Am I seeking the impossible?

[Vic123]

I want to buy a new bike (ladies) and would like the following:
1) low step through frame (I often wear a shortish skirt to work)
2) sit up and beg riding position (bit of a bad lower back)
3) classic look (just love the old style classic ladies bike)
4) 7 speed hub gears - sometimes attach a trailer or child seat and go up hill - don't want to expire doing it..plus hub gears're low maintenance
5) hub brakes - again low maintenance
6) light weight frame - sometimes have to lift it over a bridge/up a few steps plus want the easy ride of a lighter bike
7) skirt guards - I'm a girl, I wear a skirt
8) I'd also like to support local(ish) businesses so would prefer a bike made near to home if possible
9) I'd like to buy it from somewhere that does the cycle to work scheme
10) Reasonable price
I've looked and looked but can't seem to find what I want anywhere. Does anyone have any advice? or am I just too darn fussy?

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

What about paisley princess?

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Oh...and hi, welcome to the forum.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Hi Vic.

Doing a search threw up this: LINK. Any good? I don't know whether they deal with cycle to work.

The only thing is that I've heard some quite bad things about the Shimano Nexus 7 hubs recently (poor reliability) so not sure whether to recommend them. The 8 speed Shimano hubs are apparently much better if you can find one.

Next best thing is more expensive: Pashley Princess Sovereign. I know it's 5 gears not 7 but the difference between top and bottom gears is actually better on the Pashley than the Ridgeback.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Oh, forgot about the Raleigh Superb. Same 5 speed hub (and hub brakes) as the Pashley but cheaper.

 

[Vic123]

Hi. Do you mean a Pashley Princess? It only has 3 speed hub and is quite heavy. Also, a bit on the pricey side. I used to have a Pashley paramount with sturmey archer five speed hub. (The pashley princess soverign has 5 speed hub) I had loads of problems with the gears and had to keep taking it back to the shop. The bike repair man in the shop told me to get my money back because of it. I do love the look of it though and it's pretty near my fantasy spec. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Oops sorry, ipad autocorrect kicked in. Yes the SA 5 speeds do have a bad rep. How about getting one with an upgraded hub? The lbs might be able to 'fudge' the figures for the c2w scheme.

 

[Vic123]

Oh, forgot about the Raleigh Superb. Same 5 speed hub (and hub brakes) as the Pashley but cheaper.

Thanks Phil. Interesting. I know this sounds very fickle but I don't like the look of the Ridgeback. Too modern looking and, to sound a bit more earnest, I don't think the riding position is sit upish enough for me. Pashley keeps coming up, I love the look and the British made aspect to them. Maybe I should bite the bullet but nearly £650? Ouch. I'll have a closer look at the superb. I have discounted it before but not sure why now so will refresh my memory. Thanks again.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

http://www.paper-bicycle.com/

Seems to answer everything on your wish list and well inside your price range.

 

[Vic123]

Thanks Phil. Interesting. I know this sounds very fickle but I don't like the look of the Ridgeback. Too modern looking and, to sound a bit more earnest, I don't think the riding position is sit upish enough for me. Pashley keeps coming up, I love the look and the British made aspect to them. Maybe I should bite the bullet but nearly £650? Ouch. I'll have a closer look at the superb. I have discounted it before but not sure why now so will refresh my memory. Thanks again.

Yes it was the sturmey archer 5 speed hub fear that put me off. My bad experience dates back to 2009. Have they got better since then I wonder. I do like the rest of the spec for the Superbe. Dynamo too? Yes!! Still not much cheaper than a Pashley and made in China. I have many Chinese students and they tell me you can get one for £50 over there!!

 

[Vic123]

http://www.paper-bicycle.com/

Seems to answer everything on your wish list and well inside your price range.

Wow, now you're talking. It's well outside my price range...I think I'd be looking at near enough £850 if I got the 8 speed and the luggage rack (I've been trying to keep it to under £500) but goodness me it is a lovely bike and made not far away. Looks like I am going to have to start finding things to sell. Thank you. I'd never heard of them. It looks amazing.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Ben at kinetics in Glasgow had some demo ones when I was there a few years ago.

 

[Lee_M]

do any of the vicky pendleton bikes fit the bill?

not an expert on them at all, but they seem to be the style youre looking for

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

This is quite a challenge. Here is another possible option; from Royal Dutch Gazelle. It has the classic frame and an 8 speed hub. I don't see any prices though. They do quite a range of hub geared bikes but they are mostly the more modern frames.

Really Useful Bikes say they can get the whole Gazelle range.

Most of the other options seem to have 3 speed hubs. If you can stand to have derailleur gears instead I could suggest the Dawes Heritage range or Bobbin bikes as well as the Pendleton's already mentioned.

As for reliability of the Sturmey Archer hub, the honest answer is I don't know, however as it is a staple of their range I'd expect them to have sorted it by now.

 

[aoj]

Hi. Do you mean a Pashley Princess? It only has 3 speed hub and is quite heavy. Also, a bit on the pricey side. I used to have a Pashley paramount with sturmey archer five speed hub. (The pashley princess soverign has 5 speed hub) I had loads of problems with the gears and had to keep taking it back to the shop. The bike repair man in the shop told me to get my money back because of it. I do love the look of it though and it's pretty near my fantasy spec. Thanks for your reply.

I have a Pashley Paramount with the Sachs Spectro 5 speed seems OK so far.
What distance and hills if any do you cycle each day?

Halfords do the Real Classic for £269 with a Strumney Archer 3 speed.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_700791_langId_-1_categoryId_231005