Commuting - Bike For My Wife

This is not a commuting question, but this is my favourite forum and I'm a commuter. So any ways, I'm looking to build up a bike for my wife, a non-rider, but she has (and I have tecnical suggestions as well) a few requirements.

1. The bike has to allow her to wear a medium length skirt
2. A hybrid style

Well that's about it :D

I think I can handle the other specs like weight, grearing, comfort etc.

How 'bout a Cannondale Street?

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/06/CUSA/spec/6srmblk.jpg

Hmmm, so recumbents are out, eh? ;)

My wife wears skirts on her road bike sometimes. She could test ride bikes while wearing a typical outfit. Try something like a Kona Dew or Dew Deluxe. Sloping top tube, good parts - what's not to like?

There are a number of "girls'" bikes and mixte frames out there. They were designed originally for when ladies had to wear long skirts. Bloomers were developed so women could ride normal safety frames. Now frames with dropped top tubes are used by people who have trouble getting their legs over a standard bike. Any large bike shop should have a few. Find a shop that serves the general public, not a bunch of MTBers or racers. Get a chain guard and fenders for the bike to help keep the skirt out of the chain and wheels.

Mmm ... do not do what I did and buy a hybrid.

Today I swung by my friendly LBS and we are pretty much settled on the project I have in mind for wifey.

She will be flying like a kite on that thing for very little $$$ .... comparativelly

Bianchi Milano. They have a female version. Comes with fenders and chain gaurd. The Nexus hub is sweet and will be very easy for her to grasp.

"Bike for my wife"

Are you offering a trade? :rolleyes:

We got my wife a fuji absolute. flat bar road bike. rigid fork, 700x28 tires, twist shifters, vbrakes. eyelets for rear rack (can't remember if it has eyelets for fenders). She rode a few bikes including hybrids with suspension forks, trigger shiferts and the like. She chose the absolute because she liked the shifters better and the bike felt better to her as a whole. I just listened to what she said and pointed out differences between the bikes and let her decide which she liked better. She happy and so am i.

EDIT: I guess I should mention that she doesn't ride wearing a skirt, so this might not be the bike for your wife. I was more explaining the process that worked for us.

Had you considered a folding bike? They've got low top tubes, are great for commuting, and ridiculously convenient. My parents were impressed enough by mine to buy one each last time I saw them. They've even put two in the trunk of a car on occasion. They bought the Dahon Speed D7:
http://www.dahon.com/images/bikes/standard/speedd7.jpg

http://www.dahon.com/us/speedd7.htm

Ok, they look a bit funny, but I swear I haven't had so much fun on a bike in ages (I've got a 2003 Dahon Boardwalk D6). If you're interested, you can find a lot more information in the folding bike forum.

Fuji make a bunch of Japanese/Euro style women's city bikes with dropped top tubes and good chainguards.