MaXiMuM Posted March 10, 2014 Share Can I ask a few things? What are you currently on? Make, Model and Size.Are you happy with your current gear settings, is it comfortable?Which shops have you been to, and what advice have they given you? (Everyone on the interweb is an expert, your LBS will have real world experience.)Have you been measured and fitted? Here's my plan for buying my next bike.I am going to find a LBS that I am happy with, they are going to size and spec me, I am then going to find out what they believe I should be riding for my riding style and preferences. I want to know why they say that.Then I will do my own research and go from there.Only then will I start figuring budget, payment terms and second bonds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leona Posted March 10, 2014 Share shrink and pink is the technical term. Interesting it's still going strong out here. Women's kit seems very pink based. Suppliers in England realised it was wrong a couple of years ago. There is choice now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amoryns Posted March 11, 2014 Share Can I ask a few things? What are you currently on? Make, Model and Size.Are you happy with your current gear settings, is it comfortable?Which shops have you been to, and what advice have they given you? (Everyone on the interweb is an expert, your LBS will have real world experience.)Have you been measured and fitted? Here's my plan for buying my next bike.I am going to find a LBS that I am happy with, they are going to size and spec me, I am then going to find out what they believe I should be riding for my riding style and preferences. I want to know why they say that.Then I will do my own research and go from there.Only then will I start figuring budget, payment terms and second bonds...Unfortunately most lbs will say...jaaa go for a wsb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowpoke Posted March 11, 2014 Share I am 1.52m short. Yep, 5 foot nothing. Shorter than the majority or short people. I ride a men's frame with shorter stem and narrower bars. This results in a bike that fit comfortably whilst being lightweight, decently specced and not in girly girly pink or flowers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Pollard Posted March 11, 2014 Share I bought my wife one of the Giant Anthem X29W's last year and she is absolutely loving it. The components was comparable with a mens bike in the same price class and Giant did not try and sell it with a pink/purple/flowery or whatever paint scheme. It was the first woman's specific design I bothered to look at as all the rest was just a pretty paint job with crappy components at R5k extra... The Specialized Rumor also attracted my attention but was just out of my price class... MaXiMuM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayleyearth Posted March 11, 2014 Share With a name like stretch I guess your daughter might follow in your footsteps? My wife also has a Scott scale 29r and standover is very tight. Not super or safe, especially in an emergency dismount when you cannot decide where on the toptube you will standing over. Funny thing is it seems the trailbikes have lower standover height, although they have more travel. I guess if you are 1.7m and above male bikes should be fine, otherwise go try them out. Make sure you can stand comfortably over the toptube with your feet in front of the pedal/crankset I am 1.68m and on a Medium 'male' trailsbike (650b)...clearance has never been an issue for me...maybe you should assist your wife in the type of frame she chooses and not specifically the size. (I have a dropper post, dont ride the saddle that low when sitting and pedaling) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camelman Posted March 11, 2014 Share I am 1.68m and on a Medium 'male' trailsbike (650b)...clearance has never been an issue for me...maybe you should assist your wife in the type of frame she chooses and not specifically the size. (I have a dropper post, dont ride the saddle that low when sitting and pedaling) I agree although that small Scale 29r was advised by a bikeshop. That was bought when woman's bikes were purple copies of male bikes. All new bikes from now on will go for the standover test with baggies as well as the dismount behind the seat. For her trail bike 650B is the maximum wheelsize she can safely stand over when getting off behind the seat. For the trail she has a Scott Genius 720. The standover there is ok and she can safely get off the back without the wheel sucking her baggies into seat tube. BTW, that intense looks super small for a medium. Good brand to buy if your pocket allows it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayleyearth Posted March 11, 2014 Share Can I ask a few things? What are you currently on? Make, Model and Size.Are you happy with your current gear settings, is it comfortable?Which shops have you been to, and what advice have they given you? (Everyone on the interweb is an expert, your LBS will have real world experience.)Have you been measured and fitted? Here's my plan for buying my next bike.I am going to find a LBS that I am happy with, they are going to size and spec me, I am then going to find out what they believe I should be riding for my riding style and preferences. I want to know why they say that.Then I will do my own research and go from there.Only then will I start figuring budget, payment terms and second bonds... I dont know if I can agree about the part in bold.I think the likes of Eldron (only mentioning him now cause he also commented on this thread) and quite a number of other hubbers knows VOLUMES more than most of the people I have dealt with at