My wife is 5'2" and would like a road bike or hybrid bike that is lighter than her vintage Trek 850. Non-drop handlebars would be preferred. I know there are a number of choices of smaller frame sizes in 700c wheels, but they can have odd geometries and toe overlap issues that can be improved by designing for smaller wheels. I also like 26" wheels for the wide range of tires available, often for reasonable prices. I guess 650 wheels are also a possibility. The ability to mount a rack is important.

I know the Surley Long Haul Trucker comes with 26" wheels, but is likely to weigh as much as her Trek. Perhaps aluminum mountain bikes with rigid forks might work.

Any frames or complete bikes that fit the bill?

Bike Friday... you can get one off the rack for around $1200.00.

That's what I decided for a commuter bike. The big problem was the limited selection of rigid MTB forks in my budget for a commuter. I settled on the Dimension fork. It's heavy--over two pounds.

The bike came in just under 24 lbs as a 1X8. Less than my Trek Hybrid by quite a bit.

How about a used (or new) Terry?

My suggestion would be to look at bikes with Women Specific Designs (WSD). Trek, Specialized, Giant (and a few others) should have something that your wife would want. Have her go out and ride a few to see what she is most comfortable on.

Since she is the one riding, she would be the best judge of what she likes and what feels the best. What bikes did your wife test ride that she had toe overlap issues on or felt the geometry didn't suit her so we don't recommend those?

None. We're totally at the beginning of the process. Just trying to target the search and see what's possible.

My suggestion Spld cyclist is to just visit as many LBS with your wife and have her ride as many bikes as she likes. Doing some research before hand might help, but it also might limit you on some potential great rides.

After she rides about every bike in Springfield have her list her top 3 or so. You could then ask people on this forum what they think of her choices. Your wife will more than likely disregard all of our expert opinions and choose the bike she likes the best .

What kind of distance/terrain does she have to cover? Electra has some models that come with 26" wheels and take a (proprietary) rack.

I see your point, and sometimes that's the way to go when you're not sure what you might want. However, with the bike shops around here, it's often far more productive to call and ask if they have ______ in the smallest and 2nd smallest size. Or anything remotely similar that's in the smallest size. Or if they will ever have anything like that, and when that might be.... Weekend time is too precious to drive to shops that don't have something to offer. (I'm actually way more tolerant of that sort of expedition than she is.)

I checked, a Trek 850 is under 30 lbs. Weight and price are very closely linked. To get a new bike significantly lighter than the Trek will require a lot of money. Quite a lot of money. About the only way to get the weight of the 850 any lower would be some smaller section tires. But maybe your wife wants a new bike anyway. And why not. Light is never cheap and cheap is never light. It doesn't matter what kind of variety or selection is available in the 26" diameter, they are all going to be heavy because of the section size. A super small section 26" is a special beast and will $$$ but such small (light) sections are par for the course in 700C and don't incur any price premium. Toe clip overlap? I can't remember the last time I saw a toeclip. Seriously, these concerns about "odd geometries" in 700C designs are non-issues. 700C wheels roll easier, are usually a narrower section and the bikes they are atached to are usually assumed to be ridden on road and therefore not needing to be overbuilt. A performance mountain bike is outrageously expensive, performance road bikes can, of course, be outrageously expensive but they start at a more or less reasonable price point. This often means doing without a front derrailleur... sometimes a rear one as well! I have saved hundreds on new roadbikes by getting a leftover from the previous model year. FWIW.

H

If there is an REI in your area that has a good stock of bikes, you may be able to find something in her size. Performance Bike is supposed to be having a clearance sale this weekend.

The Terry Symmetry look nice. More or less what I was thinking of, but a bit more than we would prefer to spend. There are dealers within a reasonable distance as well....

When did I last see a toeclip? Hmm... It must have been...the last time I walked into the garage and looked at my wife's bike.

What can I say? She's anachronistic. No interest in clipless pedals, though I use Eggbeaters myself. (But I still have toeclips on a couple bikes because I'm too cheap to buy two more sets of Eggbeaters and too lazy to switch pedals around very much ).

Surly's Troll is a 26" wheel rigid bike that might work if you put skinnier (26" x 1.5" or less) road tires on it. Not sure if there are any other brands that sell a rigid-frame bike with 26" wheels.

Also try and see if Cannondale still sells the Hooligan. Its a 20" rigid-frame 'city bike' similar to the Bike Friday folder SixtyFiver posted above, but he frame is solid.

