Inexpensive comfortable women's street bike

[Robindianne]

I don't know what makes them comfortable or not (fat tires? suspension? angle of seat? squishyness of seat?) or what makes them a good street bike but I need one for exercise and to get out and about. Can anyone recommend a brand or model?

TIA

 

[Inigo]

I'd suggest a Hybrid bike. They have wider tires than a street bike and are more comfortable on a variety of road surfaces. You'll want a wider seat instead of the narrow seats so many bikes seem to have so that the weight is on the buttocks instead of concentrated between the legs.

I just bought a Schwinn hybrid Trailway Hybrid a few months ago and I love it. It was on sale for $180.

 

[amez]

I love my Giant Sedona-very comfortable and I've had it for 8 years now. I used to mountain bike ride, but after we started having kids I switched to a street bike so I could pull a bike stroller around town. I only found mine at Bike Stores, but it wasn't terribly expensive-can't remember exactly how much since it was so long ago, but I'm fairly certain it was under $300. We went to a couple of bike stores and found the best price-at the time that had lots of nice colors to choose from as well.

 

[NotUrsula]

I have a hybrid, a Diamondback Vital2. It's a good comfortable bike with a relatively lightweight frame, and is normally under $300 at Dick's. It is NOT a hardtail; there is seat and fork suspension, and also a chain guard, so that you can ride it in jeans without tearing them up. The tires on my small frame are 27", which makes it look oddly tall for a small-frame bike.

A "hardtail" bike has a fixed seat with no rear suspension. The saddle itself is no big deal, because you can always buy a different saddle to put on it, and adjust the tilt and rise of the saddle to better fit your body. (Speaking of that, be sure to buy the proper frame size. Lots of shorter women ride too-large frames not knowing any better.)

Just to be clear in case anyone has the same confusion as my DH did, in bikes, "hybrid" means a cross between a road bike design and a mountain bike design. It does not refer to a bike with a power-assist electric motor; those are called electric bikes. Hybrids have medium-thick tires and an upright stance; you don't ride with your upper body parallel to the ground.

 

[mickeytattoo95]

I'd go into your local bike shop and tell them what you're looking for. Often they accept trade-ins and you could snag a really good deal on a used bike that somebody traded. It sounds like you'd like a hybrid or a comfort cruiser. Take a look at http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/ and look at the bikes under the lifestyle section. They are expensive new, but you could find one used! I have a fitness hybrid called the DASH. Not for running around town or doing errands though...But I Love it!!!

 

[Robindianne]

Thank you all for the great information and help. It turns out I need a 26 inch bike and the Schwinn Trailway only comes in 28 that I can find. I haven't tried others yet; Targe (w/Schwinns) is just up the street. I think I need to try some of the other hybrids at a bike shop (thanks for that and the definition of it - hee hee I did think it was electric hybrid before reading that). I know I don't want a hardtail, want some different gears for hills (I'm in Seattle after all) and a step through one so I can put my feet on the ground.

Happy sunny weekend and Happy Mother's Day!

Wait! the Schwinn Trailway had a big 28" sign which means tires right? Well how can I tell the size of the frame? Or which size to order if I find one online? I am so confused!

 

[Robindianne]

Can you tell me how tall you are? And the size of your frame? The one I found says it's size 17 whatever that means.

I have a hybrid, a Diamondback Vital2. It's a good comfortable bike with a relatively lightweight frame, and is normally under $300 at Dick's. It is NOT a hardtail; there is seat and fork suspension, and also a chain guard, so that you can ride it in jeans without tearing them up. The tires on my small frame are 27", which makes it look oddly tall for a small-frame bike.

A "hardtail" bike has a fixed seat with no rear suspension. The saddle itself is no big deal, because you can always buy a different saddle to put on it, and adjust the tilt and rise of the saddle to better fit your body. (Speaking of that, be sure to buy the proper frame size. Lots of shorter women ride too-large frames not knowing any better.)

Just to be clear in case anyone has the same confusion as my DH did, in bikes, "hybrid" means a cross between a road bike design and a mountain bike design. It does not refer to a bike with a power-assist electric motor; those are called electric bikes. Hybrids have medium-thick tires and an upright stance; you don't ride with your upper body parallel to the ground.

 

[Inigo]

Try the Trailway. I'm only 5'4", and I thought it would be too big, but it fits me perfectly.

 

[Robindianne]

Try the Trailway. I'm only 5'4", and I thought it would be too big, but it fits me perfectly.

I tried it out but couldn't touch the ground. Is that OK? I was hoping I could find a bike where I could touch the ground. I want to take one of my dogs with me on rides and may need to stop short.

 

[Swimalie]

I love my Giant Sedona-very comfortable and I've had it for 8 years now. I used to mountain bike ride, but after we started having kids I switched to a street bike so I could pull a bike stroller around town. I only found mine at Bike Stores, but it wasn't terribly expensive-can't remember exactly how much since it was so long ago, but I'm fairly certain it was under $300. We went to a couple of bike stores and found the best price-at the time that had lots of nice colors to choose from as well.

I have the same one, I believe. I know it's a mens Giant. I got mine at Performance Bike for $300 about 6 years ago. It has a regular looking seat but extra gel in it. If you are going on long trips, you can get padded shorts at local bike stores. Some sell as low as $25. I have had mine for about 3 years and are doing well.

 

[Inigo]

I tried it out but couldn't touch the ground. Is that OK? I was hoping I could find a bike where I could touch the ground. I want to take one of my dogs with me on rides and may need to stop short.

It's too high then. You aren't supposed to be able to put your feet flat on the ground when you're astride the seat, but since you'll have the dog with you, you're right to want one that makes that easier to do. He won't be used to running with a bike so he might be prone to tripping you up. You just don't want to go too low. Try to get one where your toes touch down easily.

Head to a bike shop and try out different bikes. Just keep trying them until you find one that fits. If you've got a college town near you, they'll probably be more likely to have several bike shops.

 

[NotUrsula]

Can you tell me how tall you are? And the size of your frame? The one I found says it's size 17 whatever that means.

I'm 5'4", and I'm short-legged. The Diamondback that I have is a "Small" frame, which is about 17" (the measurement of the frame is usually the length of the upright tube which supports the saddle, called the "seat tube"). The tires on it are 700cc road tires, but they are a bit wider than true road tires, and slightly knobby.

It is a step-over frame (i.e. a traditionally-shaped women's frame without a top crossbar), which means that I can easily stand on the ground. However, because of the size of the tires, when I stand the handlebars hit me several inches above my waist. It took a bit of getting used to at first, that feeling of being so short when standing over my bike, but those big tires just eat up the road, and with 21 speeds I've been able to climb any hill I needed to. (Another thing that took getting used to after years of riding a road bike was the different center of balance when pedaling "standing up" -- I can't crouch forward very well, because the front-to-back length of this upright frame is rather short. However, with 21 speeds I don't have to "pump" standing up on the pedals very often.)

PS: The sign you saw on that Trailway has to be referring to the tire size. The average men's frame is 21", so an actual 28" FRAME would be HUGE.