I seem to be too short for cycling

[coffeejo]

Evans and Decathlon are the places to look,and don't be rushed by dodgy local shops.

Never had that experience with my LBS. In fact, if you're short I highly recommend it. Shop manager's much shorter than the OP and goes out of his way to help a fellow shortarse. Even spent ages playing around with different bottle cages until he was able to work it so that he could fit two on my frame. Hero.

 

[vickster]

Go to evans with photo ID and debit card and have some test rides . For urban road riding at your budget, do not get a bike with suspension. Totally unnecessary!

If no small men's bikes on shop floor, test ride the ladies equivalent. They'll definitely have those, as a tall woman they don't often carry the larger wsd models, opposite problem

 

[citybabe]

I'm a woman 5' 2" and I ride a 48 Cannondale. I could also go for a 44. I do struggle to find small bikes around my area to test ride so I have to be prepared to travel a little further out but as it's for a new bike - who cares!

I'm not into girlie bike colours that's for sure and there are some women's bikes around that don't look girlie.

As you're around london you should be able really to source any bike you like

 

[Turbo Rider]

The bike looks very nice although I was leaning more towards getting flat bars. But I'm open minded, I just assumed that as a beginner, I would be more suited to flat bar bikes.

I didn't cycle for 20-25 years & went straight onto a roadbike, so I'm sure you'll be fine. The benefit of drop bars are loads of hand positions and being able to stretch your back out into more positions too. You also go faster, but that's more of a secondary thing for me. Admittedly, it's a bit unnerving at first, being so high up and not knowing what position to take while you fluster around with gears, but if you ride every day, you'll have it cracked (to a point) in a couple of days, tops.

 

[Saluki]

While dog walking today, I was chatting with a lady who was about the same height as my Mum (4'111/2") and she was telling me about her new bike. She has an Islabike and it's perfect for her. As we were talking generally, she was telling me that she cycles about 4-5 miles a day commuting to work and then goes out 'for a play' at the weekends. I mentioned this thread and she thought the notion of a shop saying that someone was too short and trying to sell them the wrong bike is going to tell on their bottom line at the end of the year.

 

[Cycleops]

While dog walking today, I was chatting with a lady who was about the same height as my Mum (4'111/2") and she was telling me about her new bike. She has an Islabike and it's perfect for her. As we were talking generally, she was telling me that she cycles about 4-5 miles a day commuting to work and then goes out 'for a play' at the weekends. I mentioned this thread and she thought the notion of a shop saying that someone was too short and trying to sell them the wrong bike is going to tell on their bottom line at the end of the year.

Bit of a stigma though riding a bike meant for a child. And there's really no need to resort to that for most.

 

[Thursday guy]

Go to evans with photo ID and debit card and have some test rides . For urban road riding at your budget, do not get a bike with suspension. Totally unnecessary!

If no small men's bikes on shop floor, test ride the ladies equivalent. They'll definitely have those, as a tall woman they don't often carry the larger wsd models, opposite problem

Oh that's news to me. I'll be sure to do that as there are a few bikes from Evans that fit my budget. Where do these test rides take place, just around their car park?

 

[Thursday guy]

Go and try them.
You may find that one feels right whereas another feels wrong.
If they all feel right, then I'd go for the one with the lowest gears.
More people ask how to lower gears than how to make them higher.
Plus it always helps to have a silly low first gear just in case you need to struggle uphill into a headwind ...............

Thanks for the heads up, but how do you know which has the lowest gears?
Is there anything on the specs sheet for the bikes on their website that I should look out for?

 

[Cycleops]

Anything that has a triple chainring will give you the lowest gears, many hybrids do.

