Road bikes designed for women

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Originally Posted by Mama Beane

I'm new to the site, and just getting back into biking. In the '90s I rode a Terry Classic - steel - and Loved it. Unfortunately in 2002 we had a garage fire, and that was the end of my bike. I have been looking for a bike that I will be as happy with and so far I have left a trail of "um... not quite rights". I am now riding a Trek 1500, not WDS except that I put on a WSD carbon handlebar. I am not happy with the ride - too quick and going over messed up roads leaves me wondering if my bones will survive and if I have lost any teeth. OK - now to the point. I am looking at a Gunnar sport frame, but am also wondering if there are any Terry steel touring bikes out there. I saw there was mention of a Terry steel, so please let me know your opinions. :confused:

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Don't forget Rivendell lugged steel touring bikes:
http://www.rivbike.com/home

Indeed Gerogena stopped making the classic and madeleine in steel. However, one can often pick these up for a song on ebay. I have a pdf of a geometry chart if you want to go that route and need sizing help. Also, check out the used bike section of the terry website, another opportunity to pick up a steel tourer there.


p.s. While not a touring bike, Georgena is still making her 'fast women' in lightweight steel.

Mama Beane,

You may already know this--Stedman's in Wakefield carries Gunnars. I also posted a link to

http://www.circleacycles.com/bicycle...dan%20p&type=1

in the "getting to know you" thread, but since you might not look there again, I thought I'd suggest it here, too :) . They're steel, and made right here in RI!

Can anybody personally recommend a great bike store in NYC?

I have been to almost every single bike shop in NYC. The only one I can recommend is NYC Velo: http://www.nycvelo.com/

My disclaimer is that I never actually had any work done there, but I've been there, bought accessories, test ridden bikes, and they were as sweet and friendly as can be.

RedRhodie,

Thanks, and yes, I am currently working with Stedman's. The place is fantastic. I had gone into another LBS in Newport, asked about steel, and was told "no one does steel anymore". Obviously not the place for me. Stedman's actually has a Waterford frame that's a year old which he is going to build up for me to see if I like it, and if it is the right size. If it's not, I'm planning on checking into the Gunnar sport. I would love to test ride one!
I have checked the Terry site, and will continue to do so. You can't have too many bikes, can you? :D Thanks so much for the link to circle a - I'm definitely checking them out as well.

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Originally Posted by Mama Beane

I had gone into another LBS in Newport, asked about steel, and was told "no one does steel anymore".

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Yes, I had a bike store OWNER in MA tell me that "they don't make steel bikes anymore, steel bikes are on their way out". :eek: Obviously he tells everyone that who comes in because he doesn't carry steel bikes and he wants to sell his inventory.

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Originally Posted by kdskaggs

I found that the carbon fiber seemed to amplify the bumps in the road. It also squeeked a lot, like the frame was vibrating. The bike felt squishy to me, if that makes any sense. I was pretty disappointed because I have heard how great CF frames are. My husband has a CF mountain bike and loves it. Maybe at his weight the frame is more beneficial than at mine.

Kenda

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Almost sounds like the bike you test rode was not put together properly....
I've ridden just about every type of frame there is to be had - except scandium. My impressions (and these are only from MY bikes - geometry can have loads to do with how a bike feels. I know a racer who had to give up her Ti bike because it was too harsh)

My old steel sport tourer and the aluminum/carbon bike that replaced it didn't acutally feel much different road feel wise, about the same amount of road buzz and pothole dampening. The steel bike was larger and had a longer wheel base so it tended to feel more stable and was a better stopper than any other bike I've owned, but it also didn't really fit and that was a pretty big issue.
All aluminum cross bike. Even with wide low pressure tires this one is pretty harsh, but one would expect that from an all aluminum bike. I didn't get it to ride long distances so I'm not worried about that. Super stable feeling for such a tiny bike.
My carbon racing bike is a dream. Its light, stiff, responsive, but doesn't jar me to bits. Very little road buzz unless I'm on some pretty harsh chip seal. I definitely noticed that this bike was livelier when I switched to it from the aluminum/carbon one. I'd never won a sprint before and the first week I rode this one I did. (I'd been second in a bunch of them......)
Ti rain/communter bike. Even smoother on the road than the carbon bike, but not quite as responsive. I wouldn't call it mushy, not by a long shot, but it just isn't as quick to accelerate. That may be from having a heavier wheel set on it. After I put the carbon seatpost on it I feel almost zero road buzz, which I like.
Now, I've never ridden a bike that I'd call wooden or dead feeling, so I'm not entirely sure what most people mean by that. All my bikes I still certainly can feel the road underneath of me, some of them just soak up the bumps better and some vibrate more than others, which I can really live without. I suppose it must be kind of like riding in a really quite luxury car with really good shocks?? I think I've driven a car like that once - a little disconcerting to not feel the road very much - more like floating just a touch above, but none of my bikes gives me that feeling.

I second all that Edan said. I went from an all aluminum to aluminum with carbron fork to all carbon. I cannot see myself going back to an aluminum bike. My carbon bike is so forgiving on rough roads, extremely responsive which I did not know much about until I rode the bike. I would also consider it a dream to ride.

Just my 2 cents added.

~ JoAnn

Mama Beane, I'll make sure to check out the Waterford next time I'm in Stedman's. It's my home away from home. If you see a little red haired rat pestering everyone in there, that's me :D !

It is hard to find a bike shop in NYC that everyone likes - maybe it's just that we new yorkers are fussy:) .

It is odd, because everyone I know loves the Jack Rabbit runnning store - the people are so knowlegeable, great and helpful. I wonder if there is some reason that there can't be a bike store as pleasant to go to.

Lisa

Big thumbs-up for Waterford bikes!

:D

(that's Flossie the Waterford X-12 in my avatar)