Percist

I have been commuting for the past 4 months. Now, my wife wants to try it too. I ride a Bianchi Castro Valley but she is not exactly athletic and would like the feel of a comfort bike/cruiser. However, she works 10miles away by car (interstate), approximately 15-17 mi by bike. She would have to ride all the way through the city to get there including some 4-lane heavily traveled streets. It is completely flat here though so no grinding up hills.

Her requirement for the bike she gets: It has to be purple. She likes the Electra Karma but its a 3-speed cruiser with coaster brakes and I am concerned about her safety. She will not be going much faster than 10-12 mph the entire way for the first couple months at least. I want her to be able to commute but am concerned about the time it will take her and her safety in traffic.

If she insists on commuting, I was thinking something more along the lines of a Cannondale H300 (also purple), a tougher hybrid.

She has her heart set on the Karma and I don't know what to do. Do I get her a bike that might get her run over or do I make her happy with 'the pretty one'. Do I bite the bullet and get both so she can ride the H300 when she realizes that the Karma just won't work?

I have been married 10 years and know that momma's gotta be happy; I just want her to be alive too!

Any suggestions?

flipped4bikes

Yeah, get her the bike she wants. She IS ALWAYS RIGHT. What's the worst that could happen? I can't imagine she'll pedal a 3-speed that'll outrun her coaster brake. maybe she'll want a better bike later. Of course, it's still always her choice then too...

Fastr Pastr

BOTH HAHA, just kidding.

My wife showed an interest so we went shopping and got her the Specialized Crossroads. It has 27" wheels, so if we ride together, we'll have a better chance of hanging together with less effort on her part. You already know the cruiser is not a good choice for the commute. If it comes down to one or the other, buy the one that will get her out riding. She may not dive right in to commuting, so if she'll ride the Karma, get her that one and then buy the other when she's ready OR, buy the cdale and then suprise her with the Karma for Christmas.

Your call! Congrats that your wife wants to start riding.

slowandsteady

Does she currently ride at all now? 17 miles x2 is a really long ride for a beginner. And on a three speed cruiser is just plain torture....

I don't really see what difference the style of bike makes for safety. Safety has much more to do with visibility and following the rules of the road.

The real issue here is that her bike selection based only on color is just plain stupid. She needs to get the bike that can perform the job she asks of it. 34 miles a day is nothing to sneeze at and a road bike makes the most sense. They do sell them in purple too. I am partial to Fujis and they do have some purple bikes that may fit the bill.

Here is an obnoxious pink one.
https://www.fujibikes.com/2007/bikes.asp?id=294&subcat=3
Here is a more subdued purple and silver one.

https://www.fujibikes.com/2007/bikes....=293&subcat=3#

geo8rge

A folding bike might fit into her life better. Dahon Caio, presto light, sweatpea. Downtube mini. Or if you are loaded Brompton.

See if f the bike has pegs for rear brake, no reason not to have 3. swith out coaster for drum rear brake? Rear disk brake?

Alrocket

"What kind of car do you drive?"

"Ummm, a red one"

stapfam

Final test for any new bike is a test ride. If she is thinking of commuting- then Point out the advantages of the Cannondale but see if you can get a test ride on both of them. If both bikes are at the same shop- Get them to lower the pressures on the pretty one or get the brakes rubbing.

My wife got into cycling before me and her bike had to be something she would ride. She settled on 3 that she liked and test rode them. The one she got was far more ridable than the other two.

krazygluon

I would try to persuade her into spending a month training her way up to being able to do the commute distance,or at least a few weeks. I did this and don't think I would have stuck with commuting had I not.

As much of a purple-fiend as my fiance and I are, neither of us own purple bikes. If she's really die-hard about it, you could help her find an older bike that needs a paintjob anyway and go purple.

fillthecup

17 miles, or 34 if roundtrip, may be excruciating on a 'comfort' bike, leading to numbness, saddle sores, and tingly appendages. If there's a way for you guys to test 'em out first so that she might experience those issues firsthand, then you could let her discomfort do the convincing for you. Some bikeshops are ok with allowing long testrides. Or if not, perhaps borrowing bikes with similar geometries and testing those on weekend rides could be helpful.

leob1

Have her test ride both, then decide.

FlowerBlossom

I completely understand purple. I am resisting buying a new bike for my commute because I can't find a bike in the colors I like.

BTW, for the person who recommended a pink bike, pink is not purple. I hate it when people give me the "pink answer" just because I'm female and I want purple.

You could always get her a custom comfort bike and have it custom painted purple.

edit: give her the pros and cons of the bike she wants, and then if she still wants the purple one, get it for her.

Just be ready to coach her with it. DO NOT tell her "I TOLD YOU SO", because, then she will just go back to driving a car. Be ready with suggestions such as, initally she might try to ride one-way, take the bus the other way, for a week or two to get used to it. Or, ride the route with her on a weekend, time it, and then work out a schedule and see if it truly works into her schedule. If not suggest the bus+ bike idea. And, if she complains of muscle aches that she didn't anticipate, get her a gift certificate to a spa for a massage, and tell her that you want her to keep riding and this is to help her get there. This is waaaaaaaaay better than an "I told you so".

And be flexible. If you turn out to be right, maybe the purple bike will be turned into and errands-bike for closer to home trips, and then offer a cyclocross or sporty tourer for the ride to work, and when she's getting really into it, a Bianchi or Serrotta w/ campy parts for the weekend rides with you! Any woman would be so lucky to have her guy buy her 3 bikes!!!

