fliphandywork

Greetings. I am hoping someone can help me. I am in the market for a road bike for my wife. She has never ridden before. Her heart was set on a treadmill but I convinced her a road bike is a better bet. She is going to start out riding it on a Fluid 2 trainer. I found this bike on eBay:

https://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-WOMENS-SPECI...QQcmdZViewItem

Is that bike worth the money? Should I go with something else at or below that price?

Thanks in advance.

waterrockets 

This is the same bike, for $795: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/gigi.htm

Not a bad value at all.

The ebay deal is a rip.

If she's new to the sport, I suggest having her test ride some bikes to figure out what size to get.

late

You can get an entry level road bike at a bike shop for that amount of money.

And if you do she can actually try a few, and find one that fits well. She can also try different types of bikes and see what she likes.

After a couple weeks cables will need tightening, and there is often a spoke out of line or something. A bike shop will fix that for free if you bought it there.

If you buy it there you can change some parts at the time of sale. I like to upgrade tires and wheels when I buy a bike. But that is prob more than she wants to do right now.

One other thing, a LOT of people in her situation buy a size small. Then a couple weeks later the muscles wake up and she wants to lean into it and can't. Finding
a good bike shop that will help you find the right bike is as important as anything else.

soze

1. Go to LBS.
2. Have wife ride around a bunch of different bikes.
3. Have wife decide on her own (no helping, hubby!) which bike she felt comfortable on the most.
4. Purchase bike.

This is not difficult.

ks1g

And when she gets her new bike, go on rides with a destination in mind: a casual restaurant, country inn, winery, picnic, maybe sightseeing along the New River trail (I think it's gravel, so no 23mm road tires). Save the training rides or Blue Ridge epic for next summer and if/when she gets into it. Go on a casual/social club ride. Enlist any riding couples you know. Maybe some spin classes over the winter. If she enjoys it, she'll stay with it. Turn the 1st rides into a near-death experience and you'll be looking at treadmills and listing that bike on craigslist before this time next year.

Pedal Wench

Let her pick out her own bike -- she must be smart, she married you, right? Seriously, let her decide what she wants and what fits best.

And, why would you subject her to the mindless boredom of a trainer? Even experienced, dedicated riders can barely stand the trainer. Buy some decent cold-weather gear and take her for a real ride.

ChunkyB

Steer clear of ebay unless you've ridden the exact bike and you know exactly what you want.

First of all, this bike is almost full tiagra with ultegra rear der, just so they can put ultegra in the listing. I'd go for something full 105 or tiagra (less money). Check out the LBS, and check out craigslist or other places you can buy used bikes, but test ride them first. There's really no way to know if a bike's going to fit if you don't ride it, and anyone will tell you that on your first bike, the fit is the most important thing.

clausen

Buy her the treadmill. I was in the exact situation, bought her the bike and now she doesn't ride it and still wants a treadmill.

Road Fan

This post is really important! It took me three tries to realize that my wife can pick out her own bike better than I can! She got a 27 speed Breezer and put about 1500 miles on it.

Not a total loss, I got to take over the Mondonico we bought for her. One of my best bikes ever, and the steel Trek has become a shopping workhorse!

Road Fan

JiveTurkey

Think you may have been reading the price wrong. The ebay price is $695 + $40 s/h = $740. That is lower than the BD listing of $795. The "list price" on both BD and eBay of $1695 is the hypothetical retail value.

I think it's a very decent bike for the money--especially since you can't be sure she'll use it down the road. Bought my wife the cheapest BD bike--and ended up selling it one year and 250 miles later. I don't regret it, but I'm glad I didn't spend more on one.

heflix455

Just one thing, if your wife hasnt rode before and you take her for a ride through the streets with cars ziping past, depending on the kind of woman she is she probably will not find it fun. Maybe a safer bet would be a hybrid bike so you could start off on mups or some local trails.

Cyclist0383

+1

Although you like road biking it might not be right for her. My wife loves cycling but hates riding road bikes.

Also, when you are riding together let her set the pace, go out and hammer your friends, not your wife.

waterrockets 

Yep. Just a glance, and I was wrong

Paul Barnard

Lots of wisdom in this post. I think she is much more likely to stay motivated if she has involvement in and ownership of the decision making process. Make the first rides more about fun than exercise.

redirekib

+1....My wife has been through a cruiser, an older GT MTN bike, a Giant TCR with clipless, at my prodding, ($1500 mistake). And the last one I got her was a Fuji Crosstown 4.0. She absolutely loves it. And now that I have learned to slow down and ride at her pace we finally have fun riding together.

bvfrompc

Bought my wife a treadmill for her birthday 5 years ago, we have since had to replace the deck, she uses it 5 days a week, fight over it sometimes, she loves it, best present I ever bought her.

This Sunday we pick up her first road bike.

So there you go.......

MichaelW

A road bike is not always the ideal style for a first bike. Some of the flat-bar road bikes are quite light and sporty but the controls are always to hand. They can usually be fitted with medium tyres, rack/fenders so extending the use to commuting, local errands, touring as well as club rides and fitness riding.

jgarcia186

SPRTYMAMA BIKE SHOP is the eBay store for Bikesdirect.com , you are dealing with the same people and same products. they are both reputable