Classic & Vintage - Mixte frame, is it unisex or women's?

I spotted a beautiful blue Nishiki in a thrift store and am very tempted to buy it. It is what they call a Mixte frame. I have heard conflicting statements that this is a women's bike and also that it was designed to be unisex. Anyone know? I like the idea of it being easy to get on and off of since I am getting older and not as flexible as I once was. However I am a guy and dont want to be 'ribbed' about riding a women's bike.

If you like the bike and it rides well and fits, ignore the ribbing. Anyone can ride a mixte, although they were designed as women's frames originally. If it's easier for you to get on and off of, that's a plus. Who cares what all the "cool" cyclists think if the bike gets you from a to b, which is what it was designed to do.

It's a girl's bike. If you ride it your penis will fall off. ;)

Mixte frames are very practical. Easy to get on and off, tend to have comfortable geometry, and are fairly stiff durable desings. In my book, practicality always wins over style. They can usually be had for low prices, too.

At UCLA, my thermodynamics professor, a visiting Frenchman, commuted on a Motobecane mixte.

The mixte is superior to the traditional step-through design, which is very popular with both men and women in Japan.

It's a girl's bike.

Your comments remind me of Jonathan Winters in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," when his companions tell him to go for help on a girl's bike.

I recall that film largely for the fact that someone actually did kick the bucket.


Your comments remind me of Jonathan Winters in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," when his companions tell him to go for help on a girl's bike.

If you like the bike and it rides well and fits, ignore the ribbing. Anyone can ride a mixte, although they were designed as women's frames originally. If it's easier for you to get on and off of, that's a plus. Who cares what all the "cool" cyclists think if the bike gets you from a to b, which is what it was designed to do.

I totally agree! I've got an step-through Dutch Batavus that I like very much. I would suggest that as an adult who presumably is secure in their sexuality, it shouldn't matter what the bike looks like as long as you like the ride. A young boy on a girls bike might take a pretty good ribbing from his friends, but we're all adults here...In any case, a number of manufacturers market open frame bikes specifically for people of all sexes that have reduced mobility, and can't throw their leg over the top of the bike (e.g. Biria: http://www.biria.com/p/bicycles/ez/index.htm ); plus if you think about it, now that women no longer cycle in bloomers and hoop skirts, men's and women's frame styling seem backwards to me: after all, men have more at risk if they smash their crotch against the top tube than women do, eh?

I have a UniVega mixte that I keep around for my grandaughter to ride. I raised the seat & rode it for a while when I was recovering from surgery. This style bike is really comfortable when our regular mount/dismount style is painful & I now regret having passed on some pretty sharp mixte bikes over the years. Go for it, we're not getting any younger. Don

If you like it, buy it.

most people can't tell a good bike from a hole in the ground

- and all your neighbours think you're a girl anyway.....

why would a grown man be riding a bicycle?

According to a book I read... the mixte frame was made to allow women to ride while wearing a dress. I have also seen senior citizens ride them because they can't swing a leg over the saddle.

Howdy from Tucson!
E-Z on, E-Z off! If it fits, get it and ride it!
In Europe males/females ride mixte frames, no problem.
Nishiki made some nice bikes in its day!
Pedal on!

Pretty nonsensical to turn down a good mixte, in this day and age, if you like the fit and the ride qualities.

I have half-a-dozen road bikes - all fairly nice European and Japanese "classics" which I rescued (cheaply) from various thrifts and yard sales. The best so far is a genuine French built "Mercier" mixte. It's stiff yet rides with the CroMo feel I like. (You can keep most Al bikes IMHO, thank you!) And it fits perfectly.

I paid US$ 2 for my Mercier, but think highly enough of it to have invested another $100 in new Michelin tires and tubes. OK... I'm a Francophile and a bit of a Geezer... but I can still get my leg over any bike I want! And even as a male, I do appreciate the mixte design when I have to dismount in an emergency...

These can be ideal bikes for commuting around town.