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I don't suppose it would help if she saw those bikes up close. For instance, most of that style of bike don't have real gumwalls, just the cheapest of crappy nylon tyres which have been dyed tan in one place, black in another Even the BLB bike looks like it has those on it. Rest of the components are also clunky and ugly at close inspection.
itsbruce
...or a Bobbin, or a BLB.
She has been seduced by the eggshell colours, gumwalls, and 'leather' bar tape. I think I understand what she wants (a 'retro', relatively fast geared commuter that doesn't weight a tonne so she can carry it upstairs), but for a budget of up to £500 I really feel we can do better than that.
Instinct would be to get a decent old ratty 531 frame, take it to Armourtex or similar, build with 2nd hand 105 with a 'retro' chainset, and get her some 28 gumwalls, Brooks tape etc. Easy. The bloody problem is that I'm not in the UK.
So...if I you had to point a friend of yours in the direction of one of these places that do bikes like below, which would you go for?
I would much build her up something a little like this...(sorry Gaston)