Originally Posted by
Rob63
The frame was purchased and parts added to it. It has 3 gears in front and 9 speed cassette with Sugino crankset, Shiman0 105 hubs and Velocity Dyad rims. This seems more appropriate for touring?
If she is small and light, go for it if it fits her. The best bike is the bike that fits.
A 105 hub in rear, I assume that is a 130mm spaced wheel. A 135mm hub is better for touring, there is less dish. But, since she is light, then the 130mm wheel is probably strong enough. Same thing with 32 spoke rear wheel (if it is 32), I would go for 36 but a light person can probably get by with 32 just fine. I run a 32 on front, 36 in back on my light touring bike.
If the bike was built from parts, check to make sure that the crankset arms are not too long for a small rider. If so, a different crank might be in order. Crank arms that are too long could cause knee problems.
A 3 X 9 system would be very good for touring.