Are Mixte bikes specifically for women? Or do men ride them as well? The reason I ask is because I think this bike is fantastic, and I’d like to get one. I’m a man, if that wasn’t obvious. But I don’t know the history here. Or should I just ride what I like?

Linux Mixte 7i

Short answer I mean not really but they sort of had that reputation but these days who cares and if you like it then ride it.

I think mixtes are cool as hell and I'd totally ride one if it came my way.

They were marketed as a girls bicycle many years ago, but these days they're just a practical bicycle frame - good for a female wearing a skirt and wants a step-thru , or for anyone who can't get their leg over a top tube on a traditional frame. Soma Fabrications might still be selling them, check out their website if you're interested somafab.com . There's is (was?) a thread in the 'Classic & Vintage' forums which was nothing but mixte pictures if you're interested in searching it.

​​​​​​A thread for uncommon and above average mixtes and step throughs!

I think history will show that Mixtes were marketed as a girls bike in the USA. When I was stationed overseas in Germany and Italy they were marketed as a Working Man's bike. To be sure the frame is very strong. They had beefy breaks and baskets front and rear with the rider more in an upright position. I never saw a Mixty over there with drop bars. As a matter of fact I never saw a Mixty over there that wasn't loaded to the hilt with someone huffing along or pushing it along in a walk.

Rivendell has been building step through frames and marketing them to anyone who wants that style of bike. Typically it is hard to find a step through or mixte to fit someone who is 6 feet tall but at least with Riv you can buy a bike that fits. If you are shorter they have those also.

Yes, they do:
https://www.somafab.com/archives/product/buena-vista

Plenty of guys ride mixtes, they are great bikes. Ride what you like, man!

WOW!!! My wife has a Custom Paramount looking the same from the "Anything You Want" build time 1980. >>>" ...Marc was put in charge of re-building Paramount – almost from scratch. He started out by retooling the department including a new brazing fixture and alignment table. In June of ’80, the company decided it needed the Paramount back but that they would have to move out of the Chicago factory. Marc’s first bikes were built for Eric Heiden and the 7/11 team in 1980.

That year, Schwinn brought back the Paramount as a super-custom bike – “anything you want” for the then outrageous sum of $3,000. These became known as the “Elite” Paramounts... "

^^^ above from

https://waterfordbikes.com/w/culture...ord-1980-1994/

Mixtes are cool for anyone. Would make a great commuter or city bike, IMO.

Downsides of mixtes were how I finally convinced my wife to go to a standard frame for her latest bike:

1. On hanging type automobile bike racks, often annoying and/or harder to hang with other bikes
2. Harder or impossible to have two water bottle cages on top of down tube.
3. Harder or impossible to use frame bag.
4. You never wear a skirt riding, anyway.
5. Men's sensitive parts are more a risk from a closer to horizonal part bar.
6. Many if not most modern frames have "sloped-enough" top bars anyway.

Later on I upgraded to a platform-style rack and my wife said "Hey, wait a minute..." but by then she realized she liked the new bike better than the old "girl's bike" anyway.

I gave up trying to find an old mixte frame that would work for me, and bought a large Public M8i a few years ago. I'm 6'2", and it works just fine for me. It's a fun bike to ride to work.

From what I gather, it is largely an American perception that they are women's bikes. I Europe I guess bicycle messengers and whatnot ride them as they are easier to mount and dismount with packages which makes sense.

But I too agree that they are attractive bikes. My wife wanted a vintage bike so I got her an '83 Bridgestone mixte to ride. She can't swing her leg over a top tube or saddle but the mixte was perfect for her. I wish she could ride drop handlebars because I have passed up two nice Univega mixtes I would have enjoyed working on.

Mixte means "universal" and they're all over Europe; it was insecure US men who dubbed them "girls'" bikes. They're great if you have a rear basket full of groceries, or a kid; you can get on the bike without kicking them in the head or flinging your groceries all over the street. And if you have flexibility issues or injuries, or particularly large huevos. Ride what you like. That Linus looks sweet.

I think there is also a military connection being low top bars were fast to mount, dismount, and were a stable design for carrying load.

I built up an 80's Schwinn mixte frame for my 70 year old father. He's not very flexible so he can't manage a horizontal or even sloping top tube. Use whatever works best for you. Who cares what people think.

If I commuted by bike I’d rock a mixte.

I think they’re cool. I’d like to start running more errands by bike. If a mixte came up for the right price...

FIrst, always ride what you like. The step thru frame, of which mixte is just one design are getting popular as city and commuting, recreational bikes. Both Rivendell and VeloORANGE offer step-thru bikes. Personally, I really like the look of the mixte the most of the step thru variations, especially the older classic French and English designs. I have heard from the elves of the remote road, that a mixte with a checkerboard on the seat tube and drop bars is wonderful. But they are real vintage.

Of the Rivendell and VeloORANGE bikes, the VO offers disc brakes if that is your thing, the Rivendell does not. That Linus bike is a sharp looking bike, and appears to have the twin thin top tube design...