| Author | Message | ||
     Rum_runner |
I got a question for anybody that rides mountain bikes. Im buying one for the wife shes 5'2" should i buy a 24" or 26". I know nothing about mountain bikes. | ||
| Gmc310 |
As an experienced rider ,I'd go with the 26" ,many more parts are available , a size 13" frame should be pretty good for a woman , the best thing to do is to go to a good shop , mail order bike shops are killing the local bike shop and they should be willing to treat you pretty well ,they'll give you advise on sizing ect. if you are talking about buying a walmart bike be carefull , the 17 year old kids they have assembling them often dont do a very good job with shifting ,brakes ,ect.hope this helps ,Gary | ||
| Rum_runner |
Is trex i think thats how you spell it are they good bikes. | ||
| Toona |
Trek, Yep, the bicycle that Lance Armstrong rides. I bought a 26" wheel, 13" seat post bike for my 11 y.o. daughter, the guy at the bike shop said she'll never need another because it will grow with her. | ||
| Buellfighter |
My wife is 5'2" and rides a 14" framed Barracuda and loves it. 26" wheels roll smoother over the bumps than 24's | ||
| Rum_runner |
I don't follow when you guys are talking about 13" 14" what size is that for. | ||
| Toona |
It's the length of the upright frame post that the seat post slides into. | ||
| Buellfighter |
Frames (at a bicycle shop not walmart) are measured from the center of the bottom bracket (where the crank arms are bolted on) to the point where the top tube meets the seat tube. | ||
| Bake |
Find out her inseam measurement and take it to the bike shop, they will set you up. | ||
| Roadrailer |
Generally, she needs to be able to stand over the top tube and still have enough room to lift the front wheel 1-2". That said, your best bet is to take her to a knowledgeable bike shop and let them fit her. What kind of riding is she wanting to do? | ||
| Aldaytona |
Go to a couple of local bike shops, service varies like motorcycle dealerships, you'll find out all you need to know. BTW the Trek that Lance Armstrong rode in the tour cost more than ALL the Treks in the bike shop, it's far from the road bikes we ride. A good road bike costs as much as a Buell XB..................................... | ||
| 12r |
26" every time. The frame size is the most important dimension and if this is wrong the bike will never fit. As a starting point, the seat height is about right when your leg doesn't quite fully extend at the bottom of the pedal stroke. An MTB that allows you to put your feet flat on the floor is so wrong. The reach to the handlebar is a matter of personal preference but high wide bars will give better control downhill and narrow flat bars are better for XC and uphill. | ||
| Rubberdown |
Support your local bike shop. FIT IS EVERYTHING in cycling. If your shop is any good they should be able to get the fit right. Trek has a nice line of bikes and a very good warranty. I've owned/raced their (previous) top drawer road bike and it was a fine machine. I've also used their warranty and they were very cooperative.} | ||
| Teeps |
The best advice has already been mentioned, but I'll reiterate: Do buy from a L.B.S. (local bicycle shop), because fitting the bike to the rider is most important aspect of cycling. Also make sure she has a good pair of cycling shorts. They should be cut for women, so as to protect the "lady parts." And, finally, Trek is a great company. This past summer Trek warrantied my 10 year old (50+ thousand mile)carbon fiber frame for making noise. | ||
| Ceejay |
Call around, some good local shops even have a fit bike. Its a bike you can adjust all aspects of-top tube height, bottom bracket height, top tube length, stem length, etc. If she's serious about buying a good quality bike that she/you want to have a for a long time it can definitely help. I believe that Trek and a few other companies get pretty female specific-thier frame geometries are designed more for a womans longer legs/shorter torso %wise when you get into the 13 to 15" frames sizes. | ||
| Jc000 |
I work at a bike shop part-time. You don't want a 24" bike, the parts aren't so readily available, and as near as I can tell no REPUTABLE major manufacturer makes adult bikes in that size. At her height she will probably need a 13" frame (or XS) but it is true, it is best if she can come in and get fit properly. Almost as important as her height is her leg to torso ratio. Please whatever you do, don't but a bike from Wal Mart or some other department store. They are heavy, poor fitting and unserviceable. I always tell people, you need to speed at LEAST $250 for a decent, basic bike, $3-800 will get you a good novice-intermediate bike, $8-1500 will be a very high quality ride, over $2000 puts you in the top quality level. It is true that pro-level bikes can approach or even surpass $10,000. Please email me if you have any questions. | ||
| Ducxl |
$2300..for a USA made Mert Lawwill designed Yeti/Schwinn "Buy American,the job you save may be your own" Trek mostly uses Chinese&Korean frames nowadays'.. | ||
| Ceejay |
Indy fab and litespeed are a couple of cool bike manufacturers in the US. Rocky Mountain is a BC canadian place that makes excellent frames...Schwinn, Mongoose, and maybe Giants are now in the superstores ie wal-mart, Meijer, K-mart... Ducxl-you have one of those straight sixes? sweet bikes.... | ||
| Rum_runner |
I will not be buying her a $2300 dollar bicycle. Sense i've been in the market for a motorcycle for her. If she found out i bought a bicycle for that much. She would be pi$$ed to say the least. But thanks for all the info it really helped out. | ||
| Ducxl |
Sensibly speaking,plenty of reasonably prices bikes for under $500. The best advice is to stay away from Wallyworld type stores and stick to a local reputable dedicated bicycle shop.They'll set her up with a bike that fits her well. Ceejay-nope,not a straight six OR eight.Those are extreme downhill freeride bikes.I'm riding the "Four Banger"/w Judy hydra forks/Lawwill rear and Hayes hydro disks. We dont have the terrain here in Rhode Island,but the suspension does certainly help in the rocky technical stuff.A fun ride | ||
| Jc000 |
I think a nice sensible bike would be a Specialized Rock Hopper (NOT a Hard Rock). They have a women's model for $520. That bike will do her right for a long time. http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid= 22185 If she's already pretty fit or experienced as a rider she could move up to the Stumpjumper women's for $1400. She could even do some beginning racing on it. http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid= 22281 BTW, I'd avoid most bikes with disc brakes below $500. | ||
| Pwnzor |
24 or 26 refers to wheel size. You need to go by frame size. Have her stand over a bike, straddling it. She needs about 2 inches between her lady-parts and the top bar of the frame. Inseam, not height is the determining factor. | ||
| Ceejay |
I always wanted a straight six, slap a Marzocchi on the front and point it down a hill, I used to live in Abq, NM. Now I got a Rocky Mountian with Avids, zoke 80mm, and hugi hubs, super fun, but is a bit overkill for around here... Most places don't carry 24" mountain bikes, there's a few small shops that have 24" cruisers for the racing set, which can be way fun but I doubt you lady will like it much. If you hit a small bike shop they should help you with some nice bikes and still be under 500 bucks. Raleigh used to make some nice bikes with some excellent parts in the price range your looking for...I'm not sure if they're still around tho. Specialized like a few others have stated are very good bikes but you'll get the designed in the USA sticker, which is hard to avoid anymore... |
