Ladies Audax/ tour bikes

[jen80]

I have been looking for a ladies audax/ light tourer bike for some time - I have a budget of a maximum of £700 (so am really looking for something second hand). So far I havent had much luck - everything I have tried is either too big (I am 5ft 4) or has problems like toe overlap. I would be greatful for any advice on what to look for. I really want the bike as a commuter initially (so it has to have mudguards and pannier rack fittings) but also for light touring (prob carrying no more that 20kg) and fast leisure rides at weekends. This seems to be a massively tall order for any bike suitable for women...! Please help!

 

[Banjo]

Hi Jen doesnt seem too impossible a task.

Does the bike have to be woman specific?I know several women that find a mans bike is fine to ride ,at 5 ft4 your within the height range for mens bikes.

You could get a new Specialized Allez or (better IMHO) Secteur for that money. I am fairly certain that both have eyelets for a pannier rack but check before ordering anything.

My link Have seen several Secteurs on Audax rides.

 

[jay clock]

Ignore the toe overlap problem. This happens on nearly every road bike I have had. It is only an issue at very low speeds when you have to move the front wheel more. At higher speeds the wheel movement needed to make the bike turn is tiny.

 

[vickster]

Evans have a reasonable selection of road bikes for women. Don't know whether they can take guards and rack, best go see. Quite a few on sale too. They are decent with test rides as well

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuji/finest-20-2011-womens-road-bike-ec024657#features

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuji/finest-10-2011-womens-road-bike-ec024656

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/gabbro-womens-road-bike-ec027481 This one takes guards. Was pretty well reviewed in Cycling Active recently too

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/dolce-24-2011-womens-road-bike-ec023875

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/lexa-s-compact-2011-womens-road-bike-ec023941

The Spesh and Trek were in the same group test, as well as a Cannondale IIRC



http://www.evanscycles.com/products...ster-35-triple-2011-womens-road-bike-ec025412

Halfords also do a ladies Boardman

 

[pepecat]

Would anyone buy a Decathlon bike for touring? Or are Dawes / Specialised the way to go?

 

[seraphina]

I have just bought a Dawes Horizon after a similar dilemma. It's probably on the more touring side of the equation though, but I need it to do everything including commuting so I've gone for something a wee bit sturdier. It is 2min quicker on a 7.5 mile commute though, when compared to my old hybrid...

When I was looking I didn't seriously consider women specific bikes - pretty much everything I looked at came in frame sizes small enough for me. I'm 5ft4 too, and get on fine with a 48cm frame. I did try as many bikes as I could though, to get a good feel.

I tried some road bikes (Giant Avail, which is women-specific) but there was no way they were going to work once they had a pannier rack on them - in theory you can fit panniers to them, but if you're going to be riding with panniers a lot, then I decided I'd rather get something that was designed from the start to cope with them.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Mrs D has a Specialized Tri-Cross for a winter bike, it would appear to tick all your boxes.

 

[Baggy]

I have just bought a Dawes Horizon after a similar dilemma. It's probably on the more touring side of the equation though, but I need it to do everything including commuting so I've gone for something a wee bit sturdier. It is 2min quicker on a 7.5 mile commute though, when compared to my old hybrid...

When I was looking I didn't seriously consider women specific bikes - pretty much everything I looked at came in frame sizes small enough for me. I'm 5ft4 too, and get on fine with a 48cm frame. I did try as many bikes as I could though, to get a good feel.

I'm also 5'4" and a 48cm Dawes Horizon was my first road type bike after owning hybrid - I did put narrower handlebars on but otherwise it fits well. It's still going strong after 7 years of touring, commuting and Audaxing!

 

[Banjo]

I'm also 5'4" and a 48cm Dawes Horizon was my first road type bike after owning hybrid - I did put narrower handlebars on but otherwise it fits well. It's still going strong after 7 years of touring, commuting and Audaxing!

Out of interest , how much weight can you carry on the Horizon? Does it have attatchments for a front luggage rack and how does it ride loaded? I was looking enviously at one the other day.

 

[seraphina]

Out of interest , how much weight can you carry on the Horizon? Does it have attatchments for a front luggage rack and how does it ride loaded? I was looking enviously at one the other day.

I'm not Baggy but yes, my Horizon has lugs for front pannier mountings. The most I've had on it is two reasonably laden rear panniers, and it handled beautifully on rather bumpy Cambridgeshire back roads.

Incidently, bike shops here have started to discount 2011 stock... I got my Horizon (a 2011) model for under the OP's budget after a bit of haggling....

 

[Banjo]

I'm not Baggy but yes, my Horizon has lugs for front pannier mountings. The most I've had on it is two reasonably laden rear panniers, and it handled beautifully on rather bumpy Cambridgeshire back roads.

Incidently, bike shops here have started to discount 2011 stock... I got my Horizon (a 2011) model for under the OP's budget after a bit of haggling....

Thanks for that . I think the Horizon could be ideal.