bmather9

So in my past I've had quite a bit of experience mostly road/triathlon but some decent mountain biking but haven't been doing any serious riding for a few years. Now I'm married and have a 1 year old son I'm looking to get the family out and riding around the neighborhood, bike paths, and eventually some light trails etc...

My wife needs a bike; she knows how to ride, but doesn't have much experience. I'm looking towards mountain bikes as the most versatile option. We don't want to invest money into a bike, in the case that it ends up collecting dust in the garage, but I struggle to buy some of the low end mountain bikes from Wal-mart for roughly $120.

I'm leaning more towards something like the Diamondback Apex Mountain Bike - Performance Exclusive $280 (I can't post a link since I'm a new user? WTF)

So what do you think? Spend the money and hope that a better bike makes the experience more enjoyable for all? Or go cheap and upgrade if we find that we're riding more often?

Gresp15C

In my view, it's vital to choose a bike that fits and is comfortable to ride, otherwise those will be the primary reasons why it gets abandoned in the garage. Feeling safe (e.g., trusting the brakes) is another important factor for a less experienced cyclist. Being able to look at bikes in a shop and try out a few of them might be worth a few more bucks. And it's worth looking at the range of options other than mountain bikes, such as hybrids and city bikes.

I'd suggest making sure any bike you buy is capable of accommodating a kickstand. My rationale is that if you ever want to try out a kiddie trailer, a kickstand makes it considerably easier to manage. Also, these days, a bike with puncture-resistant tires will make for a better overall experience.

Something I've noticed in threads about box-store bikes is that the success stories tend to involve doing some adjustment and repairs immediately after purchase. You or your spouse need to be able and willing to take care of those things. A bike from a regular bike shop is more likely to have had those adjustments made before you buy the bike.

I'm quite happy with my DiamondBack bike, purchased from REI last year.

FlMTNdude

How much motivation does she have, and what is her tendency to stick with it? Also, what kind of riding will she do? In my wife's case, she will never push herself too hard, never do long distances, never hit past 10mph, never ride anything with hills, and will jump around on what 'exercise' of choice she is doing. If like mine, then good enough not to have issues (which would stop her from riding), spend a moderate amount ($500 or less) and not too much of a 'racing' type. Would need to know more about her before could make any kind of recommendation other than nothing from a box store.

jefnvk

If you've got a Performance near you, go in, let her pick what she wants. If you pick something for her, you are very much increasing the odds it sits in the garage and collects dust.

Last I checked, Performance had quite a few 2016s still in stock on clearance, you should easily be able to find something suited for around the $300 range. Pretty much anything will work for those situations. My buddy's wife even has a Costco bike that works just fine for that sort of stuff, that she loves.

fietsbob

Let your wife decide, take her to the shop for test rides.

bike shop bikes are properly assembled and they service what they sell

better to get a used good bike than a marginal new bike.

HerrKaLeun

If your existing bike kind of fits her, let her ride it and if she likes it buy yourself a fancy bike of your dreams. So you basically give her a (presumably) good used bike with known history. Unless your bike is already perfect for you.

Wileyrat

One answer. let your wife pick out the bike she wants. By all means, offer your advice, but if she doesn't like your choice, you'll never hear the end of it.

linberl

Depending on where you live you can probably get a nice used bike, especially if you have some mechanical background tuning your own bikes. It's an interesting dilemma...don't want to spend too much in case it's not used, but if it is a crappy bike it will not get used much. If it was me, I'd look for something I could convert to a cargo bike. With a kid, you may find yourself hauling lots of stuff in addition to the kid.
Whatever your wife decides in terms of future use, you would have an option and a decent cargo bike.

rickyk76

I just went through this same thing for my teen daughters. We ended up with the Trek Marlin 4 for one and a Specialized Myka for the other. Was able to get them for about $350 each at the LBS on sale. Just for other options to look at. I didn't want to go the Walmart route because even if they didn't take to it, I wanted them to have something that was still decent for their occasional rides. Good luck and let us know what you end up choosing.

martianone

Need to let the rider decide, especially your partner!
This time of year, many bike shops have a customer event or sometimes they call it a swap.
People bring their unridden bikes in for the shop to sell on the event day (or weekend).
Seller usually gets around 100% of the selling price to use on a new bike or a smaller portion
If they take the cash. Buyers often can get a nice bike, often very lightly used, for a much reduced
Price. Take her to one of these !

