Are Mixte Frames Desirable?
 

Hi all,

Recently with help of you guys I acquired my first steel frame and now my wife is jealous about it. I guess she feels the truth about being in the second place. Anyway, I want to buy her a suitable frame so she can join me.

Ok, she is not most sportive wife in the world. She will be commuter when rides, and she doesn't feel comfortable with a dropbar. So I think a mixte frame is best choice. What do you think about mixte frames? Are they worth to own?

I have almost all components of Campagnolo Veloce grupset and Campagnolo Proton wheelset to use on this bike. But on the other hand, I know that she'll not give their worth, any they may be a bit overkill for a seldom used bike. So buying a complete bicycle (not only frame) and selling the Campys may be a better option.

Currently I have two options:

1.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=495333

Seller labels it as a PH-45. Year info is absent. This one comes with a Simplex rear shifter and Peugeot crankset. This is in my home city (I haven't seen it yet). It is $270


2.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=495334

Seller claims it to be from 1972. No modem info. This is a complete bicycle with Weinmann Brakes, Maillard hubs and Rigida wheels, Simplex derailleur and rear shifter and it is $210 This will be shipped so another $30-40 for that.

Any reason to choose 1 over 2? If I can use a 10 speed 2012 Veloce set on this frames I CAN think about the choice, but if this is not possible I don't want to haunt vintage parts from ebay anymore.

As I said my wife is not a sportive type. So I'm not sure 5 gears will be enough for her. Can I add a front derailleur to mixt frames?

Sorry if these are too basic questions :(

Regards,

Firat.

If your Mrs desires it then it's desirable.

Some folks might think your Campy stuff is overkill for a "girls bike" but if you want to make a hella sweet mixte, that's one way to do it. Couple of issues you need to look out for: most vintage mixtes sold in the US are sized for 27" rims, putting on 700 is no problem, but the current brakes you have may not reach down far enough to work, so you may have to swap in some long reach calipers, if thats not what yours are. Another thing is to check the clamp size on your front derailleur you want to use; it's possible the more modern derailleur clamp is for a larger diameter seat tube than you average old mixte frame. This means you might have to get a different clamp of just shim under the one you have. Most older mixtes will also have 120mm dropout spacing, so you'll need to cold set the rear triangle (or just muscle the rear wheel in) to get the wider modern hub to fit.

For a new mixte frame (in a whole range of sizes, modern hub spacing, sized for 700c wheels), don't forget to check out the Soma Buena Vista.

You have two questions here. Are mixte frames desirable? and what about these two frames.

First: mixte frames can be far less intimidating to ride because they allow mounting without swing one's leg over the seat or top tube. For many, that isn't an issue at all, for some it is at first, others never want to ride a "men's" bike. Also mixte frames make skirts and dresses a lot more feasible. But mixte's have their drawbacks. They are heavier and nowhere near as stiff. So there are real tradeoffs.

Second: those two frames are old French frames. I suspect they are not light or stiff even as mixtes go. They will be French threading and tube diameters making headsets, seatposts and bottom bracket much harder to find. The bottom bracket will also be right hand thread for the right cup, meaning that it will want to unscrew unless tightened very securely. More work for you and the chance that your wife may be stranded some day after the cup loosens and the bearings spill out. The cottered steel cranks on both bikes are a lost technology and very hard to deal with now in 2015. (When everyone had a sorted box of cotter pins and all mechanics knew how to deal with them and had the tools, they worked very well. But any mechanic who came into the field in the past 4o years has had little need to learn those skills.)

So, in short: you can make good but not great bikes out of both of those frames but they will be real work and tougher to work on later.

Ben

How much the bikes sell for are heavily dependent on your market for used bikes. The Portland area would be considered a "hot" bike market, so things tend to sell for higher than in other parts of the country.

The first bike is only a frame & a few parts and the second is a complete bike? Sort of hard to test ride an incomplete bike.

What does your wife want?

Around here, complete bikes wouldn't sell for that. Maybe if they'd really been cleaned up and modernized.

What is the deal with the lens in photo 1?

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...3&d=1451247716

I'd go mixte, upright bars, nice grips, MTB shifting/brake levers.
I'd not go mixte French before a certain year, due to odd parts sizing.
I'd look for Japanese mixte due to interchangeable parts.
I'd run road wheels with as big a tire as you can get.
Be careful, do it right and she'll be fast.

Not the best solution, perhaps, but it's what I'd do.

Most Mrs. desires so many things but a wise man must reduce the options to one. :)

Both are listed as 700C. But I'll keep your words in mind prior to purchase. I asked the rear dropout spacing to the seller.

Questions:

How tall is your wife?
Where do you live? That affects pricing and gearing.
Did you do all your own work on your Fondriest Megachrome (sp?)?

For the posts pooping on the blue Peugeot Mixte price, the loop frame mixtes carry a steep price premium as there are not a whole lot of them around.

Also, in the large metropolitan markets and research university communities, mixtes command significantly higher prices than equivalent diamond frame mens models.

+1.

Ben, thank you for your clear answer.

I'm aware that mixte's are less rigid than men's road frames but I guess they are much better than the lady's frames whose top tube ends in seat tube. With a less rigid frame, she will loose some 5% (or 10% I don't know) more power against a more rigid frame BUT I'm afraid she'll loose some 100% power if I buy her a road frame and she never rides it. Wives can be strange sometimes and mine saw a folding bike yesterday and said "this one looks so comfortable". An upright sitting position and enough space (absence of a high top tube) when she decides it is better to jump off the bike instead of breaking makes her feel more comfortable.

