like a kilo/windsor but with a "ladies" top tube?

im trying to get something for my girlfriend, she wants a light bike (has to carry it up 2 flights of stairs) with the step through frame (she does love her dresses) and were pretty broke these days.

any ideas?

::cough:: bikesdirect, you listening? ::cough::

used ladies road frame

You could try using a ladies 3 speed frame. Mixte is quite well known for their ladies' frames.

yeah, ive looked into it (though I admit, only briefly) it seems anything that looks light enough looses any aesthetic appeal and anything decent looking is either expensive (~$450) or extremely overweight.

I picked up an 80s 3 speed "eurotour" on the cheap for her but it weighs too much for her to get it up and down the stairs, I just figured the same would be true for most 80s ladies road bikes.

I suppose im being unrealistic. I want cheap, light(ish) and classy,I can probably only pick two.

^^For our information and general education, could you tell us what have you found, so far, that would be light?

I used to own a aluminum ladies' bike (it had a Nexus 8 speed gear hub - pretty neat tech, actually) that was very light. With the relatively heavy gear hub it was stil light enough to carry up and down 4 flights of stairs, every day.

Get an 80's or 90's(uses English BB) mixte frame and build it up. I did that for my wife with a Peugeot Iseran mixte frame. LINK

Where's Ryan, with the Taco Bike?

just for the record, Mixte is a type of frame, not a brand.

This is an awesome build. The saddle bag is extra credit.

Yeah, a Mixte Fixie is just awesome. There was a comic about an Amish woman who rode like the wind on a Mixte Fixie.

This is a mixte style frame. Note the double top-tube to provide more stability:


More info here:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_m.html#mixte

Soma makes one.

SOMA Buena Vista Mixte frameset: $400+
OP states very clearly that that is outside of their budget.

linus bikes.

https://www.linusbike.com/models/mixte/

High-ten steel

I do wish there was something in-between SOMA's frame and that. Used is about the only way to go.

i am building a ladies fixed gear for my girlfriend. It is so far going well and very cheap. I bought a old schwinn frame, spray painted it pink (yes I know..), bought the bottom bracket adaptor, bb, crank, chain, cog/lock ring, and saddle for about $125. Have all the other parts already.

Only catch is she REALLLLYYY wants pink Deep V's.. Those are a lot of money. BUT for the record, it is going to be a pretty sweet bike once I get the $235 for those "way to hip expensive" rims.

This is what my boyfriend and I did to an '83 ladies Schwinn Le Tour I found in my neighbor's yard:

It's light enough for me to lug it a flight if stairs or two if I have to, and it was pretty cheap to build, minus the powder coating. And the saddle, although I managed to find it on sale for $92 shipped.

since you're in portland, you should check out city bikes (the one on 7th and ankeny). they have a lot of reasonably priced used frames so you may be able to find what you're looking for.

Ill give city bikes a look, havent been there in a while anyway.

I really just wish I could get something more modern and modify it. I know a fair bit about pulling a bike apart and putting it together, but piecing together a bike( especially a used/vintage frame where I probably wont know the specs off the bat) is just on the outside of my realm.

but then again, no better way to learn than by doing...

Nice build!

Mixte Peugeots are a dime a dozen on Craigslist

I'll use this thread (i.e. I'll hijack it for my own purposes) to ask: is there a light variant of this classic style frame:

I would love to ride a bike built around a frame like that (imagine the irony - you dig irony, don't you? You fixie guys are all down with irony, I believe?), but is there a company that makes aluminum frames like that?

How are these frames even called in English?

pake urban 6 speed. dunno if the frame is hi-ten or not, but seems pretty awesome. v-brakes, 6 speed, nice looking bike, ~$400.

To the OP: so what did you pick, in the end? I'm really curious. I'm building a beater around a women's frame. I hope it's going to be fun to ride for 2/3rds of the family (my son is only 3 months).

nothing. I dont really feel comfortable picking up a frame off craigslist and all the new ones are either expensive or ugly (or both). guess ill just hold out hoping bikes direct makes one....