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I have both a wife and a mother-in-law (not an unusual combination I know 
), both of whom we are trying to source new bikes for. The problem seems to be the spec.
They have both decided they like the look of Dutch-style bikes for their sit-up-and-beg seating positions as they have both said they find themselves sitting as upright as possible when riding. I know there are a myriad of other factors influencing this but hey, what do I know?
Anyhoo, their current bikes each weight roughly the same as an aircraft carrier due to them being made from gas-pipe steel, so I'd like the replacements to be aluminium. I'd like 700c wheels, vee brakes, thumb gearshifts, at least 18 speeds and a rear rack or front basket. The kicker is they need to be a large-is frame size, as M-I-L is 5ft 10in, wifey is 6ft and both currently have bikes with too-small frames which mean they don't get full leg extension whilst pedalling, leading to hip/leg pains, fatigue etc.
I really want the multitude of gears as wifey really struggles when we go anywhere on holiday and we hit a hill as her 20-some-year-old Raleight Pioneer only has 12 speeds so no granny ring and thus no low speed/high cadence pedalling provision for hills. Budget will be £500 max as I can't persuade them to spend any more. I thought I'd found nirvana earlier looking at the Koga Prominence (D) 'till I saw it was nearly £1600!!!
Any ideas/suggestion gratefully received.
Oh, and if any were stocked by bike shops in/near Cambridge so we could go for a look/test-ride that would be an added bonus
), both of whom we are trying to source new bikes for. The problem seems to be the spec.They have both decided they like the look of Dutch-style bikes for their sit-up-and-beg seating positions as they have both said they find themselves sitting as upright as possible when riding. I know there are a myriad of other factors influencing this but hey, what do I know?
Anyhoo, their current bikes each weight roughly the same as an aircraft carrier due to them being made from gas-pipe steel, so I'd like the replacements to be aluminium. I'd like 700c wheels, vee brakes, thumb gearshifts, at least 18 speeds and a rear rack or front basket. The kicker is they need to be a large-is frame size, as M-I-L is 5ft 10in, wifey is 6ft and both currently have bikes with too-small frames which mean they don't get full leg extension whilst pedalling, leading to hip/leg pains, fatigue etc.
I really want the multitude of gears as wifey really struggles when we go anywhere on holiday and we hit a hill as her 20-some-year-old Raleight Pioneer only has 12 speeds so no granny ring and thus no low speed/high cadence pedalling provision for hills. Budget will be £500 max as I can't persuade them to spend any more. I thought I'd found nirvana earlier looking at the Koga Prominence (D) 'till I saw it was nearly £1600!!!
Any ideas/suggestion gratefully received.
Oh, and if any were stocked by bike shops in/near Cambridge so we could go for a look/test-ride that would be an added bonus
