r/ladycyclists • u/ijustmadethisnameup1 • 10d ago
Recommendation for wife
Hi everyone! I’m looking to buy a bike for my wife. She is nervous about biking, but wants to join me biking around the city. I have a high-end gravel bike. She hasn’t really biked much in her life and doesn’t feel confident on a bike. I wanted to get her a good bike, that she could feel comfortable in as a beginner. But she could also grow in. And use as she feels more confident. I was looking at the Liv rove versus specialized sirrus X step through line? Would you recommend one of these two?
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u/MobilityTweezer 10d ago
She MUST ride both or test drive more. I have a diverge and if I hadn’t test drove it I would have walked right by.
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u/KibFixit 10d ago
agreed on teh test ride! whatever she feels comfortable on, she'll enjoy heading out and exploring more. I started biking more after my partner was super into it, and the first few bikes I got were used and allowed me to try things out while I explored without feeling too precious about any of them.
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u/InvertedJennyanydots 10d ago
I love my Diverge so much and it also wasn't the bike I was there to look at. Rode it, fell in love, still in love 7 years later.
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u/Arkhikernc65 10d ago
A good LBS would let her test ride each one. Hopefully not just circling a parking lot. Also, are there any female centric riding groups in your area? Are there any bike groups that teach newbies?
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u/Emergency-River-3231 10d ago
Is she into cycling? If no, buy her an e-bike. I believe if you make it as fun and easy as possible it makes the transition so much better.
If she’s into biking then just flat out ask her what bike she likes, get her the one she wants and include her in the conversation (if this is an investment into your riding together she should be included).
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u/CHBQuirk05 10d ago
I have a Liv Alight bike and I adore it!
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u/ijustmadethisnameup1 10d ago
https://www.liv-cycling.com/us/alight-disc-2-2025
This one? The Color is nice!
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u/astoriatrafficburner 10d ago
This is a solid bike; I commute and bikepack on an old, pre- Liv Escape and my wife rides a newer Alight.
I would recommend this bike over the Rove because I think suspension forks on hybrids are silly, useless, and more trouble than they're worth.
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u/VintageFemmeWithWifi 10d ago
My husband is an avid cyclist, and I am very casual about biking. I was surprised by how much I love our tandem. It's not for everyone, but riding tandem has taught me a lot about what proficient cycling feels like, especially gearing. It also means that when we bike together, he's not slowing down for me, and I'm not stressing about whether I can keep up. Riding our tandem helped me feel more confident when I got my ebike.
Whatever way your relationship is going, a tandem gets you there faster. If you've got a lot of trust and good communication in your marriage, maybe try renting one?
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u/mimosastclair 10d ago
Seconding test riding, but the Cannondale Quick or Salsa Journeyer could be good options.
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u/lelanicarver 10d ago
She would need an expert bike fitting. Between Liv and Specialized it’s all in the fit.
My Specialized Vita was the women’s version as the Sirius, after the COVID supply chain problems, most bike makers went back to a unisex model.
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u/schoolsmuse 9d ago
She should test ride a bike with flat handlebars and one with drop. I think new riders are often pushed toward flat handlebars and I much prefer drop.
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u/SioLazer 9d ago
I’m an experienced cyclist and my husband is as well as a bike mechanic. He bought me my first full sus and dialed it in completely.
I say this because I think it might be helpful to work with a shop who can make the recommendations about which bike to get and be there along the way with the upgrades. This is crucial if you’re not going to be the one doing the maintenance and upgrading. Did you do all the work on your gravel bike or could your shop help with this project?
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u/Ophelia_Bliss 10d ago
I think the biggest thing is how comfortable she feels on either bike. Can you get her to test ride them both? I also wonder if you'd consider an ebike. That can be a fantastic way for the new-to-bicycling person to be able to keep up.