Homebrew01

This.

Also, mountain bikes are heavy, with fat, slow tires. A skinny tired hybrid might be more enjoyable.

P.S., the restriction on posting links is for spam-prevention. We have greatly reduced nonsense spamming on the boards since implementing that restriction ... sorry 'bout that.

CrankyOne

My wife has had a number of bikes, many of them quite good quality. She liked riding. She fell in love with riding when she got her Workcycles Gr8.

It's more comfortable to ride than any of the others. She can ride it in any clothes she has on. It never needs maintenance. It's quiet and the gears and brakes always work perfectly and quietly. It's easy to carry stuff in the basket on the front rack (I made the mistake once of taking her basket off to fix it on better but didn't get it back on before she was going to ride to meet a friend and got the riot act read to me).

More: City Bikes | LocalMile

It's not a bike for racing or off road trails but for daily riding and carrying things or kids it works quite well.

wipekitty

I'm personally a fan of hybrids for beginners. Wider tires seem to inspire confidence and permit light off-road use, while remaining slick enough that pedaling down the street isn't a chore. They're sturdy enough to haul things (like kids) without being overly heavy. And, they can be purchased for a reasonable price.

To second what others said, it might be best to collect some different options and let your wife try them out. Depending on where you live, there might be some good used options already out there. If you'd prefer to buy new, getting a slightly better bike also means that you can recover some of your money by selling it if it ends up collecting dust.

Viich

My wife now (and I started 5 years ago where you are - 2 boys are 6 and 4 now) bikes the boys to school, will bike to the store because it's easier than driving, and is interested in starting some recreational solo riding (Boy 2 now in Kindergarten). We had a croozer double stroller/trailer that went everywhere until the youngest moved onto a Burley Kazoo. (Skip the cheap 3rd wheelers. Burley is worth the $$)

My wife has a hybrid. Started life as a Norco entry level hybrid - 3x7, alvio, flat bar. I bought an aluminum cyclocross frame used because I was tired of lugging the low-grade steel frame around (I love steel bikes - but not boat anchors). I actually don't think the frame was ever built up, but I got it for $60. Had almost exactly the same measurements as my wife's step through frame but with a normal slope top tube.
She was happy with the bike, but was ok with me swapping the frame to make it lighter.

This year, I upgraded her to 9 speed - I got some 9sp shimano trigger shifters from a motobecane mountain bike I picked up on trash day, sunrace cassette from MEC, $80 wheelset & $35 crankset from pinkbike and some $12 brake levers from the LBS parts bin - She didn't notice that I'd actually replaced her bike until I mentioned it. Only things left are the brakes, handgrips & seat. What with the parts I've sold on, maybe a $150 total in upgrade (and I haven't sold any of the components from this year yet, just the frame from last year)

Then she agreed to come with me to the Toronto International Bike show (very nice experience BTW if anyone involved is reading) and test-rode a Specialized AWOL. Discovered she actually liked the drop bars (riding on the tops), and it's quite a relaxed geometry, and comes stock with 700x42's (she's had 35's and 38's), so now we're shopping adventure/gravel/touring bikes.

Basically, let her discover that it's fun and convenient, nudge a little bit and provide decent kit. If you're in a location where biking makes sense, you'll probably end up doing it. Looking back I wish I'd sprung for a wike box bike or a cargo bike / xtracycle when they were younger - would have been worth it compared to some of the messing around with stuff that we did.

Good Luck!

Machka 

+1

And I'd probably be leaning toward a decent hybrid or a lightweight mtn bike, one which you could put road-style tyres onto. Something that she could ride on the road or on light gravel.

Also make sure that the gearing is reliable. Nothing kills a ride like trying to shift when you're heading up hill only to have the chain fall off or something.

FBinNY 

Buying cheap is counter-productive because if she doesn't enjoy riding, or is at a handicap trying to keep up with you, she won't be happy and the bike WILL end up collecting dust.

But I understand not wanting to spend more dough on a possible dust magnet.

