Fit is the priority, then the style/color. Finally ease of use.
My wife is around 5'3.5", needs a small frame. She has a 16" '99 GT Slipstream cruiser/hybrid that she loves. I tried to give her a do-it-all mtb but she hated it. Wrong to start off with a bike that expects rider experience and skill. It doesn't inspire confidence or motivation if she doesn't like the bike for whatever reason.
After 2 failed attempts, the GT had the look and set up she found easy to ride. It was fun, and that's what it took.
Since then, she's chosen a 48-50cm Schwinn Super Le Tour for herself, open to the idea of a 15.5" Specialized Rockhopper mtb (which is basically identical to her first mtb), and claimed a 16.5" Bianchi hybrid I came home with. It's her size, very pretty, and she wants it converted to CX like one I had done for myself! I guess she has contracted N+1.
