Step Through Bike

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Skipton2014

Regular
I am now looking to buy a step through bike for my wife. I have a budget of £400-500. What would you recommend for cycling around Skipton in North Yorkshire for fitness & leisure ?
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
My wife has a Specialized Vita step through which she likes. It has a good low bottom gear (28/32) which I guess you might want in Skipton (I don't know it, but it sounds steep!)
 
How "step through" do you want?

There are a range from women'd frames (as above) that are step over to the ultra low stepover machines like this one:

sun-streamway-500x331.jpg


Apart fro me that there is a whole range in between.

What I have noticed as a general trend amongst moment and young girls at the moment are the more "girly" ladies bikes along the lines of the PAshley

pashley-britannia-BLUE.jpg




There are lots of variations n this at the moment in pastel colours


However all of that really depends on what she wants / likes.

Buying a wife a bike you think she would like as opposed to what she would like is a minefield that results in a bike with litte use.
 
OP
OP
Skipton2014

Skipton2014

Regular
She will certainly feel more confident with a step through similar to the specialized and one that has sufficient low gears to enable her to cycle around skipton in north yorkshire which is fairly hilly. She doesnt need one for cycling around town just for using in the evening and weekends for rides 10-20 miles.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Take her to Evans and let her test ride some, also ask her opinion as well as the forum ;)

I expect the Crossroads will weigh a ton compared to the Vita - Google suggests 15kg vs 11kg, quite a lot extra on hills
 

shouldbeinbed

Rollin' along
Location
Manchester way
I'd be wary of what is essentially a town bike, for the distance and terrain you intend it for. At this point in a what step through thread, I'm usually recommending an Edinburgh Bikes Revolution Heritage or Decathlon Elops, but I don't think they'd fit 30 hilly miles. The Revo' is relatively light for this type of bike, has a rear rack as well as the removable basket and has a granny ring that'd get you up Sutton bank & I use it as a 10 mile North Manchester pennine edge commuter sometimes, but regular 20-30 hilly rural miles I think I'd want something more than any step through could offer.
Is it a confidence or experience thing holding her back from say a female geometry roadie or fast hybrid or is it a physical thing?

If it has to be a low frame then I'd possibly look at folders in the Dahon/Tern/Decathlon range - generally going to be lighter, probably not much difference gear wise, robust, you see more of this sort of bike on longer charity rides than step throughs, they're fun and handle well & more convenient for storage and getting out and about with.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
That's what we got after a fair bit of looking around and research. Evans (London Bridge) were really sniffy and wouldn't allow her to test ride one as they didn't have one of that size made up. They said they'd need a deposit to assemble one. I was filled with a desire to insert the wrong sized one up the assistant's rear end but instead we left without a word and I'm never going to Evans again. The Specialized store on the other hand were super-helpful.
 

Julia9054

Guru
Location
Knaresborough
I have a Specialized Ariel Sport with a step through frame. It is known as Donkey Bike because it is sturdy, very easy to ride, can carry loads of stuff and I find the step through frame great for stop start traffic as I have my saddle very high (due to an old knee injury) and I can jump on and off at traffic lights etc very easily. It is the bike I use for commuting, shopping and tow path type rides. It has a triple - useful as Knaresborough is quite hilly.
Part of me wishes I'd bought the Vita though as the Ariel has front suspension which makes it heavier than the Vita.
 

annedonnelly

Girl from the North Country
I'd be wary of what is essentially a town bike, for the distance and terrain you intend it for. At this point in a what step through thread, I'm usually recommending an Edinburgh Bikes Revolution Heritage or Decathlon Elops, but I don't think they'd fit 30 hilly miles. The Revo' is relatively light for this type of bike, has a rear rack as well as the removable basket and has a granny ring that'd get you up Sutton bank & I use it as a 10 mile North Manchester pennine edge commuter sometimes, but regular 20-30 hilly rural miles I think I'd want something more than any step through could offer.
Is it a confidence or experience thing holding her back from say a female geometry roadie or fast hybrid or is it a physical thing?

If it has to be a low frame then I'd possibly look at folders in the Dahon/Tern/Decathlon range - generally going to be lighter, probably not much difference gear wise, robust, you see more of this sort of bike on longer charity rides than step throughs, they're fun and handle well & more convenient for storage and getting out and about with.
Edinburgh bikes also have the Streetfinder -- not quite as girly as the Heritage. I've the 2008 version and I love it.
 
OP
OP
Skipton2014

Skipton2014

Regular
Thats really helpful thanks everyone ! I think the Vita sounds the best option. My wife wants a step through for confidence as I know she will be nervous and needing to step down on a fairly regular basis to begin with. I doubt whether i will get her to do 30 hilly miles maybe 10 ! The main thing is that she gets a bike that she enjoys riding. She will never cycle Buttertubs Pass but a ride out 10-15 miles from Skipton incorporating some hills is what we are looking for !
 

Julia9054

Guru
Location
Knaresborough
Thats really helpful thanks everyone ! I think the Vita sounds the best option. My wife wants a step through for confidence as I know she will be nervous and needing to step down on a fairly regular basis to begin with. I doubt whether i will get her to do 30 hilly miles maybe 10 ! The main thing is that she gets a bike that she enjoys riding. She will never cycle Buttertubs Pass but a ride out 10-15 miles from Skipton incorporating some hills is what we are looking for !
You never know! Getting back into cycling for transport and leisure rides (after a long lay off with small children) led me to buy a road bike a couple of years ago and get into road cycling as a hobby. I now regularly do distances and terrains I would never have thought possible five years ago.
 
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