Is toe overlap really that much of an issue? I have a single speed that has a real toe-overlap issue, but I never have a problem with it - if your wife rides at any level of speed and leans into the corners while turning she really shouldn't have an issue with overlap and 700c wheels.

TCO can be an issue m particularly with 700c wheels on small frames , 26" , less so .. Bike Friday not at all..

I don't know your definition of quite a lot of money, but it does not require huge sums to get a road bike or a sporty hybrid well under 30 lbs. Hell, I had a $400 bikes direct bike that weighed about 23 lbs. And that was in a 59 cm.

Here are the issues with 700c wheels on small frames in a nutshell: https://www.rodbikes.com/blog/?p=412

I'm learning that tire choices for 650c wheels are super limited. Nearly all of them are 23's, which is not at all what she would want.

Bike Friday is looking better and better.... Or again maybe an aluminum mountain bike frame with a light wheelset, but a steel fork will be heavy.

Thanks for all the responses. Definitely a lot of food for thought.

I am 4'11", much shorter than you wife. This is what I have:

A Trek Madone road bike with a 43cm frame and 650 wheels, no longer available.
A Terry bike about 10 years old, steel, with a 24 inch front wheel and 700 on the rear. A really nice fit. I use swept back Sparrow bars on this bike. Unfortunately, it is no longer made. The closest probably would be the flat bar Symmetry, but it isn't that close.
A Cannondale Quick4 hybrid. This bike is one of the few hybrids that offered its smallest size with 26 inch wheels. I think this bike may be too small for your wife. It fits me perfectly.

If she is looking for a hybrid or a flat bar road bike she may consider:
--The smallest size in the Specialized Vita. This has 700 wheels but is a pretty small bike and I can ride it, though I prefer my even smaller Quick.
--The smallest sizes in the Trek FX, try the 13" and the 15"

If she is interested in a road bike the Terry Symmetry still offers 650 wheels and comes with 28 width tires. The very smallest might even have the 24 on the front and 700 on the rear. The Symmetry comes with both a flat bar option or a drop bar. BikesDirect had some sizes for significantly reduced prices. I had a 44cm Symmetry with drop bars and 650 wheels for a while. It was a bit big for me and I sold it. It was fine when I used an extra short stem. I can't remember if there were mounts for a rack.

The Specialized Ruby in a 44cm is pretty small but no rack mounts. Jamis Endura also has a 44cm bike. This bike is carbon, nice and light, has rack mounts, and will take 28 tires. I can ride it and experienced no toe overlap. But it was a hair to big for me. Both the Jamis and the Ruby have 700 wheels. Felt and Trek's offerings with 650 wheels are no longer available, but you might be able to find them used. The Trek Madone (carbon) and the Trek Lexa (aluminum) used to be offered with 650 wheels. The largest tires they will fit are 25s. I use 23s on my Madone. Neither had rack mounts. The largest 650 tires that are currently made are 28s, and Terry sells them for their bikes.

Surly and Salsa have a couple of possibilities. The Salsa Vaya in the 50cm size (measured different from other makers) is actually small enough for me, though it is a stretch on reach. The Long Haul Trucker in the 42cm size also fits if I use a short stem. Both take 26 inch wheels. I am building up a Long Haul Trucker using extra light wheels to lighten the bike up a bit.

Thanks Goldfinch for this list. I'll check those out.

It may yet turn out that 700c wheels will work out. She'll have to try some and see how the handling and fit work for her.

Electra's are rather oversized for us shorties.

BikesDirect has 2011 and 2012 Terry Symmetry bikes in a wide range of sizes right now for pretty darn cheap. https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...road-bikes.htm. https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...-bikes-yii.htm The 44cm or the 46cm would likely be what may fit your wife. These have 650 wheels. The 42cm is probably too small. But it would fit me. Now stop me from buying yet another bike!

The downside is not being able to try one before buying and having to do a bit of assembly yourself. Though it isn't all that difficult.

A friend of mine who is similar stature has a bike from some company - name slips my mind - that makes 24" from 700c rear bikes for women

Terry.

Exactly.

Smaller frames can get a bit weird. My bike will knock your toes with the best of them.

If I'm doing 3mph figure eights.

Otherwise it's just fine at "normal" road speeds.

these guys just started building certain models in both 559 (26") and 622 (28"/700c) because of demand. this includes a few of their "simplicity" options:

https://www.fahrradmanufaktur.de/2012...ept/#more-4814

edit: here a picture of one of their options (622 pictured but 559 wheels/tires are also available)