I've been looking for a mixte for my girlfriend and I'm wondering if I'm actually doing the right thing. She is 5'10" and we ride the same size frame (56cm) but the mixtes I've seen are measured very short. The reason I want to get a mixte for her is that I want to build up a cute townie.

Is this a good idea, or should I change my plans?

I have never seen a mixte that would fit a woman that tall. Mixtes are hard enough to find. A tall one might be out there, if so, it is extremely rare. I would just get a classic Japanese road bike from the 1980s and add townie style handlebars.


An even cheaper option is to get one of the rigid frame MTBs from the 1990s, they are really cheap, have good components, and make nice around town rides (but may not be "cute". Where I live, its hills and mountains in all directions, can't go a block without riding a serious hill. So I appreciate the gearing of a MTB.

You could play around with the colors, bar tape, and the handlebars, and make this bike just about any style. This is my foul weather ride, so I was not concerned about making it cute.

thrifty bill

Good idea. I encountered a similar, very similar situation with my big sister. She's not that big @ 5'7 + I guess but she's an "agressive" or more aptly called a strong/ guy-like rider. A few bikes she'd borrowed and bought are just plain too short. She hates drop bars and will only tolerate a step thru. Not nec. to change your plans, I didn't, I just ened-up with a number of "wrong bikes", more than I care to admit, too many female specific bikes. Female spec. bikes are shorter, always. At 5"10", your lady's tall.
Pricier models typically are offered in the not so small sizes. Newer, upright Hybrids are short, short.

Mixte frames are all the rage. Motobecane, Peugeot are pricey, the pre-1979s or some Pugs. even later have that funky thread think goin' on, I'd be hard pressed to rec. 'em. In their defence though, these brands are less shorty types. You need a 19 to 21" ((48cm to 53 or so) virtual top tube length. Meas. center of seat tube to center of head tube. Hey... I'm not speaking out of school here, it's by your own admission that such a size is warranted. A guy would need one notch up, perhaps. Guys ALWAYS have longer arms and our bodies bend lower down on our torso. I've fit 5'9" gals as well. Many fem.frames are 49cm(19") CORE size which is seat tube length, though not of concern as such, being a step-thru, is the nominal size of bikes. Youi need to shoot for closer to a 21" as mixed and lady's frames, other step thrus were meas. inches.

I looked in e-bay, two that I spotted; a Miyata 10, a lesser Miyata and a Schwinn. I've Nishikis, B.Stones as well as the first two brands. Don't dismiss Japanese bikes. IMO, I wouldn't dismiss other step-thrus either. True Mixte frames were offered on and off. Availabilty will dictate choices so there's no point in my giving a long list. As for Schwinns, NON mixte; World Sports and up are good. Sprints OK but cheap.

They did make some bigger ones. I've got a pretty tall (19.5" seat tube), red Motobecane mixte in the garage. I've had it for sale before and the interested buyers were all too short for it, but loved how it looks.

We (Velo Orange) are producing a Mixte frameset in 3 sizes- 51,54, and 57cm. The top tube is a bit longer, intended to be used with handlebars that sweep back.

https://velo-orange.com/vomifrcoso.html

End of January delivery, if everything goes perfect.

From time to time, larger Ross and Schwinn Ladies bikes pop up in the 21 and 23" sizes. but they are not a true mixte design. and they are not exactly performance oriented.

Oh dang, that's a pretty frame and would be perfect. It's out of my price range though.

I would consider a 19.5 inch seat tube far too small for a woman 5-10. I have had 17 inch and 19 inch mixtes, which are the more common sizes, and both are far too small for her IMHO.

I have a mixte frame with a 21" seat tube. I had a 20" that I sold a while ago, too. So taller frames are out there. I found both on CL.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...fit&highlight=

I have a LE tour mixte I ride. And Im 6'2 and a guy.

What size is it?

Larger mixtes do exist - keep looking. I'm 6' and found a 57cm Peugeot UE-18 that's quite comfortable.

Almost all the mixtes I've handled have been 17" or 19". Those seem to be the popular sizes, or at least the most commonly made. That being said, I have had 21" frames pass through my hands, including a very pretty NOS Legnano frame set that I built up with Shimano 105 and sold. They're out there.....

Seems like a VG option for the OP... LeTours came Mixte throughout the years, others dual top tube.
The fact that most Japan Built ones were hitens so doesn't matter in a Mixte.

My wife is 5' 9" and, while not exactly a mixte, she fits well on her '78 Le Tour.

I happen to have a "56cm" Mixte. It's huge, relatively speaking, takes the same fork as my 56cm road bikes. In road setup, it fit me just fine, but my wife can't begin to fit on it. I've got a short 65mm stem, dropped the saddle to the top of the post, and am using upright comfort bars with MTB controls. She sits basically upright. I don't know what I'll do if the reach is still too long once I get it done. It's longer and taller than her 16" MTB, by far. It's also at least 10lbs lighter, so she wants to give it a whirl before I punt and sell it.

They're out there. I bought it thinking "how big can a mixte be?" Pretty big, I find.

I have a couple as well.........21" and 22" LeTours (not true mixte) and a 22" Pug

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bik/1481178511.html

Here's one in Chicago.

I'm in Chicago and want to get this out of my garage.
22 inch Bottechia. Fantastic condition and look at all the chrome! PM me if interested.

Oh lordy... That's jaw droppingly gorgeous but there's no way I could afford a beauty like that. Hopefully it will go to someone who can appreciate it.

I'm 5'10" also. I've got two Peugeot mixtes, in small and medium (I guess). The medium one is very similar in size to my 56 cm Trek road bike. But both fit me fine. I actually like the slightly more upright position of the smaller one. So yes, absolutely, you can find her a mixte that will work as a town bike. They are very cool, and imo, there is no substitute for their particular charm.

If I were you, I'd save up my pennies and buy that Bottechia, mount some upright bars and a Brooks B67. Your woman would be set! But if it's out of your range, I've bought 3 Peugeot mixtes and one Nishiki, all $100 each. They needed plenty of work, but you know, that builds character.

Why a mixte?

A good question. I am aware that Mixte frame sets are becoming more sought after but cannot understand why. This is hardly a problem since I have several Mixte bicycles including two Peugeots (one of which is the touring model with fenders, lights, racks etc), a Sekine, a Raleigh Gran Prix, a Sekine, a Le Circuit, a Le Jeune and who knows what else is back there in The Old Shed.

Again, the question is why are they so popular?

Why not a mixte, assuming that the rider isn't planning on racing? No real disadvantages, and at least one big advantage: the headtube is always substantially longer than on the equivalent diamond-frame size. I'm surprised that no one ever seems to mention that in mixte discussions. The taller headtube is a big benefit for women with long legs and short torso and arms.

By the way, the OP might be well advised to PM big chainring on that yellow Bottechia mixte. Steel rims, steel cranks, Simplex gearset, entry-level bike-boom bike; it's beautiful, but its value in the marketplace is not particularly high.

Pretty funny... Wasn't sure it was you that had written that before. I recalled yesterday that someone had, about having some stashed. Maybe somene else, they put it..." a pile.. can't..get rid...." ANYWAY....... That which some take for granted is highly sought after by someone at some point. They ARE all the rage.
I believe a semi-mixed, any step-thru ought to do myself.

+1, get in touch about that Bottechia. It is very attractive, but it should not be a bank breaker. That said, be aware that those plastic simplex derialleurs have a nasty reputation. It's nothing a twenty dollar suntour derailleur can't fix!