Picking a bike for a friend
 

My friend's wife asked me to help her get him a bike for Christmas. She has no idea what he wants but knows he will be using it for city riding in Denmark (where it will be cold and wet frequently). Sounds to me like something with fenders and a rack are a must. Not sure how he feels about flat vs drop handlebars.

I'm condsidering a Felt F90 off craigslist with some added gear or maybe a Schwinn World Adventurer Commuter New http://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._1072924_-1___

Any thoughts or ideas?

Has your friend ridden a bike before? If he has no idea what he wants, the answer is probably "not lately" and I'd learn toward flat bars over drops, and, well, something pretty similar to what you linked to.

Yes, definitely fenders and a rack. But maybe consider an internally-geared hub, even a 3-speed, with a chaincase or chainguard. Possibly a generator light. Also, there's a reason all the bikes in Denmark are painted flat black- they get left out in the weather exposed to random thieves, and you don't want a bike that looks even the slightest bit fancy since it would be the first one taken.

Will you be buying in the US and sending it to Denmark? Shopping for a bike for someone else is great if you have experience with bikes. However it sounds like both of them are unfamiliar with the process and should probably do it together. These bikes are just as good as these bikes if they will be hanging in the garage.

He has ridden before (primarily home in Denmark). He lives here now but is planning on moving back with his wife in the spring and the bike would come with him then. I've been riding for a few years now (commuting) and know what I would want. It gets tricky because she wants it to be a surprise. I figured the less assuming the bike the better to avoid theft.

Do you have any recommendations for brands with internally geared hubs or chaincases or are these more aftermarket additions/adjustments?

Take him bike shopping
 

Either under some ruse or let the cat out of the bag on the gift. But my advice is find a way to let him pick the bike. My experience is people are happiest on the bikes they pick out themselves. That's not to say that advice goes unappreciated.

If he is familiar with bikes than he should go with her. He will know what he will ride (or won't) and what he wants (or doesn't want). It ruins the surprise, but it is the thought that counts.

Let him know that the budget is a certain amount and let him look around. It will be like a kid in a toy store. Plus it will be a process that they can enjoy together. Watching him run from one bike to another pointing, and saying "I want, I want" with a big grin on his face. Eagerly asking the salesman to pull down the bike so he can take it on a spin. Watching him ride in the parking lot going "weee", and "look at me, no hands". His wife yelling at him "stop that, your gonna break it".

Those moments are priceless. (Uh, how old is he again) ;-)

I like my gifts to be a surprise. I hate just getting the stuff for Christmas and Birthday like checking off a list of what I asked for. Boring... But if for some reason my wife said I had to go pick out a brand new bike with a nice budget for my Christmas and Birthday that would be pretty exciting. I would be testing out bikes like crazy and then probably ordering some bike over the internet from Bikesdirect...

Anyway, other posters have described a pretty fun shopping time for this couple which would be better than a surprise IMO. If the budget is big enough it will be pretty fun to take him to a shop and let him check bikes out. She could make the outing to the bike shop a surprise and drive him there and tell him to pick out a bike. Maybe this idea won't work for a number of reasons, but I would at least run it past your friend to see what she thinks. I am giving my bike a mountain bike as a gift for Christmas that will be a surprise, but I am pretty sure she will like it because it has purple on it. LOL

I think a bike is too personal to be chosen by someone other than the rider... that's my opinion anyway.