Thank you all for the replies! She has tried leaning the bike over and that helps. Two years ago she fell and hit the back of her head while dismounting (thankfully wearing a good quality helmet) so she is also a little
spooked by this.
I am actually the cyclist in the family having done road and criterium racing as well as solo touring when I was younger. I like the idea of a folding bike for this application but my wife wants a bike that looks
somewhat normal (meaning like my Dean). Cycling has always been an important part of my life. For a long time, my wife didn't ride so I rode very little but several years ago I bought her a Specialized Dolce and then her Seven and now she loves to ride. As we approach our 40th anniversary, cycling has become a key part of our vacations and something we love to do together. Price was no object -- not because I am rich but because cycling is something that we love doing together -- my goal was to find a bike that she would love so we could continue riding together.
I have checked out all the builders you recommended. I was talking with Black Sheep in Colorado to build this bike but their lead times were too long since we are planning on riding in France next year. In the end I chose Zinn (Zinn and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance) in Boulder. They had a similar bike in stock so we flew top Colorado to see if the bike would meet her needs. The bike they had in stock was built for an older gentleman who no longer has sufficient balance to ride. She like the bike and felt comfortable mounting it. I would have bought the used one but it didn't have couplers and for my travel bikes I prefer rim brakes.
The bike for me has always been a love story, now the bike is part of our 40 year love story ...
Leonard Zinn was great to work with and he will be building us that unicorn over the winter.
