Bike for the Wife

[Rustybucket]

Hello

The Mrs now wants a bike, she likes the below one. She will mainly be using it to ride to the train station for work approx 1 mile & the odd weekend ride with me. Her requirements are that it has a basket & looks nice! Budget is around £300 - Is there anything better out there? Thank you

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_843003_langId_-1_categoryId_165534

 

[vickster]

Pendleton Sommerby http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_842999_langId_-1_categoryId_165534

Even have some budget for a basket. Join British Cycling and you'll get 10% off and have the benefits

Stations are a hot bed for theft, so get a good lock or two - probably need another £80+

 

[Rustybucket]

She wanted the Sommerby one, but thought it was abit heavy for going out on weekend rides?

 

[vickster]

She wanted the Sommerby one, but thought it was abit heavy for going out on weekend rides?

How far is she riding and what speeds are planned? What terrain, you are in London, it's mostly flat

 

[vickster]

These are around 12kg, Sommerby will look much better with a basket though

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/lithium-1-2013-womens-hybrid-bike-ec044193

Or if wanting lighter http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/vita-step-through-2013-womens-hybrid-bike-ec030760#features

Given the extremely high risk of theft from stations and if it is only a mile, I wouldn't consider riding myself if leaving the bike, or get an old beater for £50 or a folder

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

A bike for the wife? Depends. I'd really need to see pictures before parting with mine.

 

[Rustybucket]

ha - what the wife or the bike???

 

[PpPete]

Have a look at the Giant Escape 3 also.
Not looked in detail at the 2013 model, but a friend of my daughter rode John o'Groats - Land's End on a 2010 model.

 

[Rustybucket]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far everyone! will show her tonight, however she will probably go for the prettiest looking girly bike!!!!!

 

[Shortmember]

If you're buying the basket and fitting it yourself make sure the clamps that fit the basket to the bike handlebars are the correct size.Some bars have a wider diameter than others.
I bought a £15 black metal basket from Halfords that I was assured by a member of staff would fit my friend's Carrera Subway, but the bars on her bike were too 'fat' for the basket clamps to fit around and I had to fit the bike with an older, thinner handlebar that was the right size.
p.s. The Pendleton with the basket fitted by the Halfords gorillas mechanics looks the best bet.

 

[Sandra6]

I was going to suggest the Giant Escape, or the Specialized vita.
I actually wish I'd bought the escape now tbh, have it in my sights as my n+1.

 

[PpPete]

Have a look at the Giant Escape 3 also.
Not looked in detail at the 2013 model, but a friend of my daughter rode John o'Groats - Land's End on a 2010 model.

I was going to suggest the Giant Escape, or the Specialized vita.
I actually wish I'd bought the escape now tbh, have it in my sights as my n+1.

I must admit that when this appeared at one of the last of our JoGLE training sessions my heart sank. It was better than the crappy BSO she'd had previously but TBH I didn't think it was really "suitable" for a 1000 mile tour.
How wrong I was.
It may not have been the fastest bike on the ride, but it was also a long way from being the slowest.
I tweaked the gear and brake cables once on the whole ride, and that was all the maintenance it needed.
Sadly the same could not be said of a Spesh Secteur bought by one of the other riders...in theory much more suitable, three times the price, and, well I've told the sorry tale elsewhere in these pages, and CBA to trot it out again. Let's just say I'm very very unlikly to ever buy a Specialized for myself or any member of the family.

 

[philinmerthyr]

A bike for the wife? Depends. I'd really need to see pictures before parting with mine.

It crossed my mind that the title sounded like a good swap.

 

[welsh dragon]

What. With your bike or your wife.

 

[Rustybucket]

Ha is this turning into a wife swapping thread...