Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Girlfriend's Bike Gone

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Girlfriend's Bike Gone

Old 05-30-07, 05:56 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 326
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Girlfriend's Bike Gone

I won't say it was stolen as she left it pretty much abandoned and unlocked at her office for over a year, but regardless she is now without a bike and wanting to get back into it. Being the good boyfriend I occasionally manage to be, I told her I would help set her up with a new one. So I have a few questions for our female (or otherwise knowledgable) members:

1) Is there any merit to the WSD bikes? Are there any real, tangible differences between a two geometrically close to identical bikes, if one has WSD and the other does not?

2) I have the better part of a low mileage Ultegra 8sp group on hand for a tri-bike project that has yet to find the right frame. Would going the used route and either having bar-end or downtube shifters be an option for someone relatively inexperienced on a bike? Alternatively, are there 8sp STI shifters out there that I'm unaware of (aside from Sora)?

3) I'm not sure she'll stick with it, if I don't go used are there any budget-ish frames that won't make either of us feel too guilty if she decides she doesn't like it and goes back to running?

4) If I give her a bike how long does she have to stay with me?
rknj is offline  
Old 05-30-07, 06:09 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lexington, MA
Posts: 82
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I see your in Cambridge, go to Wheel Works in Belmont on Trapelo Road. They've got a good selection and a lot in stock. Don't go on a weekend though. Their sales people seem pretty decent. CycleWorks in Burlington is good but their stuff tends to be high end and expensive. I'd avoid REI or EMS, they tend to focus more on Mountain bikes and dont have that wide of a selection.

I just got my wife a Trek 7300 for like $435. WSD bikes are usually a little shorter from seat to handlebars to accomodate their shorter torsos. And the cross bar is lower to make it eaiser to get on and off.
soloban is offline  
Old 05-30-07, 06:16 PM
  #3  
Burning Matches.
 
ElJamoquio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 9,714
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4076 Post(s)
Liked 1,002 Times in 676 Posts
Tiagra was 8 spd just a few years ago, if I recall correctly. I imagine there was a time when 105 was 8 spd. Perhaps in the middle ages.
__________________
ElJamoquio didn't hate the world, per se; he was just constantly disappointed by humanity.
ElJamoquio is offline  
Old 05-30-07, 07:05 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
dagna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 690
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by ElJamoquio
Tiagra was 8 spd just a few years ago, if I recall correctly. I imagine there was a time when 105 was 8 spd. Perhaps in the middle ages.
My Klein came with 7-speed 105, so maybe not *quite* that long ago.

For the OP: WSD is particularly good for more petite women; over about 5'4" the returns diminish (most WSD styles don't come in larger sizes anyway).
dagna is offline  
Old 05-30-07, 07:21 PM
  #5  
Burning Matches.
 
ElJamoquio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 9,714
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4076 Post(s)
Liked 1,002 Times in 676 Posts
Was your 7-spd STI?
__________________
ElJamoquio didn't hate the world, per se; he was just constantly disappointed by humanity.
ElJamoquio is offline  
Old 05-30-07, 07:37 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 176
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Cycle Loft is nearby and not too bad, I bought my first bike from them when I lived in Boston. They are under new ownership now, so I can't speak to the current staff.
As someone who is building up a bike from a frame, I can say that in 'most' cases it is cheaper to buy the complete bike you want over building or upgrading.
rob999 is offline  
Old 05-30-07, 07:38 PM
  #7  
Used to be a climber..
 
GuitarWizard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Posts: 6,849

Bikes: 2016 Ridley Fenix SL, 2020 Trek Emonda ALR (rim brake)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts
Bring her to a shop (that knows bike fit), and get her on some bikes. Everyone is built differently....a woman I ride with is 5'6" with a 34" inseam.
GuitarWizard is offline  
Old 05-30-07, 07:54 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
RussB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Millis, MA
Posts: 296

Bikes: 2015 Trek Domane 5.2

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I was at Wheelworks in Belmont last week (first time). They have a decent selection of bikes. I found they have the best assortment of accessories I've seen yet compared to other bike shops. You may also want to check out Innterational Bike in Newton. They also have a very good selection of bikes on hand. I bought my last 2 bikes there (Gary Fisher Zebrano and a Trek 2.1 spa). When I bought my first bike there, I found a bike I liked but it was a little small, Test rode another to check out the size. They ordered the one I liked in my size, it only took a couple days to ship it from thier warehouse. They allow you to take it for a decent test ride as well.
But the best advice is to do some research online, then hit a few bike shops (take notes). Then do more research before the purchase. And remember a good fit is the most important. If you don't think the bike shop is getting your friend a good fitting bike, go to another shop.
RussB is offline  
Old 05-30-07, 09:26 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 326
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I'll probably be hitting up Wheelworks since her and I have an acquaintance working there as a wrench. Good to know the WSD is mostly for smaller sizes, she's 5'7 so we'll focus on standard models I guess.
rknj is offline  
Old 05-30-07, 09:58 PM
  #10  
Bike Dork
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Lansdale, PA
Posts: 234
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by rknj
I'll probably be hitting up Wheelworks since her and I have an acquaintance working there as a wrench. Good to know the WSD is mostly for smaller sizes, she's 5'7 so we'll focus on standard models I guess.
Check out a couple WSD bikes too. My wife is 5'7" also and just bought a Trek 2100 WSD. All the other bikes she tried (regular men's frames) she felt too stretched out on.
Jay Gloab is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.