New Bike for Mrs FF.

[Fab Foodie]

Hi

Mrs FF is going to return to the road-biking fold this spring and now is the time to be looking for bikes.

Some criteria:

It will 99% likely be a drop-bar road-bike.
May or may-not be female specific, Mrs FF is 5'8" tall and slightly short of leg and long of back with poorish above hip to back rotation, so need not be too stretched-out and lying/sitting on her undercarriage.
Want something comfortable but zippy


Must have Triple Chainset.
Would prefer Tiagra, but will hear arguments for Sora (would save much cash)
Must be light and fun.
Mountings for mudguard and rack useful but not esssential.
Must look 'nice'

At the top-end we've seen the Cannondale Synapse (Fem) which ticks all the above boxes, but is expensive (£850), I don't mind, but Mrs FF thinks it too expensive.

So what else do riders rate, esp. you laydeez of the house?

Cheers
FF.

 

[upsidedown]

Guy at our place just got a Spesh Allez. Nice looking bike, fairly relaxed geometry and about 450 quid. Think it's Tiagra and he had the choice of double or triple.

Paul

 

[Ravenbait]

No point asking me. Not one of my bikes is girlie specific. On the other hand, I'm 5'7 and also shorter in the leg:torso department than most females. I'm very happy on my Pinarello. However, it was considerably outside your budget and I do have excellent lower back flexibility.

I've heard good things about Specialized. What's the budget? Are we talking a whippet thin race thoroughbred or something a bit more robust? Because I quite fancy a Roberts, myself.

Sam

 

[woohoo]

At the low end but Giant Defy 3 has a triple (Sora), takes mudguards and has fairly upright geometry. Not all that light (10.6Kg) but is relatively cheap (or should I say inexpensive).

As for looking nice, over to you

 

[Norm]

I built up a couple of Specialized Dolce's last year, they seem to be quite decent kit if she is looking for female-specific.

My shape is similar but about 4" taller and I'm very comfortable on the Specialized Tricross. If they come in the right size frame, I'd definitely recommend a Tricross Sport. Not sure that the black/white/silver colour scheme could be described as looking "nice" though.

 

[amnesia]

Have you considered the female specific Boardman models ?

Only a double on this one, but for the money I don't think you'll get better spec than a mix of 105 / tiagra and you'd still have dosh left over to replace the crankset.

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/fi/fi_road_comp.html

 

[threebikesmcginty]

The Cannondale option would be a good one, FF, if you can stretch to it. I had a CAAD3 as my main bike for years and the frames are lovely.
The alu ones still get a good write up now, even against carbon.

 

[BearPear]

I have the Spesh Dolce Sport - very nice bike, but I am a petite 5' 4".

She needs to go to a store and have a nosey around!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

when you say road-bike do you mean road-race-bike or is a tourer an option? if the latter take a look at what Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op Revolution brand bikes get you.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Thanks Guys
Good stuff so far!


Sam, the £850 cannondale is deffo the top of my price range. I'd quite like a Roberts though
I think something light and flighty is better than robust, hopefullythen we'll be better matched for pace.
Triple for ease of hill climbing without having to resort to re-gearing.

Specialized Allez/Dolce and the Trek Pilots (and the fem version) are on my list too and both come as triples.


Amnesia, I like the Bordman too, excellent value, concerns would be the compact, whether it's a bit to 'racey' and Halfrauds expertise, but I'll shortlist it and take a look. Bargain price.

I know a few ladies on Compacts and they complain of a lack low-gearing. Oxfordshire is not the alps, but there are plenty nasty little climbs around which I'd prefer her not to have to get off and walk through lack of a few cogs. After many years I don't know how her climbing legs are