Need advice on a fitness/commuter bike!

[CEB]

Hey all!

Looking for a budget fitness/commuter flat bar road bike for approx. $600 (price including lights and bag rack).
I'm female, 180cm tall and would be doing no more than 50 km a week on road/pathways.
A few I have been looking at are Reid Osprey, Giant Cross city/alight and Merida Speeder.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!
Thanks

[ColinOldnCranky]

London to a brick that someone here will respond that you need a three thousand dollar thoroughbred just as a starter. Not so I'm sure.

I am not a bicyclist so I only have a vague and likely out of date sense of values. But I do have a wife, mature kids, relatives and friends that ride and I am confident at least in suggesting that the optimum value bikes are not in that price.

However flash bikes are often a boys toy that, like a perfectly functional iPhone, is turned over as any new one comes along. Second hand bikes of limited distance would be quite affordable I expect. Maybe even within your budget if you are smart.

btw the new generation of phosphor coated leds are very bright, very efficient and very affordable. They are the ones on which you will note a yellow square face.

[rodneycc]

I'd highly consider lining up at Aldi in Wed morning and grabbing one of these....

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=90772

yeah its not a flatbar nor a women's specific bike but for the price I don't think you can go wrong. At 180cm prob go the 56cm effective top tube one. You will get use to the more efficient dropbar and there doesn't seem a huge difference between ladies and mens bikes in geometry (but maybe just buy a lady specific saddle).

[koshari]

I'd highly consider lining up at Aldi in Wed morning and grabbing one of these....

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=90772

yeah its not a flatbar nor a women's specific bike but for the price I don't think you can go wrong. At 180cm prob go the 56cm effective top tube one. You will get use to the more efficient dropbar and there doesn't seem a huge difference between ladies and mens bikes in geometry (but maybe just buy a lady specific saddle).

^^^^^what he said^^^^^^

[nickobec]

In the value for money stakes it is hard to go past the Aldi bike. Though there are often very good buys on the second hand market.

However, if you want to be worry free, I would look at buying new from a LBS (local bike shop) that you can get a good relationship with. The brand is not important, flat bar commuters at that point are very similar in components. It is the bike shop that is willing to set the bike up for you, get the bike back after a few weeks to check things over, do a free service after 3 or 6 months. The shop that sees you as a long term customers not a quick sale and get you quickly out the door is the shop you want.

Only other issue is security, if you have good secure parking at both ends of your journey, get yourself a good lock ( not one of those cheap cable ones). If you have to park on the street or similar, you might need to consider an unattractive bike and a very good lock (or two).

Personally my commuter I ride to the train station is a ratty thing I found on the side of the road, during bulk junk collection. It is usually the roughest looking bike in the bike shed secured by the best lock in the shed.

[bychosis]

Other than the Aldi bike, what region are you in? I did see what looks like a good value bike locally, but appears to be small unfortunately.

[rangersac]

My partner needed similar requirements to you a few years ago and got a Giant Cross City.

[Duck!]

I'd highly consider lining up at Aldi in Wed morning and grabbing one of these....

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=90772

yeah its not a flatbar nor a women's specific bike but for the price I don't think you can go wrong. At 180cm prob go the 56cm effective top tube one. You will get use to the more efficient dropbar and there doesn't seem a huge difference between ladies and mens bikes in geometry (but maybe just buy a lady specific saddle).

There are always exceptions, because mass-production bike sizing is always designed around averages, but as a general guide, taller women tend to find women's specific geometry less necessary than shorter women. As frames get larger the geometric differences become proportionally less significant, so fitting becomes more a matter of finishing kit adjustment than core geometry.