I can't wait until she starts asking for purple panniers!!!

We are all very happy she wants to do this...congrats to her and you! And, tell her "Happy Trails" from all of us.

FlowerBlossom

P.S. I just got back from a bike trip to the Netherlands, where women wear street clothes while riding bikes, with shoes with heels on their feet. The bikes there are old, heavy, 3 speeds, and they bike at a mighty fine clip. If they can do, so can we.

slowandsteady

I hate it when a woman's sole criteria for a purchase is the color. I hate it even more when that color must be pink or purple. It makes us look like superficial idiots.

Personally, I bought my bike because of its components(105 & Ultegra), frame geometry, wheels, weight, cost, and overall ride quality. But, hey maybe I should have just gotten a purple.

v1k1ng1001

You need to tell your wife that it's time to grow up. A bicycle for commuting is not a toy and should not ride like the banana seat cruiser she had in 2nd grade, even if it is purple.

That Karma is great for riding a few blocks to the convenicence store but it is a ludicrous to expect a 20 mile daily commute from it. You're going to drop $400 on it, she'll ride it two or three times to work, be exhausted, hate it, be turned off to riding forever and then you'll have that much less space in your garage for the next 20 yrs.

I used to sell the Cannondale hybrids. That line has always been fantastic. I sold hundreds of them every year, mostly to new/inexperienced riders, and never once had a complaint. You're absolutely right to think that an H300 would make a much, much better commuter for your wife given the distance and conditions you've specified.

Explain to her that the happiness of owning a flashy purple toy will quickly fade when that coaster brake/3 spd hub (how dangerous is a coaster brake??) fails her in traffic or when her ass, her back, her shoulders and her legs become sore from riding such a heavy (that thing is made out of hi-ten steel for chrissakes!!!), upright bicycle every day. She may not believe you so tell her I said so.

If she persists, have her suit up for a 20 mile test ride. Do 20 miles on the H300 Saturday and 20 miles on the karma Sunday. The H300's superiority will then be self-evident.

Stay strong brotha!

FlowerBlossom

But, it doesn't make us look like superficial idiots if we choose a purchase because it's black, or blue, or red, or has flames or is fluorescent multi-colored and has the name "ultegra" written on it. And, it never makes men look like superficial idiots, even if they want pink or purple.

I think it makes women look like they have an opinion about something, and voicing that opinion and not letting someone make her feel inferior, "like an idiot", because someone else's insecurities get tied into it, doesn't make her look like an idiot at all. Even if it is about something like color.

Boudicca

Seventeen miles is a scarily long commute for someone who is not used to riding. Could she take the car half way (avoiding the busy streets perhaps), and then ride the rest? Or could you meet her half way for a bit and then drive her to work? You want her to enjoy the ride, and not be cursing you every mile of the way.

chephy

Agreed. It will probably take almost two hours one way, if she is out of shape and there is traffic/lights. Is she willing to spend that much time getting to and from work?

She clearly does not have the experience to understand what's involved in commuting that distance if her main criterion for bike selection is colour and deceptive "user-friendly" looks. One commute may put her off riding very quickly - if she even manages to finish it. I do admire her willingness to try it and I'm sure she'll become an expert soon enough if she sticks with it - but I think she should probably work up to it. Maybe take a bus partway, or a train, if you're fortunate to have some commuter trains in your area, or drive for half of the journey... something along those lines.

But I betcha they don't bike 17 miles one way on those things. Probably more like 2.

slowandsteady

Nope, they just look like idiots.

dave80909

Thats a problem...can't help here much

Happy Wife = Happy life

Glad your not me !
Good luck

v1k1ng1001

I used to sell bikes. Many of customers, men and women, would balk at a bike perfectly suited to their needs without saying why. I'd eventually ask, "don't care for the color?" They'd hrm and haw for a minute but finally they'd say, "I don't want to seem shallow, this is a perfect bike for me and I love how it rides, but yeah, I wish it came in another color." Then I'd find them a more acceptable color at which point they'd happily pay more or settle for fewer features to get a satisfying frame color.

Aesthetics are important.

That said, I still would never sell recommend a cruiser for a 20 mile commute just to sell a bike.

geebee

I agree it's going to be an impressive comute. How about getting the bike she wants and fit better brakes and upgrade the hub if it proves inadequate, if the trip is truly flat the three speed may actually be ok.

CB HI

Find more purple bikes and test ride all of them. If she is in really good shape now, she may be able to ride 34 miles round trip, otherwise find a route she can drive part way and cycle the rest on roads comfortable for her. She can then gradually increase her distance as she gets stronger, but make it clear a combination commute is fine (she never has to do the full 34 miles). Get her the best quality bike she likes. The more she likes the bike, the more she will ride.

v1k1ng1001

a lot of those frames aren't set up for cantilever brakes

you're still going to be stuck with a lot of the same problems if you upgrade the hub to a five speed, and that would mean rebuilding the rear wheel

slowandsteady

And those people are idiots too. Just because you can find a lot of idiots doesn't make them any less idiotic.

I can understand buying a bike in a particular color, but only if you have found the perfect bike and they happen to come in two different colors. All things being equal....then decide on looks. But, when you are on mile 89 of 100, I doubt anyone is thinking, hey I am really glad I got the purple bike.

Prince9931

Why are you even having an issue with this .......... Explain to her why coaster brakes are not safe and let her know it will give YOU peace of mind knowing she can stop when she needs to with decent brakes and a better fitting bike. And remind her who she is ............. wife , companion , lover etc.........