WestPablo

Checkout the Giant Via W...

Gothic Sunshine

Don't see why not.I'm not actually sure what that is, but I live in Silicon Valley, so we probably have at least one.

xenologer

Santa Cruz Bike Church is a good place
Bike Church Tool Cooperative - The Bike Church

they also seem to have a women&trans exclusive days twice a month, maybe you'll find someone in a similar situation ?

ickyicky

A bike co-op is a nonprofit shop devoted to promoting cycling. Almost always has some decent used bikes for sale. Usually ridiculously TS/TG friendly too, for what it's worth.

Gothic Sunshine

Santa Cruz is too far. I live out by San Jose and don't drive.

Gothic Sunshine

A quick Google search brought up three near Downtown San Jose. I'll look into them.

xenologer

the hwy17 express bus leaves from SJ diridon station and drops you in downtown Santa Cruz Metro -about 2 blocks from the Bike Church, on the same street
easiest trip ever

better than taking a car there, parking considered

rebel1916

I would go there, were I you.

Coluber42

To the extent you have a choice (in your price range there may not be many choices) I'd look for the models that are geared toward urban transportation as opposed to just the cutesy cruiser style. They can look fairly similar, but not all step--through frames are created equal and some are better thought out for getting you around and carrying your stuff than others.
The most thoughtful and serious discussions of various types of step-through frames that I have seen can be found on the Lovely Bicycle! Blog (lovelybike.blogspot.com ... and in interest of full disclosure, my business has a paid ad there, although that's not why I'm sending you there - I am sending you there for the same reason I paid for an ad there, which is that I think the blog is good).


I don't know whether the riding and tucking thing is going to work... I'm a woman so don't have personal experience in that area, but I can't imagine how that could work. But actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the upright riding position of the bikes you're looking at might *possibly* make it work, if you are sitting upright enough. Some upright cruiser-type bikes are designed with very laid-back seat tube angles, so that with your saddle adjusted for good leg extension you can still reach the ground with your feet flat. That style is really geared toward folks who are nervous about balancing on a bike or have trouble starting and stopping, but it might help you in that the position of your torso and legs shouldn't be that far off from how it is when you sit in a regular chair. The drawback of that geometry is that you have really no leverage to stand up out of the saddle because the handlebars end up being so close above the pedals. But maybe it's worth a try.


With very upright bikes like that, the parameters that are different between men's and women's road bikes become much less important because of the position you're riding in. Other than top tube length, "women's" road bikes often have narrower bars, shorter reach levers, shorter cranks, and different saddles. But there is a huge variation in people as others have said, and lots of people need some of those things but not others. I have met men who rode women's frames, in some cases because they were very short; in some cases because they had long legs; in some cases because they had limited flexibility or back issues and needed the shorter reach to compensate.


But regardless of gender, the gender the label says the bike is for, etc, the only way to find out what bike will work for you is to go on test rides. It is totally OK to go to a bike shop and go on test rides and not buy anything that day. It is OK to go on test rides and not like anything they have at that shop and not buy anything from them. A good shop will make the effort to get you on a bike that works for you instead of pushing you toward one that doesn't, even if it means you buy it somewhere else, because then you'll be more inclined to come back for locks, accessories, clothing, tune-ups, etc.

Gothic Sunshine

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'll go with the suggesting of riding untucked and tucking when I get to school. I still intend to buy a cruiser, but it'll be a while. My Uncle just gave me his mountain bike (1987 Hard Rock Specialized), and it's a mighty fine machine.

cyclebee

They are always fun and you can get work done there too. Usually some pretty knowledgable people work in them

ickyicky

Can you just buy it off him or borrow it for longer? It's a Cromoly mountain bike, it's done just about all the depreciating it can. Full-coverage fenders, a rear rack, slick tires and you could ride it until the heat death of the universe. Being a student, you want something cheap and not likely to attract thieves.

Gothic Sunshine

He gave it to me in the sense that it is now my property. I was borrowing it from him when I first joined the forum, and I never updated my bike tag. I'll do that now.

I am leaning towards a rear rack, I currently use road tires, and I'm debating fenders.

Machka 

Enjoy!