biknbrian

My wife is thinking about replacing her Specialized Dolce sport road bike with something more versatile. She basically wants a drop bar bike that can be used in a wider variety of situations than her 23c tire road bike. She also doesn’t just want a small men’s bike and would like something women specific. Ideally with at least a little bit of appropriate styling.

So basically I’m looking for information or recommendations for women’s specific bikes in the CX/touring/drop bar commuter style. Also I’m interested in any appropriate frames onto which I could transfer her components as that may be the cheapest option. Even women’s specific 29er frames that could be set up with her drop bars could be considered.

Thanks for any insight that can be offered.

amgarcia

Would a feminine color on a not-women-specific bicycle count? The Robins Egg Blue on the 2011 Surly Cross Check is quite pretty.

Here's a woman who uses one:
https://thelazyrando.wordpress.com/20...s-check-redux/

Andy_K 

I believe Giant makes a women's version of the TCX.

biknbrian

The Surly is nice and I'm thinking that a frame may the the way to go. I thought of even building something up around a 26 inch women's MTB frame since she's only about 5'3". Drop bars and some canti brakes to work with the brifters. Plenty of 26 in tires these days. Of course I'd probably have to use black rigid forks and I'm I'm worried about the geometry being out of wack with so much mixing and matching. So yea, maybe a nice Surly frame and fork to put all her road bike components on is the ticket.

I did come across the Gaint TXC but it's just too much money and too high tech looking, not really what we're are going for.

SurlyLaika

My sister's getting that one for xmas. I think a shorter person's body is taken into account when smaller bike frames are designed. I wouldn't really call Surly or any other brand men's bikes. They're more like unisex and if you're a short man, you probably have more in common in terms of body profile with my sister than with me. In one word, a unisex bike would probably work just fine. I was looking at some Terry bikes for women and the components just aren't up to par IMO.

SurlyLaika

OHH, yea then...choose a nice, possibly Surly, unisex frame and build it up to your liking. That's what I would have done with my CC a year ago if I'd known anything about bikes back then. It's more expensive, yea...but bikes are so personal that it's hard for one stock build to satisfy everyone's needs and style. Although, I still think a stock Surly is a good buy as a first bike for anyone on a budget or who doesn't know what spec's he or she wants.

Hangtownmatt

biknbrian,

Just a heads up. Women tend to have long legs and short torsos. The Surly CC and most MTB designs have long top tubes. Be careful. Happy Wife = HAPPY LIFE !!!

Praxis

The Nashbar X aluminum cyclocross frame has been bought for at least guy for his wife; one review has a guy who bought it for his wife's time trial, and another for his kid. The extra small has the seat tube length of the second smallest Surly, but the effective top tube length slightly less than the smallest CC (so the top tube is shorter for a given seat tube).

Disadvantages based on your requirements: it's not a female specific frame (as far as fit), and it's not female specific in terms of styling. It's flat black. BUT...it's flat black, and it's $99. You could either use the flat black as a starting point to go to town with custom vinyl decals (pink flaming skulls?), or just repaint the thing.

I like the frame, myself. Had it for a couple of weeks. Been meaning to get a review written.

biknbrian

I keep looking at that Nashabr stuff and man is it cheap, and well reviewed. Hmm, maybe a pink on black theme. And I like the option of moving to discs. Definetely something to think about.

biknbrian

For anyone that replied, we did end up buying a Cross Check frame, but my wife wanted black. We are currently in the process of putting it together with appropriate bits of pink here and there and it looks pretty cool. Thanks.

SurlyLaika

cool. thanks for the update. what size did you get?

fietsbob

Terry.. now frames made by Waterford..

hybridbkrdr

Here's a step-through trekking frameset from Germany, the Intec T7: https://www.bike-x-perts.com/en/produ...ucts_id/461739

Then you could buy a trekking groupset (either Deore M590 or Deore LX) from bike24.com and a set of Handspun wheels with Velocity Dyad rims and Deore LX hubs from a place like Niagaracycle.

I don't know what the shipping cost is from Germany but I think they told me once they use DHL. And their oversize fee was only something like 20 euro.

In any case, I agree a hybrid might be a more versatile idea. Even if you like the 29er idea, the big problem I find is I can't find tires like the Continental Tour Ride in 29x2.2 or the Michelin Tracker in 29x2.2. In other words, I haven't found any 29er semi-slicks. I'm not talking slicks like the Fat Frank, I doubt that would have any grip in mud, I mean ones that are versatile. Some hybrids will still allow you to put on something like 700x42 or larger. If you get a model with V-brakes and rigid forks, the bike would be lighter and less expensive than one with disc brakes and a front suspension.

There are a bunch of manufacturer's websites that I saw lately that DID have women's specific models. I think Trek was one of them but I can't really remember. I think the name for the models was WSD or something. In any case, I did read quickly that the frames were made in certain specific ways for women. So, I guess there's something to it. And I doubt companies like Surly, Soma, Salsa, Nashbar or whatever have women specific frames. One idea I thought about lately would be to buy a 9 speed Acera-equiped hybrid and replace the shifters and front derailleur to Deore LX ones on sale at Icycles. Then you can buy a Deore LX rear derailleur at a place like Chainreactioncycles and have much better shifting for the price.

I know Marinoni makes the Turismo touring frameset in all kinds of custom sizes but you'd have to inquire.