 

[Thursday guy]

The Triban will feel faster than the flat barred bikes from Evans due to being lighter and having narrower tyres running at higher pressures, but all will be serviceable for your needs. You don't need the suspension forks on the Mongoose, they only add weight for little extra comfort. Why not get the Ridgeback Speed? You a rack and mudguards which you will surely need. The b'Twin also looks good. Inevitably bikes at this price are going to be compromised for quality somewhere but you can just replace the offending components when they fail which shouldn't be too soon.
Whatever you get don't forget a lock, helmet, puncture repair kit, tyre levers and a spare inner tube.
If you have a Halfords near you pop in there to have a look, they have some good budget bikes or check out the website. How about: http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bik...carrera-subway-1-womens-hybrid-bike-2015#tab2 Even has disc brakes which will be more effective in all weathers.

For the Triban, with its narrower tyres at higher pressure, would this not make it more vulnerable to punctures than the other bikes?

The Ridgeback speed is nice in that it comes mudguards and rack, but I was looking its weight and its 800g heavier than the Ridgeman motion - although I'm not sure if this takes into account the rack and mudguards which I assume you can take off quite easily. Specs-wise, do you think the Ridgeback speed would be the best buy out of those choices, including the b'Twin?

I've looked at the halfords one you've suggested, the thick types put me off a bit, wouldn't they make the bike a lot slower than the bikes?

 

[coffeejo]

Personally, I'd avoid Halfords. Go to Evans / Decathlon and try some bikes so you have a feel for what's what rather than trying to decide by looking at specs. (FWIW, my steel Ridgeback has a front and rear rack and the weight difference is barely noticeable.)

For information about gears etc, the Sheldon Brown website is worth a read.

 

[Cycleops]

The Triban wouldn't be significantly more prone to punctures than a bike running lower pressure tyres. Most original equipment tyres on bikes that price will be fairly iffy anyway so most change them as soon as they can. The rack and guards would account for the extra weight of the Ridgeback Speed. I suspect both bikes use the same frame so are much of a muchness. The bigger section tyres on the Carrera would make it feel a bit slower, but you could change them for something narrower after a while.
Some people are a bit down on Halfords as their service is variable but they are the biggest retailer of bikes in the UK so you can be rest assured if anything goes wrong they are duty bound to rectify it.

 

[Thursday guy]

The Triban wouldn't be significantly more prone to punctures than a bike running lower pressure tyres. Most original equipment tyres on bikes that price will be fairly iffy anyway so most change them as soon as they can. The rack and guards would account for the extra weight of the Ridgeback Speed. I suspect both bikes use the same frame so are much of a muchness. The bigger section tyres on the Carrera would make it feel a bit slower, but you could change them for something narrower after a while.
Some people are a bit down on Halfords as their service is variable but they are the biggest retailer of bikes in the UK so you can be rest assured if anything goes wrong they are duty bound to rectify it.

I've just realised the Carrera you posted has the same issue as the one I mentioned in my first post about a bike that I came across. It also has 27.5 inch wheel size, which is a bit difficult to find tyres for. Even on Halfords, there are only two tyres of that size and they are both for mountain biking. Do you think its worth getting that over the Ridgeback speed at Evans?

 

[Saluki]

Bit of a stigma though riding a bike meant for a child. And there's really no need to resort to that for most.

True but at under 5' she says that it was the best fit for her. She says that the smaller adult bikes were a bit of a reach for her. Anyway, most people she would meet wouldn't know that an Islabike is a kids bike anymore than they would know that an Apollo XC 26 is a rubbish bike.

 

[Cycleops]

I've just realised the Carrera you posted has the same issue as the one I mentioned in my first post about a bike that I came across. It also has 27.5 inch wheel size, which is a bit difficult to find tyres for. Even on Halfords, there are only two tyres of that size and they are both for mountain biking. Do you think its worth getting that over the Ridgeback speed at Evans?

I found 71 results for 650b tyres on the Chain Reaction site but you are right, most are knobbly, but if you run them at max pressure they'll roll better. So maybe go for one of the Ridgebacks, but be sure to go to an Evans store to try one. I would just have a look in Halfords to at least check the Carrera out.

Anyway, most people she would meet wouldn't know that an Islabike is a kids bike anymore than they would know that an Apollo XC 26 is a rubbish bike.

If it doesn't worry her then fine. I thought everyone knew Apollo bikes were rubbish!