Recreational & Family - Need advise on a bike purchase on Amazon.

Hello guys, this is my first post here. I am not any kind of expert on bikes or cycling in general. The only bike I own currently is an iron horse warrior that I bought about 8 years ago.

I am currently looking for a bicycle for my wife. She is 5'1". We are looking to get into cycling for both fun and fitness. I need to lose about 130 pounds. She is in excellent shape. I plan on using my iron horse for the time being, but she needs a bike. We would mainly be using the bikes on paved roads and bike trails, and the longest distance riding would be about 20-30 miles eventually, but mostly starting out, about 5 miles or so.

I would like to keep the cost under 200 dollars, and my main reason for looking at amazon is no tax, and free shipping, and I have about 70 dollars in gift cards to amazon to use.

So far, this is what I am looking at:

http://www.amazon.com/Cadillac-L21-Womens-Comfort-Bike/dp/B003AMB0TK/ref=sr_1_7?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1298709550&sr=1-7

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GSYU2S/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

and

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KZ4MI6/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A1VC38T7YXB528

What are your thoughts on these? And, is there any other bike on Amazon that woudl be a better choice for her? Or any other place with a better deal?

Thanks much!

Myself and my wife just bought last year's version of the Schwinn last summer. I'm a novice, so I'm sure there a better bikes out there, but for us they are just fine. We of course had to get them "tuned up" when we bought them, but that was a given. We haven't had any problem with them, and while I know the components on them are on the cheaper end of things, they work ust fine for us. I figure for 225-250 each, we can beat the price. I just want to drop a little weight and have some fun with teh family. We both have trailer attachements so we can pull the toddler on them, and it works great.

Hope this helps.

Find a good bike shop near you and talk to the owner/manager about a bike. Explain your goals, budget, etc. and s/he should be able to get you on a bike you'll enjoy. And most important, s/he will make sure the bike fits. Fit is the most important feature when shopping for a bike.
Let us know what bike you get.

OP:

At 5'1", your wife is going to need a smaller frame than those Amazon bikes. Plus I also explained on the other post you made at the Hybrid forum why it's a bad idea to buy those Amazon bikes.

Go to your local bike shop and get fitted.

Find a good bike shop near you and talk to the owner/manager about a bike. Explain your goals, budget, etc. and s/he should be able to get you on a bike you'll enjoy. And most important, s/he will make sure the bike fits. Fit is the most important feature when shopping for a bike.
Let us know what bike you get.
+1 for going to a bike shop. Its so worth it to get a higher quality bike that's well adjusted. You will also get a warranty that's useful.

Maybe something like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-Classic-Comfort-26-Inch-Periwinkle/dp/B0041V6DUA/ref=sr_1_16?s=cycling&ie=UTF8&qid=1299121604&sr=1-16
It does have 3 different sizes.
or something like this... if you have local performance bicycles.
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1079868_-1_1586000_20000_400307
Or Costco/Sams now a days carries around the price range bikes that I noticed have decent components for the price.

I'd like to add my support to patronizing a local bike shop. They will stand behind what they sell. They will set up the bike properly and do a one-month tune-up for free to adjust anything that has loosened up. They sell quality bikes rather than department store junk.

My local bike shop closed for a couple months when the owners decided to concentrate on their main store. It was a drag not to have it. Luckily, the guy who had managed it decided to buy it and re-open. I patronize him when I can because he's a good guy, does good work, and I want his business to stay open.

I love Amazon and think it's a great place to shop, but I don't want them to put everyone else out of business. I do buy from them - even bike parts - but I try and buy from others too.

I wouldn't buy a complete bike from anyone but a bike shop.

I'm all for local shops, but the prices are intimidating and most shops will demand MSRP, at least in my area. My first thought was Costco, followed by bicycle bannanas in Reno, NV. They mail-order a lot of mail-order brands and will help with fit. No tax (outside NV) and no shipping. http://www.bicyclebananasstore.com/ No endorsement there, but they seem to be straight shooters and I've lived near Reno in the past. Frankly, at 5'1" just buy the small size of whatever bike you pick. Seat and stem adjustments will likely create a good fit for a semi-casual rider.
Of course, craigslist for used bikes is worth a week or two of searching.