My wife needs a bike - help and advice please

We already have a mountain bike for her, but she wants something a bit more sit-up-and-beg style.

It needs to be 26" wheels, so not one of those Raleigh Twenty shopper types, but something more like those dutch roadsters or similar? She's not very tall 5'1". Can anyone point me to a link for ideas? I'm going to stick a wanted up too for any that might be for sale.

cheers

Out of interest Ed, what mountain bike does she have? How about something like this?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... gn=froogle

One of these!

There's still loads of them about.
26 x 1 3/8 tyres.
Forks that lock in a fixed position, so you can prevent casual thieves riding off on it when you nip into the shops.
Built in front and rear lamps, powered by a dynamo built into the back wheel.
Full mudguards and chain cover, so you can ride it wearing whatever clothes you like.
Almost no maintenance required at all, save for a few drops of gear oil for the hub.
40 spokes on the back wheel, 32 front, instead of the cost cutting 36/36 standard everything has used since the 60s. They take the same size spoke though!
Modern commuter bikes could learn a lot from 1950s Raleighs.

yes that's the sort of thing - but what are the models to look for - what are they called? Shoppers? Roadsters? Cruisers? What?

She's already got a Saracen from 2000, some medium to low end aluminium jobbie. No great shakes.

Iwasgoodonce":3c0oeyus said:

Out of interest Ed, what mountain bike does she have? How about something like this?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... gn=froogle

Click to expand...

ooh - she might just like that!!

i agree with chris

the model he refers to was the superbe with the locking fork

they are commonly known as " the all steel bicycle " as they used decent quality steel not tin or cheese

i restored a superbe for a chap who found one in a hedge ( even had the key ) and have worked on countless others

newer raleighs are nowhere near the quality of those from the 50s . drop a bit of oil in the sturmey archer 3 speed every thousand miles or so . tyres are still available

i think from memory the bottom bracket threads are slightly different ( at the time raleigh made every single part for their bikes here in blighty so didnt have to conform to others standards ) its possible to have it rethreaded as its close enough to just about do it but the cup and cones in them seem to resist any wear cottered cranks arnt so bad around town just get decent cotter pins and the steel chainring lasts forever and looks cool as

they weigh quite a bit but so what the 3 speed will get her anywhere she needs to go

i have a desire to get one and strip it back as a fixed gear 50s budget racer

Just to show their age, they were called "The All-Steel Bicycle" because when the first ones were made the lugs of most other bikes were made from cast iron. :shock:
They have their own Raleigh specific threads, but you can still get most parts for them.
Honestly, they were really, really well made. There's pretty much nothing in the same league as them anymore, except arguably some Dutch bikes.
Perry, if you are ever in Reading, you should have a go on my 1949 Clubman. Honestly, get one, it may become your favourite bike.
(EDIT - it's not mine at the minute though, just got back from a ride and it's gone wrong again! A Clubman has far more complicated and hard to find bits on it than a Superbe, so this is a bit of a pain)

so where do I get one?

Funnily enough I was in Nottingham today and what should I see - one of those Carmel ones (linked above). She had a close look at it - liked it but didn't fancy spending £340...

There are cheaper examples I expect. There seem to be a wider range in 700C flavour. If you want to sell the other bike Ed, my brother is looking for a bike for his vertically challenged wife. (Sounds like a good swap to me!)

no she wants 2 bikes, she says if I can have more than one so can she :shock: (this from the wife who doesn't actually like cycling... :roll: )