Bike for an unfit lady .

[Banjo]

My Wife is in a similar position to me in being unfit and overweight but now taking positive steps to sort it out.

She is considering getting a bike for very short commutes(less than two miles) and similar trips to shops etc.The primary purpose being to get a bit fitter.Also plan on doing some easy leisure cycle routes together.

She wants a step through type and has looked at a Raleigh Hybrid which looks good .My concern is it only has 6 gears.She isnt interested in speed but will want to get up some hills, Any advice anyone?

 

[Arch]

My Wife is in a similar position to me in being unfit and overweight but now taking positive steps to sort it out.

She is considering getting a bike for very short commutes(less than two miles) and similar trips to shops etc.The primary purpose being to get a bit fitter.Also plan on doing some easy leisure cycle routes together.

She wants a step through type and has looked at a Raleigh Hybrid which looks good .My concern is it only has 6 gears.She isnt interested in speed but will want to get up some hills, Any advice anyone?

It depends on how steep and long the hills are, but I'd say it needed be a big problem. My winter hack only has 7, and I only use 3 regularly (although York is pretty flat). If the gears are low enough, changing to a smaller chainring would lower them. Whereabouts are you?

Are we talking about a new bike, as opposed to secondhand? I'm not sure Raleigh are all that well rated these days, and there might be something better for the same price, and still have a step through frame. What's your budget?

As for fitness and dealing with hills, she will get better - half the trouble with hills is getting used to them, and knowing how to use your gears to the maximum benefit.

 

[Speck]

Try a Specialized Expedition

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/expedition-sport-2008-hybrid-bike-ec001477

 

[Angelfishsolo]

These http://www.discountbicycles.co.uk/b...lx_08_ladies/cb837e389852cc4906c101bd26f3dc38 are the Ladies bikes used on my Sustrans - (Mentro Allan) project. Very reliable, pretty lightweight and a very good all round bike.

 

[theboytaylor]

If you're near to a Decathlon they have some pretty good looking women's bikes and city bikes, for instance:
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/city-bikes-38949274/

They look pretty well up together. If the comments round here concerning the road bikes are anything to go by, they should be fairly decent for a low(er) cost route to fitness.

 

[HJ]

My advice is to set a budget, go to your local bike shops, and try as many bike as you can within your budget and buy the one that feels best. If the shop won't let you take the bike out on the road to try it, walk away and never go back there. I would be very reluctant to buy a bike I hadn't ridden first...

 

[punkypossum]

Speaking from personal experience, I would be really reluctant to buy a raleigh hybrid!!!

 

[Speicher]

Speaking from personal experience, I would be really reluctant to buy a raleigh hybrid!!!

May I ask why you say that and is the bike that Angelfishsolo suggested a hybrid?

(showing my ignorance here but that is what the Beginners' section is for)

 

[Mike Rudkin]

My wife has a Giant 'Rock SE' and loves it.I put a ladies Gel saddle on it and less knobbly tyres than it came with.
She has enjoyed riding The Taff Trail (Cardiff-Tongwynlais) The Millenium Path (Llanelli) pootling around Cosmeston and a gr8 two weeks in The Camargue.
She hasn't ridden for 6 mths,but,now she has her new knee we hope to get out together again.

 

[punkypossum]

May I ask why you say that and is the bike that Angelfishsolo suggested a hybrid?

(showing my ignorance here but that is what the Beginners' section is for)

It's just based on my reasonably recent experiences with Raleigh bikes. Me and a friend both bought a Raleigh Tundra from Halfords about 3 years ago (we had just had the idea of getting back into cycling, so didn't know any better...). We both had nothing but trouble with the bikes (partly due to halfords mechanics, but also due to a large extent to the way they were manufactured). My friend's bike kept making strange grinding noises, she took it to a normal lbs and it transpired that somehow the bike had been manufactured with most of the bearings missing, mine came with a faulty headset, minor problems included the tyres being made of chewing gum (ok, the bikes weren't very expensive) and a whole list of other things I can't remember. Fortunately Halfords broke mine during the first service, so I ended up getting my money back. My friend kept spending on hers, but in the end just gave up... Neither bike lasted a year...

We were both newbies at the time, but were both under the impression that Raleigh was a decent brand which is why we went for them over the apollos etc. Maybe things have changed by now and maybe we were just unlucky, but personally I wouldn't buy a Raleigh again...

 

[Banjo]

Bike buying is on hold at the moment (unless a really good secondhand one comes up) while we both try to get on the cycle to work scheme.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Muddyfox]

I thought you were offering a swap

Simon

 

[Banjo]

OK what bike are you offering

 

[Muddyfox]

OK what bike are you offering

lol

I'l throw in the extra handlebars

Do we have a deal ? or shall we Haggle

Simon

 

[Banjo]

Bike doesnt look bad but Im not sure if i like the colour.Sorry but the deals off.