Women's entry level roadbike: can you recommend one?

Arequipa

Hi! A friend of mine is looking at getting a good entry level women's roadbike, under the bike to work scheme.
She has a budget of approx €1000.

I think the spec of this Canyon is very good:
https://www.canyon.com/en-ie/road/endurace/endurace-al-6-0-wmn.html#

Can you recommend any models?
Can the Canyon spec be matched in a LBS?

Thank you!

jon1981

It's worth checking if they bike to work scheme will allow Canyon, most employers don't. You're really quite limited on bike options if you're sticking to womens specific models. Even the female version of the Cube bike below which has the closet spec to canyon is 250 euro more than the male version for the same spec! My wife has the male version of this bike btw and she loves it

male
http://shop.pennyfarthingcycles.com/product-p/-c-pel-r.htm

female
http://www.spokes.ie/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=productdetails&virtuemart_product_id=209&virtuemart_category_id=15&Itemid=662

You won't get near the Canyon spec for that money with Giant, Specialised, Felt...etc. Cube is probably the best value bike out there in the bike shops.

Arequipa

Thanks! So would it be okay for a girl to buy & ride a guy's bike?!

I think the Dept of Education dont specify only Lbs..
So canyon could be an option...

jon1981

Arequipa wrote: »

Thanks! So would it be okay for a girl to buy & ride a guy's bike?!

I think the Dept of Education dont specify only Lbs..
So canyon could be an option...

Yeah I mean , I'll let the women chime in here but loads of girls I know cycle men's bikes, they hold their value better too and can sell them on easier, also the saddle on women's bikes tend to be wide and less racy ... However if I could have bought a canyon on the bike to work scheme I would have but wasn't allowed ... I'd say go that route but read the advice from folk in here. I believe the wait time can be months and also you have to do a small bit of assembly yourself ... Could be wrong though.

Arequipa

Hey! I have 2 Canyons myself..
Assembly is easy & the wait time varies on thr stock at any given time..
Just wondering if a womens bikefit is different for a womens & mens bike?!

cython

Arequipa wrote: »

Hey! I have 2 Canyons myself..
Assembly is easy & the wait time varies on thr stock at any given time..
Just wondering if a womens bikefit is different for a womens & mens bike?!

One of the big differences in a ladies' bike is that the saddle will likely be female-specific. Some would claim this makes little odds, and to be fair if there is a premium attached you might get the saddle for less than the difference, though this is not an issue with Canyon. However plenty of women I know would never go back from their ladies' saddles once they switched, even having switched to a cheap but better fitting one.

eeeee

No need for women specific bike, unless she's very small I think, they just seem more expensive. I hate regular saddles, can't ride mens saddles at all but do use a unisex one (Adamo). It's personal preference really, I know plenty of women who ride mens saddles with no problem at all so it's trial and error for her on that front!

I don't know enough about new bikes to recommend one, depends what she wants to do with it and what she finds comfortable I suppose!

Arequipa

Thank you for the replies!
They stock Merida bikes in her lbs..
The womens model is called 'Juliet'..
I must check if the spec is higher for the mens range at each pricepoint..

nak

As a smaller woman (5'4"), I always look at the men's and women's options for bikes - always end up changing the bars and stem on the bikes I buy anyway (as does my husband). My road and cross bikes are men's but my MTBs are women's - more of a sizing issue.

Saddles are personal preference - I prefer a cutout and less padding. Trying a Specialized Power saddle at the moment which is quite different (short nose) and I think marketed as unisex. Seems good so far.

joey100

Have a look at Cube and Orbea if she is small. I know my wife would have to go women's specific on a lot of brands because of her size and there seems to be a big premium on them. Cube and Orbea do a wide enough range of sizes that she could fit one of the smallest mens sizes. Saddle probably be changed out but this would happen on most bikes anyway. Giant Liv aren't too bad either price wise.

Edit: Just seen you said she works in Department of Education, Canyon are on the public sector supplier list so if she wanted she could order from them.

terrydel

My brother got a canyon on the CTW scheme, so it is possible, down to the employer I'd say.
Giant do a pretty big range of women specific bikes. Liv or something is the brandname they use I think. Worth looking at.