solveg

My mom is 69. She wants a new bike...she's scared of her Pugeot Mixte from the 80's. She wants a women's bike so she she can step up easy...she wants a light bike... she wants fat tires so she won't get scared if she goes off the pavement and has to get back on.

She rides less than 10 miles at a time, and wants to sit up right. I would like her to have a nice range of gears, because she has knee problems, and I want her to learn how to spin. Her knees hurt her sometimes right now.

Normally, I'd be all over getting her a vintage bike, but I really think she'd be best served by a modern, light bike. She likes the idea of auto shifting, but I'm not sure it will give her enough gears. I'd like to see her with a triple.

I told her I'd sell her Peugeot on Craig's List. She was surprised that a new bike would cost $300-$500, but I told her her Peugeot was hot and am prepared to lie about how much money I get for it. But I still think we're talking about a bike less than $600.

The thing about comfort bikes is that I'm worried that biking will become so much work that she won't enjoy it any more... but maybe the increase in comfort will be worth it?

Suggestions would be good. She wants a BIG basket on it.

maddmaxx 

Ms Maxx rides a Jamis Earth Cruiser. The 2008 Earth Cruiser 3 comes with an internal geared hub with 3 gears and a coaster brake. The bike is all aluminium and workable. If you can pick up an older one I believe that it would accept more gears in the rear hub. There are 2 versions with a lady's top tube (7"above bottom bracket)

The basket was added aftermarket as there are several designs for quick release wicker available.................Toto optional.

making

Giant Suede is kinda like riding a sofa. Bought one for my wife.

gcottay

How about getting her some test rides? The bike she likes has a much better chance of being ridden than a much better bike she does not appreciate.

Oh, rather than a possible white lie about Mixte proceeds, you might tell her right out that you want to buy her a good bike because you love her. Mothers tend to appreciate that sort of thing.

Rosie8

Making's suggestion of a Giant Suede is good. It is a crank forward pedal design so that you are closer to the ground and can touch your toes down while still seated. They come in various gears/hub configurations. Trek Pure, Electra Townie, KHS Smoothie, are built this way, and probably some others. Good for her that she wants to ride still.

I love my Suede and ride on pavement, dirt, sand, etc. It seems easy to me (I'm only 57). I've ridden a cruiser, 3-speed, 10 speed with northroad bars and a mtb. They all felt comfortable to me.

richking1953

My Mom tried getting back into cycling later in life. She had a bad fall and ended up in the ER when she couldn't get her foot down in time at the first stop sign she came to. The "flat footed" bikes like Rosie8 mentioned would have prevente that. Specialized expedition is in that mix, too.
How hilly an area will she be riding in? I don't think she'll outgrow a comfort bike unless it's really hilly. You can get a wide gear range with something like the nexus-8 internal hub. Another easy to use choice is a bike with SRAM dualdrive- Some people find shifting the front a lot more problematic than the back. DD replaces the front derailleur with a 3 speed internal hub, so you get the equivalent of a triple chainring with more ease of use.

DnvrFox

Mrs. Fox, 70.5, loves her Trek 7300 hybrid, and her Specialized Mtn Bike (no suspension).

The hybrid is solid, comfortable, it is a "ladies" version that she can mount easily, even with a replaced knee.

Hmm!

My wife is older than your mom.

Scary.

Tom Bombadil

I've been trying to get my wife interested in a 7-speed Giant Suede or Trek Pure. They have very upright seating positions and you only have to worry about shifting with one hand, so it is less confusing. The Electra Townies are in this class too. I believe the Trek & Electra's are available in 3-speed versions.

The Trek Navigator is a very popular comfort/trail bike too. Still with an upright seating position but the crank isn't as far forward, so it is a more traditional riding position than the two above. The Raleigh Venture is another option, it doesn't have a front shock so it's a bit lighter. And the Specialized Expedition or Crossroads lines. And the Giant Sedona comfort bikes. All similar.

And if you want a stylish 26" 24-speed, there's the Bianchi Sparta:
https://willybikes.com/itemdetails.cf...ceasc&id=10506
But the tires aren't quite as wide, at 1.5".

The Trek 7300, mentioned above, is a step above these bikes, more of a traditional hybrid. Still sits upright, but not quite as much. Nice bike.

solveg

My mom is really fit.... she race walks 3 days a week, does yoga and tai chi, etc., even though she has some foot problems and will need surgery eventually. I had told her not to look at the foot-forward models because I had read at other times on the other forums that they were not good. I'll let her know they're OK.

She had a fall about a year ago, not a bad one, but it scared her. It would scare me if I fell, too. You're right... I should just tell her I'll get her a bike. I'm just afraid she won't get the one she really wants if it's my money.

I'll forward her these suggestions. Thanks. She's out test riding before I get home, but she wants me to show her some different bike shops.

Tom Bombadil

I've ridden crank forward bikes at least 7 or 8 times. I really like them, but realize they aren't everyone's cup of tea.

Tom Bombadil

If she likes a standard hybrid, i.e. something along the lines of the Trek 7200/7300 bikes, there are a lot of options out there. All of the major companies make them and they are much more similar than different.

How wide of a tire do you think she wants? Standard hybrids tend toward tires that are 1.25"-1.75" wide. Comfort hybrids tend to go to 2" or wider.

solveg

So much for waiting for me to come home. She decided a Trek Navigator would be perfect for her.

10 Wheels

Bring her to the Indy Ride. She could most likely out ride half of us.

Tom Bombadil

I pay attention to other bikes when I ride. I've written here before than amongst the 50+'ers that I saw on rail trails last year, the Trek Navigator was the most popular bike. Saw them time and time again. Spoke to 5 or 6 people about how they liked them and all of them loved their bike.

Hope it works out well for her.

Tom Bombadil

The Navigator is a semi-crank forward. The crankset is a bit forward of it's normal position, which relaxes the seat angle. Instead of having a more traditional seat angle of around 72-73 degrees, it is 68 degrees. That results in a more upright riding position and lowers the height of the saddle. It isn't quite a "flat foot" design, where you can put both feet on the ground as you sit on the saddle - like many crank forwards - but it is close.

Rosie8

Glad to hear she found a bike she likes so quickly. When someone is ready to ride, now is the time. The Navigator is a nice choice and sharp looking too.

solveg

Yeah, I started to caution her about the importance of test riding a lot of bikes, but then I realized that if she loved the bike, she would ride it. That's what's most important, no matter what method she used to get it.

She's like the polar opposite of Tom... the technical aspects of the bikes were tedious and boring to her, and it was about the limit of her interest just to decide what she needed in a bike and go to a bike store and ask. Luckily, she chose a good, small bike store instead of a larger one where they wouldn't really care.

The price was fair, the bike is popular, and if Tom mentioned it I think we have both hemispheres of the brain covered.

wobblyoldgeezer

Good for her for choosing, good for you for you for supporting.
Are you going to encourage the early rides? I hope so. I get the impression you'll be a great coach
Another Tour de Cure contender? Let us know if so
Every good bikey wish to you both

cooker

Never lie to your mother.