[Cycle_Jim]

We are looking to get my Mother a new bike for Christmas, her 10 year old apollo has seen better days!

What were looking for is a dutch (I think) style bike. Sit up style, wicker basket – maybe panniers – with a budget of around £400.

My dad was saying about the Vicky Pendleton range and if boardmans quality are anything to go by shouldn’t be too bad…but. Halfords.

Some things it should have ideally –

Fender/mudgaurds
Basket
Kickstand?
Hub gearing (more durable/less maintenance?)

Topic

[bambergbike]

My mother bought herself a
My mother bought herself a bike with hub gears last year – a Felt hybrid which is not totally sit-up-and-beg, but fairly close. It’s nice and light, and when I borrowed it I was just about able to keep up with my sister (on a road bike) but the gearing doesn’t meet my mother’s needs all that well. The Shimano nexus hub is one of the three speed ones, and my mother would really need the seven or eight speed version to even out the mismatch between the power she can produce and the hill she lives on.

[Caroline Dodgson]

Pashleys are the classic
Pashleys are the classic British sit up and beg, or look to Ridgeback for some good value open frame options.

[_rae_]

Am curious now to see what
Am curious now to see what bike you go for! Good luck getting a good steed 🙂

[Cycle_Jim]

Oo quite a fan of the
Oo quite a fan of the bobbins! Some nice colours too, and surprisingly ‘light’!

Will check out the Giants and decathlon too, thanks for the help everyone!

[Stratman]

Decathlon are probably worth
Decathlon are probably worth a look too

[_rae_]

I don’t have one (I have a
I don’t have one (I have a road bike only) but if I was going to get a city bike for around £400 I’d probably go for a Bobbin bicycle. Lots of colours, styles, easy to maintain and kind of ‘vintage’ styled. Most have hub gears and there are loop, mixte and step-through type frames e.g.

http://www.bobbinbikes.co.uk/bobbin-birdie-sky-blue/

[Dizzy]

I have a Giant Expression DX,
I have a Giant Expression DX, bought it after my youngest sons were born. I’ve never had a ladies bike before, but needed something I could get off & on of easily & able to tow a trailer.
It’s almost 8yrs old now & still going strong, it’s towed upto 9stone of child & trailer, fully loaded panniers over the South Downs. The only thing to need fixing has been a few rear spokes & 2 new chains.
I’m back on a road bike now, but i’m keeping her in the shed for my ‘old age’

[mrkeith119]

Have you looked at the
Have you looked at the Raleigh range. My cousin bought something similar to what you have described, and she has been happy with it.

[Author]

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