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Step through frame

  • This topic has 11 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by Anonymous.
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  • June 4, 2019 at 1:31 pm #29718
    Spofferoonie

    My wife has/had a serious knee problem which means she pretty much has to have a step through frame but most of the frames that are available seem to be somewhat sturdy to say the least.

    She’s got a Liv at the moment, which is fine, but if she wants to upgrade so she can go further, is there anything out there which is at least a little more lightweight but still flat handlebars and a triple? She needs the gear ratio and isn’t a weekend warrior, just likes having a weekly spin that’s increased in distance over the year or so she’s had the Liv.

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  • June 7, 2019 at 4:50 pm #943017
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    Anonymous
    Spofferoonie wrote:
     

    She’s got an Alight which is perfectly fine but whenever I pick it up to hand it over to her, I almost put my back out as I lift my carbon one with my little finger.

    Wheels and pedals already changed (and seatpost, tyres and saddle). I’ll take a look at the suggestions.

    Thank you!

    Ah, the Alight isn’t a step through frame, anyways, if she isn’t needing to have a true stepthrough frame then that opens your options much more and to seeking out lighter off the peg options (see above) Here’s something in the same mould https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specialized-Vita-Elite-CARBON-FIBRE-Small-ladies-hybrid-bike/133076157640?epid=1829794346&hash=item1efbf504c8:g:9-UAAOSwHC1c-S7l

    Luck finding something.

    June 7, 2019 at 2:53 pm #943015
    0
    matthewn5

    My wife also wanted a step

    My wife also wanted a step-through frame, so I found a step-through carbon touring frame from High On Bikes, would have been about 7 years ago, anyway, with flat bars and 105 it built up to about 8.5kg, could probably go lighter if I’d spent more:

    https://serving.photos.photobox.com/39159123dfae2b5c1c3db100c7f358e95ca4ce8ac12d2302bb5101e24faff8ef47d9dc92.jpg

    She’d never had a bike anything like as light as this and is very happy with it.

    June 5, 2019 at 12:21 pm #943013
    0
    Anonymous
    Deeferdonk wrote:
    Would a brompton be too much of an oddball?

    The low horizontal crossbar/frame makes mounting/dismounting a doddle.

     

    I’ve often thought about getting a Brompton for my wife to use occasionally (she doesn’t own a cycle), it wouldn’t take up a lot of storage space and I could pinch it if I was ever going anywhere on the train 😀

    June 5, 2019 at 11:30 am #943011
    0
    Deeferdonk

    Would a brompton be too much

    Would a brompton be too much of an oddball?

    The low horizontal crossbar/frame makes mounting/dismounting a doddle.

     

    June 5, 2019 at 11:23 am #943009
    0
    Simon E
    Spofferoonie wrote:
    She’d be mortified if I told her it was for older riders but possibly. Thank you.

    That’s only the marketing angle. Once you’re past the brochure blurb I don’t see why they shouldn’t be suitable for riders of any age. They look pretty darn good to me.

    Some grown-ups insist on riding BMX bikes. Matt Richardson set an Hour record and rode up Mont Ventoux, the Stelvio and Alpe d’Huez on a Raleigh Chopper while Isla’s own staff do an annual pre-Christmas TT around the HQ on a tiny Cnoc (FB pics).

    June 5, 2019 at 7:52 am #943007
    0
    Spofferoonie
    BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
    Which model of Liv does she have now, is it the Liv Flourish?

    How tall is she, does she prefer a more upright position or is she okay with a slightly ‘sportier’ position, what kind of step over height are we talking about, 20/22/24″ more? 

    Also, how much does the current bike weigh and how much weight ‘loss’ do you think would make a difference and what is your budget?

    There are a few routes you can go down.

    Firstly, upgrade what you have, better/lighter wheels and tyres, bars, seatpost etc, better tyres with tyres pumped to the correct pressures will give her free speed/extra distance for same effort. Rigid steel bead tyres with stiff rubber are an absolute world away from a set of folding tyres with a softer compound, decent spec wheels will again make a significant difference.

