She needs to test ride different bikes, different styles (flat bar, drop bar) and some with different sized tires - 23c, 28c, 32c so she can see how they all feel.

There is probably no way she can keep up with you on your Specialized Secteur Comp unless she has a bike of comparable quality and weight. Having her ride a $600-$700 bike while you are on a $1,600 bike just isn't a fair comparison.

Look at the higher end Trek FX 7.6, or maybe a Specialized Dolce Comp - which is similar to your bike but in WSD. Just make sure if she wants 28c tires there is brake clearance to accomodate them. But to be fair, she should try bikes with a variety of tire sizes on the same route so she can be aware of the difference.

Oh, and a 10 minute bike ride is not long enough to test a bike. 10 miles would be better. A good bike shop will let you do this.


She can wear a mirror on helmet, eyeglasses, or it can be mounted on handle bars at the bar end or at the brake lever. If she can use her left side door mirror on her car, she can use a helmet or eyeglass mount. Even with bifocals.