Female specific CX for the Mrs.

[User33236]

Hi,

The search has begun for Mrs SG's n+1. She is looking for a cyclocross with disc brakes and minimum of Tiagra in a size to suit her 5' 6" height. The key spec is it has to be either female specific or at least female friendly in its paint job.

She found the Giant Brava SLR 2 online but it seems to only be available in the USA. An alternative is the Giant Invite 1 but no one seems to have stock.m

Any other suggestions would be greatly received. Budget is up to £1k but may stretch a bit for the right one.

 

[vickster]

What does female friendly colour mean? No black/grey hopefully

There are barely any female CX bikes off the peg.
This one from Giant UK

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.liv.giant.invite.1/15021/66809/

Kinesis frames / bikes come in good colours, http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/crosslight/pro6

or there's the green Pinnacle, on special http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/arkose-two-2014-cyclocross-bike-ec054865

Or the Boardman team is good looking http://www.boardmanbikes.com/cx/cx_team.html Could be improved with red tape say

 

[User33236]

What does female friendly colour mean? No black/grey hopefully

Basically not all black / grey bland colouring and nothing to harsh. Her two current bikes are mainly white with one having a fair amount of pink on it.

She is happy to change tape and saddle if necessary. The Giant Invite 1 is (almost) perfect but no one seems to have stock

 

[vickster]

Have you tried the Giant store in York?

I'd get a Kinesis myself

Or could jazz up a crossrip http://www.evanscycles.com/products...locross-bike-ec054304?country=GB&currency=GBP

 

[User33236]

Have you tried the Giant store in York?

I'd get a Kinesis myself

Or could jazz up a crossrip http://www.evanscycles.com/products...locross-bike-ec054304?country=GB&currency=GBP

Thanks. Giant themselves on their own online shop are showing no stock. I've sent her links to the Kinesis for her to look at as she has previously ruled out the others for one reason of another.

 

[lesley_x]

I think you'll struggle to find a WSD cyclocross in the UK, and certainly not one with a girly colour scheme.

I definitely found at 5'5" I couldn't be too picky about colour etc, I had to go for fit above all.

Sorry to sound defeatist but my own experience of sourcing a cyclocross for me as an average height lady was not great.

 

[User33236]

I think you'll struggle to find a WSD cyclocross in the UK, and certainly not one with a girly colour scheme.

I definitely found at 5'5" I couldn't be too picky about colour etc, I had to go for fit above all.

Sorry to sound defeatist but my own experience of sourcing a cyclocross for me as an average height lady was not great.

I think my Mrs is already finding that whatever she gets is going to be some sort of compromise and I'm likely going to be asked to change bar tape at least

 

[lesley_x]

I think my Mrs is already finding that whatever she gets is going to be some sort of compromise and I'm likely going to be asked to change bar tape at least

To be fair I bought my tcx on the condition the lbs changed the bar tape to a nice blue colour I don't think another buyer was going to walk through the door requiring an XS size crosser anytime soon so they happily obliged!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

This might work but it's not girly coloured.

http://www.cannondale.com/gbr/2014/bikes/road/cyclocross/caadx/caadx-disc-6-tiagra

Size 44 is similar geometry to the Invite 1 in SM size.

Shorter stem/narrower bars/different saddle - all of which a decent dealer should be able to sort.

 

[User33236]

This might work but it's not girly coloured.

http://www.cannondale.com/gbr/2014/bikes/road/cyclocross/caadx/caadx-disc-6-tiagra

Size 44 is similar geometry to the Invite 1 in SM size.

Shorter stem/narrower bars/different saddle - all of which a decent dealer should be able to sort.

That's what I have as my CX. Cracking bike which Mrs SG likes but not her style.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

That's what I have as my CX. Cracking bike which Mrs SG likes but not her style.

Not being funny but at that sort of price point isn't function and fit more important than a pretty paint job?

I know we all like our bikes to be visually appealing but the female CX bike market is very limited and I really can't see how this (which your wife likes):

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/brava.slr.2.2014/14790/66119/

Looks significantly different to this (your bike) in its colour scheme:

http://www.cannondale.com/gbr/2014/bikes/road/cyclocross/caadx/caadx-disc-6-tiagra

 

[User33236]

Not being funny but at that sort of price point isn't function and fit more important than a pretty paint job?

I know we all like our bikes to be visually appealing but the female CX bike market is very limited and I really can't see how this (which your wife likes):

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/brava.slr.2.2014/14790/66119/

Looks significantly different to this (your bike) in its colour scheme:

http://www.cannondale.com/gbr/2014/bikes/road/cyclocross/caadx/caadx-disc-6-tiagra

She is the type of person that, several years ago, spend nearly two years finding the 'right' car and must have seen hundreds of the same model lol.

With bikes and the limited choices she knows it is always gong to be a compromise over what works for her against 'a pretty paint job'. She is also not a fan (tbh neither am I) of the 'his and her' look where we both have identical items hence ruling out the CAADX.

She is in no hurry to buy so might be a case of waiting to see if the Invite comes back into stock anywhere or what 2015 models come out.

 

[vickster]

Might cost a bit but can you get an Invite shipped from the US? The bike itself will probably be cheaper with a relatively strong £

Or these claim to have the Invite in the UK. Worth a call

http://activesport.co.uk/shop/article_40153614-001/Giant-2014-Invite-1-Road-Cross-Bike.html?pse=coa (Buxton)

http://www.tswcycles.co.uk/giant-invite-1-comfort-cross-sport-900.html (Nottingham)

http://www.cyclesense.co.uk/m1b3s13.../RS_GB/41897?gclid=CJ_H8ZCv578CFamWtAodViwAcA (Tadcaster)

 

[User33236]

Might cost a bit but can you get an Invite shipped from the US? The bike itself will probably be cheaper with a relatively strong £

Or these claim to have the Invite in the UK. Worth a call

http://activesport.co.uk/shop/article_40153614-001/Giant-2014-Invite-1-Road-Cross-Bike.html?pse=coa (Buxton)

http://www.tswcycles.co.uk/giant-invite-1-comfort-cross-sport-900.html (Nottingham)

http://www.cyclesense.co.uk/m1b3s13.../RS_GB/41897?gclid=CJ_H8ZCv578CFamWtAodViwAcA (Tadcaster)

Thanks, just found the top link you gave. Will get her to give them a call.

She emailed a couple of folk is the USA for a shipping quote and got quoted over £500 which tells me they didn't want the business but it'd you are daft enough we'll take your money.

 

[vickster]

Any success?