Going completely mad trying to choose a bike - PLEASE HELP!

[Owlie]

Thanks everyone!
I'm 5'8 with normal proportions for a girl though possibly slightly long in the body. I shouldn't have to carry the bike much but you never know where you'll end up. I have also been considering the Specialized Vita Sport but you can go on for years testing all the different brands and models and I think I just need to make a decision now!

Get whatever fits your budget and makes you smile.

[lph]

I would get the lightest bike I could afford that I felt really comfortable on. A light bike is a joy to ride and handle, if it fits otherwise. But lightweight costs. Personally I don't care much about colour - I have had bikes I adored the colour of, and I've had bikes that are ugly as sin. The ones that rode best were the ones I ended up using most. And you can always paint it yourself if the colour really annoys you.

Don't worry too much about steel making your bike too heavy. There are many things that can make a bike heavy, and a steel frame is just one of them. If you're considering adding a rack, panniers etc, that will make much more of a difference than steel vs alu, especially if it's just a fork. Steel does ride well, but alu rides fine too, especially if you don't have much weight on your hands.

My everyday bike for the uses you're suggesting is an ancient Kona Cinder Cone mountain bike, thin steel frame, flat bars slightly lower than the seat, no suspension, not very knobby mtb tires with a smooth strip down the middle, fenders and lights but no rack or support. It's lighter and faster than many hybrid bikes out there. My road bike is of course a lot lighter and more nimble, but nowhere near as comfortable for all-round use and duelling with the local bus traffic.

PS. I would never buy a low step-through, not for an experienced rider wanting a quick bike. The design of the frame makes the bike a lot heavier and the brakes softer.

[nuliajuk]

...I would never buy a low step-through, not for an experienced rider wanting a quick bike. The design of the frame makes the bike a lot heavier and the brakes softer.

A mixte (preferable) or step-through should not be more than 1 pound heavier than it's diamond frame equivalent. If it is, that usually means the manufacturer went cheap on the materials and swapped out straight gauge tubing for butted, or hi-tensile for chrome-moly. Braking shouldn't be any different, if it is that means a poor design.
Nowadays a lot of compact frames are almost as sloped in the top tube as mixtes. I can get my leg over the top tube of my commuting bike if I stand on a curb next to it. Someone much younger and more agile might even be able to do it without the curb.

[lph]

A mixte (preferable) or step-through should not be more than 1 pound heavier than it's diamond frame equivalent. If it is, that usually means the manufacturer went cheap on the materials and swapped out straight gauge tubing for butted, or hi-tensile for chrome-moly. Braking shouldn't be any different, if it is that means a poor design.
Nowadays a lot of compact frames are almost as sloped in the top tube as mixtes. I can get my leg over the top tube of my commuting bike if I stand on a curb next to it. Someone much younger and more agile might even be able to do it without the curb.

Ok, I guess I was thinking of poor quality step-throughs. I wasn't thinking of a angled top-tube, more of a low, downswept one. And on those that I have tried the braking has always been really mushy since the brake cable is longer and changes direction more.

[nuliajuk]

Here's a review of the Specialized Sirrus Elite. I think the Vita is the wsd equivalent. If you're long in the torso the Sirrus might be a better fit.
http://www.cyclingactive.com/bikesge...s-elite-549-99

[Penny4]

Is the 7.3 you are looking at white?

Just curious