So, look for a nice used bike. Something, light and enjoyable to ride, with decent gearing for your local area. If she likes riding and gets committed, you can buy what makes sense, and sell the used one for just about what you spent, so it's like a free rental.

bmather9

I have to say thanks for all the answers! I think the results are clear, I'll get my wife to try some bikes out in person. I didn't mention originally but I'm currently deployed overseas, and due to return in about a month and was getting excited about getting back and going riding with the family. I think I'll wait until I get back and take her to a few bike shops before making a purchase. I'll make sure she tries out hybrids as well and I think you sold me on going with something better than a Wal-mart bike.

FordTrax

I was reading an article a while back in a bike magazine. The young lady had worked in a bike shop and made the point that instead of asking what bike the person wanted - she talked to them about what they wanted to do with the bike. As a person getting back in to riding only a year ago - that made a lot of sense to me. I started out with a used hybrid off C/L and then bought a cyclo cross bike so I could do both road and trail. I love my Cycle cross bike and am going to keep it for rail trails but and looking at building a road bike. I find myself riding a few time a week on road with the local bike club. Not sure if someone had asked me that question a year ago if that would have helped me - but I do think that asking what you want to do with the bike not what bike makes a lot of sense.

FYI -I used the hybrid for about 3 months a good bit. Then brought the CX off C/L. The hybrid just sits now. I was thinking of reselling it but I may take the pedals off and use or a bit it to help my 3 year old grand daughter get the concept of her balance bike by watching me. But I really don't see it ever seeing any serious use. I think the newer all-road bikes (like a Giant Defy, GT grade, Cannondale Slate) the hybrids even less attractive. C/L is your friend - especially if your wife takes a smaller size bike - I can find great bikes on C/L for my wife every week. Not so for me in a 58-60. But if you could find some all road/endurance type bikes on C/Ls to show your wife that might be a place to start.

Also +1 on the let her pick it - don't even try to pick one for her.

IamAlan

I work in a gun shop and get this all the time.

What should I buy my wife?

The answer is "what SHE wants." Within your agreed upon budget, of course.

If possible, take her to a bike shop that has female employees (the local TREK store has a female manager, the local Performance Bike, a female runs the repair department.), leave her there, and go get a cup of coffee. It has been my experience that if you can get the testosterone out of the room, the discussion takes on a much different tone.

Just my two cents...

As far as department store bikes... I bought one, rode it two months, and gave it away. Then spent mondo on a Specialized. Buy once, cry once.

jefnvk

Don't be surprised if she picks something you'd never consider. When my fiancee was looking for a cheap bike to take on an European tour, I was looking for a small framed touring bike for her. We wound up with a purple mixte, because she loved the way it looked (it was suited for the task at hand), and what she placed importance on wasn't even a consideration to me. Her last road bike was picked because of a color scheme she liked (and again what she is doing with it, the specs were more than adequate).

So long as the bike meets the requirements for the task at hand, what she wants far outweighs what you find important. Just go with it, she's far more likely to ride something she enjoys than what you find to be important!

rgconner

"I got a bike for my wife."

"Seems a fair trade."

jade408

Ding ding ding! The best bike for her is the one she rides and likes. Go to a shop with a wide variety of bikes, let her test out the different types. Giver her information to make an informed opinion but do not let your own biases sway her.

Korina

+100

FestinaLente

Your goal sounds like a good one and I wish you all the best with it but I've been there before and I see a few possible problems you might run into based on your post.

These things stood out to me:

"she knows how to ride, but doesn't have much experience"
"I'm looking to get the family out"
"We don't want to invest money"

It sounds like you want to get your family riding together, which I believe is a very good thing, and that your wife might be interested in trying it out. However, it doesn't sound like she's very interested in the idea of riding. If she isn't interested in doing this on her own she may put some effort into it but then tire of the activity when the novelty wears off or the discomfort of a saddle or anything else comes up. Call me cynical, but I've found that human beings are unlikely to put real effort into anything unless they really want to do it or have no choice. Please don't waste time, money, and your hopefully blissful relationship by buying a bike that she may use a time or two and then hang on the wall or sell.

If you do get a bike for her I also recommend letting her pick out the bike she wants. She will know what feels comfortable for her better than you will.

ranukic

Take an hour and visit your local bike shop that supports name brand bikes. We went to Wheel And Sprocket. These places have like minded people that have enjoyed the sport for many years and will know how to fit your wife onto a bike. Many times places like this take in bikes on trade and will have something in the back or at another location gently used and completely gone through at a discounted rate.

Good luck and let us know what she decided to go with.