# First road bike for wife, $2-3k



## fallzboater (Feb 16, 2003)

My wife's about 5'-7", 135 lb, and has been out a few times on a too-small borrowed Klein road bike with flat-bar conversion. She's got a few friends of similar fitness that she's started to ride with, which is good (I'm a pretty serious rider). She'll probably ride 1-2 hours, 2 or 3 times per week at most. We live in very hilly terrain, which is a bit of a challenge, for starting out.

It looks like she'd fit around a 53-54cm top tube compact frame. Based on what's available locally, we're looking at the Ruby Comp Triple or Compact, Madone 4.5 or 4.7 WSD, and Giant Avail 1 or 2. In any case, I'll most likely dump whatever wheels comes on it for some lighter ones that I'll build. 

Anyone compared some of these models and have any comments? Any significant differences in ride or handling? We'll try to get her on them, but they may not have her size in all models in stock. Any other bikes that we should seek out?


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

If shes' just starting out get her the triple. The triple version costs $0-100 more than the double. If she doesn't have low enough gears for your terrain she will lose interest quickly. When she's fit enough to not need the triple it's not too expensive to switch to a double. But switching a double (compact or 130mm BCD) to triple is much more expensive.

Let her pick the bike. That way she gets something that pushes her buttons. Even if she's going for what you think is the wrong thing, keep quiet. She'll be the one riding it, not you. If it turns out that her tastes or needs change, she'll just need a different bike then.

The stock wheels will be fine for a while. They are usually sturdy but a bit heavy, which is fine for a new rider. Or even an experienced rider- I train on the same cheap Easton front wheel that came with my R3 four years ago. I even raced on it yesterday.


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## fallzboater (Feb 16, 2003)

Thanks for the reply. She rode the Ruby Comp double, and Madone WSD 4.5 triple, today. Size 54 fit her pretty well in both bikes. The triple is definitely a better way for her to go right now. We could get the Ruby in a triple, but the Madone is a few bills cheaper (enough to add a carbon bar and better saddle, for instance), and is a very sharp looking bike. She didn't have a real preference between the two on the road. She's maybe in between sizes on the Giant Avail, but hasn't tried it on the road, yet.


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## skyliner1004 (May 9, 2010)

delete.


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## bad91 (May 20, 2009)

I got my g/f a Jamis Xenith Comp with 105. This is her first road bike. We ride together! Yey!!


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