bike shops (there's sales people in Cycle Lab that doesnt even ride bikes, not to speak about what I have heard in Cajees and other smaller shops). I HONESTLY think one should never ask anyone trying to sell you something for advice. Ask your friends that ride, if you dont have any, get in contact here with a group and go ride with them and see what they say and take the tips etc from there to form your own opinion. slowpoke 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickcza Posted March 11, 2014 Share I am 1.68m and on a Medium 'male' trailsbike (650b)...clearance has never been an issue for me...maybe you should assist your wife in the type of frame she chooses and not specifically the size. (I have a dropper post, dont ride the saddle that low when sitting and pedaling) Awesome bike. I've hardly ever seen ladies on ladies specific bikes, and they seem to do just fine.What I would like to know, is did you change the stem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyDell Posted March 11, 2014 Share Hi everyone, thanks for your feedback. However, my current bike (Specialized Amira) (women's specific) has felt very comfortable, I've just had too many issues with the bike, hence me wanting to find an alternative "brand". My mtb is a male small and with that, I cannot stand over the top tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayleyearth Posted March 11, 2014 Share Awesome bike. I've hardly ever seen ladies on ladies specific bikes, and they seem to do just fine.What I would like to know, is did you change the stem? Since that pic? Nope. When I got the bike? ....well I ordered all the components I wanted (taking wild guessing at what will feel/fit right and slam them together). It worked. Could do long distance rides (like Sani) with no body pain. (I have never been for any bike setup/measurments.) On there is a 50mm stem with 760mm bars. The only thing that didnt feel right for quite some time was the hight on the seat. (dropper with 125mm drop). The low position wasnt quite low enough when doing jumps and the high was about 10mm too high. I thought all along that the post was as far in as it could go, but after trying again it went in all the way (so clamp area of dropper post is flush with the frame). All good now. What I would do if buying a bike:1. choose 2 or so frames you like (yes I am refering to looks - I am driven by this as I am sure many of us are)2. go ride around with these bikes (or similar styles/geometries - not all we want is available in SA to test ride so compare specs to bikes that are here)3. your ride should not just include the 20m down the tar road and back, add different things eg.:-Ride up a pavement and down a pavement.-Ride between 2 opsticales (in the 8 figure) testing the 'turning circle feel'-Take note of cockpit.....pull the brakes in completely with index finger (does the lever touch your other fingers? If so, move hand out till it doesnt. Take note of how much your hand position must change to change gears now - you can optimise this too with choosing different brakes/shifters/bars and optimise cockpit layout....our hands are different sizes and this might bug you in the long run)-Hopefully add a down slope area (where you get on both pedals with feet horizontal and your but over the back of the seat - testing your reach in such instances)-Add a hill to feel how it feels standing and pedaling (I have found quite a few bikes that can make hill climbing worse than it is already for me. I weirdly found wider bars better for me in climbs too as I pull on my bars a lot, especially with the SS and in technical climbs it feels I have more control for sharp actions if needed)4. I will not listen to what a sale person in a shop tells me, doesnt matter if he is a Super Cycling presenter) With all the different style/geometry frames out there now I dont know how the 1st question of a sales person is still "how tall are you" (even when you are standing right infront of him) before he even thought of a type of frame. If you see a bike you like - or even just a different style to what you are use to, ask the person if you can have a ride/feel (obviously in the region you are - like if you out on a Saturday morning ride). I think this will mean more than some guy telling you what he told the previous guy that walked onto his shop. nickcza 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brogue Posted March 23, 2014 Share I assume you're referring to a road bike, and comfort is important? Try the Scott brand, they manufacture woman specific models with good components and are well priced if you shop around carefully at reputable bike stores. http://www.scott-sports.com/za/en/bikefinder/home#/Road/EnduranceRoad/ComfortEndurance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brogue Posted March 28, 2014 Share https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/84349-ladies-bianchi-c2c-infinito-2011/ Made for you Shorty LandyDell 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyDell Posted March 31, 2014 Share I assume you're referring to a road bike, and comfort is important? Try the Scott brand, they manufacture woman specific models with good components and are well priced if you shop around carefully at reputable bike stores. http://www.scott-spo...omfortEndurance Can't find any dealers in South Africa, beautiful bike :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brogue Posted March 31, 2014 Share Can't find any dealers in South Africa, beautiful bike :-) City Cycles, Canal Walk (pricey)Olympic Cycles, LansdowneGecko Cycles in Brackenfell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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