I just went through this as we move to make family rides a regular activity in our house.
Here's the back story before the details on the final purchase:
My wife is petite (5'2") and has never really enjoyed riding bikes for multiple reasons - primarily comfort. Her first adult bike was a Huffy 10 speed in the 80's which she really never enjoyed. In the late 90's she upgraded to a 21 speed Huffy hybrid with larger tires in hopes the larger tires and more comfortable seat would make a more enjoyable riding experience. Even after a seat upgrade, that was not the case and the bike remained pretty much unused until earlier this summer. While purchasing a Trek Precaliber 16" for our 4 year old daughter, my wife sat on a few different bikes at the LBS. I thought the FX series would be a good choice but she found the Verve to be a pleasant surprise... so before made a hasty purchase I did some more research and she did a bit more riding.
Observation and further research:
Three points that quickly became clear from the LBS:
- Frame size matters (small frame gives a much better fit)
- Riding position (she likes relaxed, upright position)
- Components matter (the better components shift easier, smoother and more securely)
Armed with these facts, I looked at the bikes from the major brands sold at the numerous LBS in our area. Those brands included Cannondale, Specialized, and Trek (happens to be the shop closest to home). Once I narrowed down the field to bikes to consider, we headed to the LBS and did a bit more fitting and eventually more riding.
Fitting and riding:
After visiting several shops and trying out multiple bikes that I thought would be solid choices, we ended up back at the Trek shop with the Verve in her sights. After trying XS and S sizes, it was clear the S was a better fit and she spent some time on the Verve and tried out the FX again - and the Verve was the choice once again. She finally settled on a small frame 2019 Verve 3. (FWIW - the small 2019 Verve 2 that I expected to purchase sold over weekend. The price difference was $80)
Final thoughts:
Do your research and trust the potential rider's initial reaction to each bike they try. I watched the reaction on the faces of my daughter and wife when riding better bikes and know that fit and feel matter more than often acknowledged.
Epilogue:
We did our first family ride this weekend and it was great. I did a little more saddle adjustment on my wife's bike before the ride and her comfort improved. Overall she is very happy with the purchase and I am happy to have her on a better bike. I get budget and fiscal responsibility but look at this as a long term purchase that will pay for itself over time. Good luck with your search.