Originally Posted by
CharlesC
Neither are entry level bikes. Entry level bikes didn't have forged dropouts with integral derailer hangers nor cotterless aluminum cranksets. They are at least mid level quailty. The mixte design was popular with families that only had one bike for both male and female riders. I Rivendell still makes mixte bikes. I have a female friend who just bought one.
Entry level bikes...that's bike store bikes not department store bikes...of the late 70s had everything you see on those two bikes...including forged hangers and aluminum cranks.
The mixte design was marketed to small women because it gave better standover height but the problem with the design was that they pushed the front end further out and made the effective top tube length longer than a corresponding mens frame. For small women that have shorter arms to begin with, this lead to all kinds of comfort and handling issues. My wife had at least 2 of them (about the same level as those pictured) and was never comfortable with them. Things got much better when the bike makers started to 'really' design bikes for women.