Being heavier another thing ofcourse. A lighter bike is must have. Is it possible that #2 bike is under 10kgs ?

Option no. 1 is seriously overpriced. $270 for a hi-tensile steel frame and a cottered crank (not even a headset)?

Option no. 2 is pretty high but mixtes can command a premium in a large urban area.

I'd keep looking after you figure out the size that you need.

Lots of people own and love Mixte frames. If you are on Facebook, look for a group called Mixte Heaven. You will get all kinds of info and Mixte Love there.

This would be entirely possible, although you would need to have a shop spread the rear triangle to fit the wider rear hub. I have done this on several older steel-framed bikes, and it is not a problem. You also would need to get a suitable bottom bracket for the cranks, because the existing one has cotters.


Looks like an early 1980s bike. It will almost certainly be made with Peugeot's proprietary Carbolite tubing, which in my experience offers a very sweet ride, at least under about 20 mph. The bike has fittings for lights, a rack, and so on. IMO this is seriously overpriced; in Seattle you can find nice Mixtes of similar age, in good complete shape, for $150-175.

Quote:

---

2.

---

This bike is definitely not a 1972; the frame paint suggests a late 1970s to me, going from memory. The bike will be another Carbolite frame, and it looks like the wheel rims are steel. Those do not stop well when they are wet. It looks like it is in better shape than the other bike. This bike also appears to have a cottered steel crank, and would need a new bottom bracket if you want to put on your Campy crank.

Like I said above, you could use the cranks and hubs with Minor adjustments. Your brifters would work with drop bars, and you might be able to find other shifters that could work on flat bars.

yes, indeed you can, Firat. But consider also the option of putting a smaller single chainring on the crank. It's not so much an insufficient number of gears, but having a low gear that is still too hard.

Hi, I live in Turkey and there is not many options to choose from. These are the only decent looking 49-50cm frames in some 1000 listings. Prices are ok for me since my third option is ebay, and this means paying $100 for shipping.

My wife is not a cycling person. She says yes to own a bike because I'm happy when riding and she wants to participate. She is not demanding and she can not name any of the components on a bike properly (ok, apart from wheels) if I ask. So, when I show her a bike she mostly decides according to its painting scheme if that is a "good" bike or not. She is lovely, isn't she :)

Based on your latest information, if your wife likes red, go with option 2. Make sure it operates smoothly and let her enjoy it as is. I would defer upgrades until you can assess if she really wants to ride.

I am going to jump in and point out that Bikes direct offers several Mixtes new.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=495352
City Bikes | Save Up To 60% Off Urban, Commuter, Dutch and Town Bicycles from bikesdirect.com Off List prices

The stock Peugeots of that era were around 27-28 pounds, but that weight includes those steel rims, cranks, and handlebars. With aluminum components you can drop the weight to about 24-25 pounds. If you set up the bike with nice wheels and supple tires that are at least 32 mm wide, those bikes have a remarkably pleasant ride. (I have two old Peugeots, both Carbolite, so I speak from experience.) The weight won't matter (unless you need to carry it up stairs or the like!)

I know you are concerned about your wife's comfort and hope she enjoys the bike. Has she indicated that she likes the look and seating position of a Mixte? Has she ever tried one? If I were in your shoes, I'd make sure she would be happy with that class of bike first, and them you can find one that fits.

As I said, in Turkey we have very limited options. If my solution will be ebay, than I'd definitely look for a 48-49 road frame. If I were to pay that shipping cost, may it be for a better frame (geometry and builder).

@Darth Lefty

I don't know about the lens. Maybe he wanted the photo to look cooler.

[MENTION=108582]RobbieTunes[/MENTION] and @non-fixie

Thank you for the advice.

@oddjob2

I'm looking for a 49cm frame. If it will be a road frame, than 48cm would be a safer choice. If mixte, I think I can safely go up to 50. I live in Turkey.

I didn't do the work on Fondriest, but I can do most of the work with some help (youtube videos, trial and error etc).

You're welcome. In the end price doesn't matter too much if it's the right bike or frame and mrs Firochromis is happy with the result. I bought mrs non-fixie's Benotto mixte for €25, but ended up spending a multiple of that (and a lot of time) before I got it set up to her liking. Bear in mind that color is important. You might want to check first what she likes. ;)

I personally would look for a Japanese made Mixte for the most value, and least issues to build. You might also consider this, Buena Vista Frame Set | SOMA Fabrications

Cheers,
Chris

Mixte frames are awesome for many reasons. I have one I use for a city bike and my son has one he uses for all purpose road/recreation/commuting. Here's a post on my blog to tell you a little more about them.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=495446

Marc

@ Aubergine; & [MENTION=167152]irwin7638[/MENTION]

Thanks people for all your comments. Some good news from seller. The rear dropout spacing turns out to be 130mm and it has 32-622 (700c) tyres on it. This is another reason to choose a city bike rather than a road bike to my wife. She'll never be happy on 23mm or 25mm tyres. And the more I think more about the issue the more confident I am about this choice. If she grows to be a competitive rider in years I can get an Italian road frame later.

Sounds like a wise choice. Keep us posted on the proceedings. The combination of women & bikes always has a special place in the hearts of our male members. A few examples:

Show Us Your Builds for Your Wife, Daughter or Girlfriend

Let's see your wife's or your (SO's ) Bike

Project wife bike

My wife wants a bike...

I love my wife...

What the wife don't know won't hurt her thread

Good luck!