedback.

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9858
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby Duck! » Wed Aug 06, 2014 9:00 pm

AndrewJames wrote:So I want to ask

will the Cross City (alight) be okay for

Crushed limestone paths/ some gravel (but not MTB gravel paths in the hills)
odd drop off (10cm)
odd depression but not really pot holes

I ask because one person has advised that it will skid out with its 'small' tyres at the first sign of water or gravel, and not be able to go across grass or sand without really sinking in.

* I will add in there will be a baby on the back so skidding out would be quite a bad thing however that baby wont be on there forever, so possibly answer it with and without the baby factor.
32mm tyres aren't exactly narrow. They'll handle gravel paths pretty well, but will sink & become slightly heavier-going if it's really sodden. On grass, the kind of dirt under the grass rather than the grass itself will determine how the tyres behave. For small drops/potholes/etc, the Cross City/Alight (for those playing at home, the Alight is the women's version of the Cross City, renamed for 2015 in line with Giant's completely separate branding of the women's range under the Liv name) will handle OK, but a bit of technique development will go a long way - basically weight back to help keep the front up & less weighted, so it better absorbs bumps and "floats" over surface imperfections. That stuff you've been told about them skidding out is utter bunkum. As for sand, if it's soft even 2.25" wide MTB tyres will struggle (conversely, really hard-packed sand can be ridden well enough on 23s. "Sand" is a highly variable substance, so there's no hard and fast rule as to what tyres will work and what won't).
This might need a tyre discussion
Rove 2 - 700 x 40c
Cross City (Alight 1) - 700 x 32C

Possibly I could ask the store to throw on a 700x38? on the cross city so it transfers less shock to the weaker Cross City frame and rider when on paths or drop offs.
I will have to wait until I get a new model in the shop to study properly, but on history with the CRX/Cross City evolutions, 32mm is about the biggest that will fit, especially on the lower models in the range, because the front derailleur tends to be quite bulky, cutting into space available for the rear tyre. It sounds weird, but the higher-specced ones with more road-derived componentry have greater tyre clearance in the rear, but that's due to the slimmer-profiled front derailleur.
I was told that 700C, the C stands for compact, and it means that the tyre width is fixed, all you can change is the sidewall height.
That's bunkum too. According to the late Sheldon Brown (it takes a brave bike tech to argue with the great man, and I'm seldom up to considering it), the "C" is from the old French tyre designation system where width was somewhat imprecisely identified by a letter code. "A" was narrow, through to "D" being wide. Therefore, 700C = a tyre that's nominally 700mm in overall diameter, and moderately wide, but somehow it got applied to everything that equated to the old 27" wheels, with widths ranging from 18 to 45mm. Tyres form a roughly circular profile as per the diagram, so the stated width relates pretty closely to the height as well.

The Alight will do what your wife wants to do; it may not be as good as the Rove in some conditions, and could well be better in others. Ultimately if that's the bike your wife feels happiest with, that's the one to get for her.
Last edited by Duck! on Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

AndrewJames
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 4:30 pm

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby AndrewJames » Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:37 pm

Hi Duck

thanks again for the replies.

Cheers

AndrewJames
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 4:30 pm

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby AndrewJames » Tue Sep 02, 2014 1:59 am

Hi

bike finally arrived. I also see Giant has updated their website with the new models

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/_pdf/bike ... ight.1.pdf

one question, I realise its a small issue, but there is only inbuilt threads for one sole bottle mount. I was expecting two.
We sort of need two, one for the adult and one for the child.

Anyone have suggestions to overcome this?

i saw this

http://nordicgroup.us/cageboss/#The_Goa ... tle_Holder

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9858
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby Duck! » Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:08 am

On smaller frames it's not possible to actually get a bottle in or out of a seat tube-mounted bottle cage, so manufacturers are sometimes not putting mounts in that position.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

roboat
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:43 pm

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby roboat » Tue Sep 02, 2014 10:39 am

Just recently purchased a new Giant Cross City RX for my wife she tried so many bikes but found them all a bit cramped finally tried a mens bike and WOW ,loved it she is not a big person but just fitted her better than all the womens bikes,anyway just a suggestion don't discount mens bikes and hard to beat Giant for prices and quality.
Good luck

User avatar
Alien27
Posts: 252
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:59 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby Alien27 » Tue Sep 02, 2014 1:12 pm

So did it end up being a female bike? It can be hard to tell which sex they are.... :P
Tom
Image

Parker
Posts: 1687
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 6:25 pm

Re: Buying a female bike for my wife

Postby Parker » Tue Sep 02, 2014 5:02 pm

Alien27 wrote:So did it end up being a female bike? It can be hard to tell which sex they are.... :P
:lol:

beat me to it

cecilride
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:08 pm

Alight v/s Rove. and What did you buy?

Postby cecilride » Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:34 pm

Andrew, We're in suspense. What did you and your wife settle on? A Rove or a Cross City (which evolved into Alight over the course of these posts)?

I have to say I got a chuckle out of some of this post especially as it spanned over a year and prices change, new models are released and names change.
On Sept 2nd 2014 you said
" bike finally arrived. I also see Giant has updated their website with the new models..."

I too have taken a year to decide on a new bike and am still comparing a few of the Giant LIV bikes.
So I've found all the conversation between you and Duck really useful. Info about shock absorbers, tyre widths, road surfaces etc. Thankyou Duck for your generous replies they were detailed and easy to understand.

I am having a dilemma over shockies v/s no shockies. Alight v/s Rove

Alight 2 is $549 (2016 model, the only Alight left in the store) Alight 2 has no shockies. Alight is lighter.
Rove 3 (2015) is $569 with a further 20% off. ($456) Rove has front shockies.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users