Ladies Bikes - What are you riding?

Personally I like this frame, last time I looked you had one in Brixton cycles Nhatt. Not sure whether you can still get hold of them. Modern, lightweight, flexible and comes in a range of sizes small enough to accomodate most ladies on the forum and you can kit it out singlespeed, coaster brake, internal geared hub or external geared. Whichever takes your fancy.
http://www.somafab.com/bvista.html

saw this and thought it might be of interest:

It's my first post on here, but I'm very excited and want to join in. I just bought an Iro (lovely sale on at the moment)... unfortunately I have to wait 3 weeks to get it, but still excited!!! Had to start looking at a new one as my poor little french conversion won't last the commute I've started doing with my new job. (stupid french bottom bracket that can't be replaced). anyway. hello all...

Welcome!! Good to have you on the forum.

Fstopqueen, you can get a threadless bottom bracket for the french bottom bracket, they can be found in TokyoFixedGear and Freshtripe.

Freshtripe also sell french BB as well, made by Velo Orange who specialised in beautiful reproduction of old bicycle parts.

1.1, 1.4, 1.8, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 32, 64.

1.1, 1.4, 1.8, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 32, 64.

Lotto?

Calling all touring ladies!
I'm off round Europe next year for 2 months so have just been to Evans (have to use the Ride 2 work scheme) to try a Kona Dew Drop.
I've chosen a hybrid over a tourer as it's lighter and cheaper, and I chose the Dew Drop because it has drops so I can change my riding position and it's in my budget (£500/£600 all in with panniers & accessories after the 40% ish tax deduction).
Problem is, I'm not sure if it's fits or not. I'm so used to an upright fixed gear bike position, that it just felt strange riding in the 3 positions on a hybrid.
I couldn't reach the gear/brake levers from the drops so they're shimming it for me tomorrow to bring them closer in. I could just about reach them from the hoods.
I think the frame might be a bit small (52cm but the Kona's come up small) but it felt ok in the drops, so a bigger frame would be too big in the drops.
Confused.

Anyone else have problems with little lady hands?

I have quite big hands so that aspect isn't a problem for me...
In terms of sizing, did they get you to the business where you put your hands on the hoods to work out whether the frame is the correct size? I think you're meant to put both feet on the pedals (with someone else holding the bike!!) and place your hands directly on the hoods with your arms straight, then if you look straight at your bars they should completely obscure the front hub from your field of vision.

Its a fairly rough method as even this allows some leaway, but I used this when buying my first proper road bike 6 months ago and it was a good reference point, and I've ended up with a bike that seems pretty perfect for me... though I think there may have been some luck involved there too!

Anyways, dunno if that helps at all, sorry if not.
And your bike looks awesome btw, nice choice :-) x

Hi Wicksie, I have the same problem re hands but with lack of height too. Have only ridden a hybrid so riding racing bikes has been interesting. Suggestions: interruptor levers; short-reach levers (Shimano R700 or Tektro ??? and I think Cane Creek) and/or maybe smaller handlebars? Flip the stem or change it to one with a steeper angle?

Good luck. One day I'll go on a tour too.

Wicksie - I've just spent the day getting a bike fitting with Scherrit & Corinne (The Bike Whisperer), Corinne is 'stiff link' on here, Scherrit is 'Scherrit'. Corinne knows all about dealing with small hands - drop them a pm or give them a call (google 'bike whisperer'), I'm sure that they can give you a few pointers to consider.

The bike fitting I've just had made some small adjustments to the overall bike dimensions, but small changes that will have big impact on my riding - I also gained all sorts of advice re: what to modify in the future and what dimensions to define for my 'ideal bike'.

I'm sure that if you give them a call, a few mins on the phone will be really useful to you right now.

@ Wicksie - New groupsets offer reach adjust on their levers, you may want to investigate this, you can also try a handlebar with a shorter reach. 3T make a good one in alloy or carbon down to 380mm wide.

For the tiniest of women: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=45892 comes in a 40cm frame for £599 in the CRC sale.

Sora groupset (Tiagra FD and cassette, just so they can claim it's a mix, I guess) and girly paint job

Wicksie, When are you going back in, honey?

I'm happy to go with and give a second opinion, my guess is you should be on something like a 49.

If anyone is looking for a decent 50cm road bike, this one on BR looks like a good price (£650), and is local for London people too. The 42cm bars are fairly silly, some compact 38cm bars on there would make a v. nice commuting/sportive/club bike.

Well, also the 170mm cranks have to fit you.
Bars are pretty low for most (female and most male) people, steerer cut short.
Do the brifters have an adjustable reach?
For sure a nice bike, but needs some adjustment (goes for other bikes also...).

I've just bought my first road bike to do longer rides on the weekend. I have gone for a 60s men's elswick because I'm quite a tall lady (5'11'') but I have a slight problem, I have child's hands and find reaching the brake levers a bit of a challenge. It seems I'm not the only one on this forum with this issue. I wanted to ask which levers are the best for this problem and if anyone had better luck with different handlebars and stems? I've heard that the nitto drip drop stem is quite good for reach but having trouble sourcing it. Thanks!

somewhere in the ladies section there are solution to that by adding a shim on the quick release button to bring it closer to your hand.

as well as different handlebar, need to find out where it is on here.

Thank you to everyone for contributing to this thread. I've got a new bike. It is a second-hand 17 inch frame Ridgeback Velocity which has been converted to a single speed. It still needs some work done to it, but at the moment I am very pleased.

Baby IRO :) I love it. So so much lighter than my last bike.

that's well cute! looks the same size as mine :)

I'm 5' and have an xsmall charge plug freestyler, fits ok though I do have the seat nearly all the way down.

Thank you! I love it! It's 50CM. I think I need to raise the seat a little more, but it's really comfortable to ride.

My girlfriend picked up a Cannondale Quick Ultra through the CTW scheme - it has totally changed her riding, it light, smooth, the 700cc wheels (mtb before) maintains speed - its perfect bar the price

If any ladies are looking for a small road bike I'm selling one for a friend. Bianchi Elena, 44cm (4'11" - 5'3" I estimate). Further details on thread in classifieds including link to stock picture. Bike is pretty much as new. Anyhoo - IM me for further details if needed.