5kdad

Over the years, I've tired to get my wife to bike with me, but the traffic terrifies her. She's always said she wouldn't mind riding bike trails, but we live in a rural area, with most bike trails are over an hours drive away.
But now our grand kids are getting big enough to ride, and some of them love it. She thinks she might enjoy going along on rides with them, on trails. So it's time to go bike shopping. At first, I thought a hybrid would be ideal, but have been thinking she might enjoy a "comfort" bike more, as I doubt she'd be doing any long rides.
I thought I'd take her, let her ride a hybrid and a comfort bike, see what she thinks.
Any suggestions for things to look for?
She's 60, and had knee surgery a few years ago for a torn meniscus, and the knee still bothers her. Doctor told her it was probably arthritis.

350htrr

An E-Bike, just to get her started. on the "right" type of "bicycle" as a scooter is/would be a total fail to get her riding a normal bicycle in the end..

Machka 

Go to your local shops and look for the lightest, best quality hybrid you can find. But most importantly, ensure that it fits her properly and that the shop is happy to do fittings and to work with her.

5kdad

A scooter is not an option I'm looking at. First, would be a little out of my price range, and not sure they are allowed on the bike paths.

5kdad

Riding with the grand kids, I doubt we cover too many miles. I think she'd do ok on a regular bike. Plus again, would be out of my price range.

5kdad

This was what I had in mind, before I remembered hearing about comfort bikes.

Machka 

I don't know ... when I look at "comfort bikes", I think "Ugh ... how uncomfortable!"

But see if she can ride several kinds of bicycles ... it might even be worth seeing if you can rent a 2 or 3 different types for a day or something.

fietsbob

A folding bike would be easy to transport out to a quiet place to ride..

but of course so would a sturdy rear rack on the back of the car..

for any bike SHE likes ..

Iride01 

I recommend staying out of the purchase entirely. Don't even go with. At least consider if it's better to be blamed for no suggestions or help versus being blamed for influencing the purchase and causing a bad purchase decision.

If your other is going to really get addicted or committed to cycling, then they'll do it with a bad bike or a good bike. Once they see what does and doesn't work for them, they'll make better decisions next time. So I'm committed to stay out of the next bike purchase. I don't like being blamed for everything wrong about a bike I didn't really feel was right for my spouse that is the case with the first bike that got rode twice and sat in the garage for three years till I gave it away for a token sum compared to purchase price.