    Cranks, if she wants low gears, great, but a triple usually equals more weight, especially low end stuff, shed some mre weight by getting shot of what’s on there and fitting something like a stronglight Impact or even lighter a vintage stronglight 80/100 triple, these are very lightweight (c.620g for a 48/36/28 excluding crank bolts)

    Even the pedals you can save some weight

    This is 13.6kg all in https://www.bikester.co.uk/diamant-elan-touring-bike-cradle-red-874071.html you can shed a lot of weight off that still

    Dawes Karakum low step, the 40cm/16″ frame might be enough to get her leg over https://spacycles.co.uk/m1b0s21p3978/DAWES-Karakum-Low-Step-2019, they’re not really light but have scope to reduce weight.

    Other options are to find a Ladies R531 and build up for example https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stunning-Coventry-Eagle-ladies-Vintage-Bike-Reynolds-531-Black/333178763611?hash=item4d9300795b:g:EwMAAOSwz4xcyezp

     

     

    She’s got an Alight which is perfectly fine but whenever I pick it up to hand it over to her, I almost put my back out as I lift my carbon one with my little finger.

    Wheels and pedals already changed (and seatpost, tyres and saddle). I’ll take a look at the suggestions.

    Thank you!

    June 5, 2019 at 7:49 am #943005
    0
    Spofferoonie
    Simon E wrote:
    Would the Islabikes Joni or Janis fit the bill?

    https://road.cc/offroad/content/news/islabikes-launches-new-icons-range-for-older-riders-3203

    She’d be mortified if I told her it was for older riders but possibly. Thank you.

    June 4, 2019 at 11:17 pm #943003
    0
    Anonymous

    Which model of Liv does she

    Which model of Liv does she have now, is it the Liv Flourish?

    How tall is she, does she prefer a more upright position or is she okay with a slightly ‘sportier’ position, what kind of step over height are we talking about, 20/22/24″ more? 

    Also, how much does the current bike weigh and how much weight ‘loss’ do you think would make a difference and what is your budget?

    There are a few routes you can go down.

    Firstly, upgrade what you have, better/lighter wheels and tyres, bars, seatpost etc, better tyres with tyres pumped to the correct pressures will give her free speed/extra distance for same effort. Rigid steel bead tyres with stiff rubber are an absolute world away from a set of folding tyres with a softer compound, decent spec wheels will again make a significant difference.

    Cranks, if she wants low gears, great, but a triple usually equals more weight, especially low end stuff, shed some mre weight by getting shot of what’s on there and fitting something like a stronglight Impact or even lighter a vintage stronglight 80/100 triple, these are very lightweight (c.620g for a 48/36/28 excluding crank bolts)

    Even the pedals you can save some weight

    This is 13.6kg all in https://www.bikester.co.uk/diamant-elan-touring-bike-cradle-red-874071.html you can shed a lot of weight off that still

    Dawes Karakum low step, the 40cm/16″ frame might be enough to get her leg over https://spacycles.co.uk/m1b0s21p3978/DAWES-Karakum-Low-Step-2019, they’re not really light but have scope to reduce weight.

    Other options are to find a Ladies R531 and build up for example https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stunning-Coventry-Eagle-ladies-Vintage-Bike-Reynolds-531-Black/333178763611?hash=item4d9300795b:g:EwMAAOSwz4xcyezp

     

     

    June 4, 2019 at 9:07 pm #943001
    0
    Simon E

    Would the Islabikes Joni or

    Would the Islabikes Joni or Janis fit the bill?

    https://road.cc/offroad/content/news/islabikes-launches-new-icons-range-for-older-riders-3203

    June 4, 2019 at 6:26 pm #942999
    0
    Spofferoonie
    allanj wrote:
    This sort of thing?:

    https://www.cube.eu/uk/2019/bikes/road/road-cyclocross/sl-road/cube-sl-road-pro-iridiumnred-2019-trapeze/

     

    Probably not low enough I’m afraid

    June 4, 2019 at 6:05 pm #942997
    0
    allanj

    This sort of thing?:

    This sort of thing?:

    https://www.cube.eu/uk/2019/bikes/road/road-cyclocross/sl-road/cube-sl-road-pro-iridiumnred-2019-trapeze/

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