I need a new bike - offroad but not mountain

[GrimmaTheNome]

DH put up DDs saddle today and we realised it was the same height as mine... so she tried my bike and it was apparent she's outgrown hers and likes mine. I don't love it... so the plan is I get a new one (nice when it works that way round for a change ).

We mostly ride offroad tracks - canal towpaths (varying surfaces), old train line paths, the new Preston Guild Wheel, that kind of thing, nothing too rough. My old bike wasn't very expensive - Raleigh Vixen, supposedly alloy but it seems pretty heavy to me - so I'm looking for something a bit better.

I'm only 5'1" so smallish frame.

Any recommendations pleae?

Google hybrid bikes. The bigger wheels make them far easier to ride, but they are tough enough to cope with a bit of rough terrain. this is mine, and I love it.

That looks nice - aluminum is presumably really light (the weight, oddly, isn't listed in the spec). Low rise becomes increasingly appealing as I get older (the current one sort of slopes but not very low, its easier to swing a leg over except when my hip periodically goes awkward)

Mm, low rise is good, especially with skirts or maxi dresses. Tbh the weight really isn't the be all and end all. It is quite heavy but it is a dream to ride because of the bigger wheels and narrower tyres. I find the front suspension really helps over rougher terrain too.

DH has pointed out problem with low-rise - it probably won't work with our Thule bike carrier, and we aren't changing that!

I'm a bit lost with the different manufacturers - which are good and worth the dosh and which are rubbish. Assuming halfords are generally the latter. The bike shop we've always used till now is Raleigh only - they seem decent. Also finding the right model in the right size to try it before ordering seems difficult.

Budget?

This.

i have This bike and i LOVE it. It was expensive (about £400) my mum bought it for me for my birthday last year. It is perfect, its comfortable - i cycle about 30 miles a week, woodland paths, not mountain bike but copes with alot. It is just so comfortable, great riding position. I love love love love my bike i call him ralph

i would avoid raleigh, they are no longer made in Britain, I nearly bought one when i bought my bike and im so glad i didn't. for the same price i got a robust, hybrid bike that will take me everywhere i need to go on it. It is SOOOO comfortable and it keeps me fit (ish)

Budget up to ~ £400

I haven't seen anywhere selling Islabikes and the website only seems to be about kids bikes.

Not sure if any brands are made in the UK now (some, including Raleigh may still be designed here). The raleighs we've all got now are robust, just my old one is a bit clunky (it wasn't expensive) - none of the crappy plastic parts like you see in Halfords. Specialized is a US brand which manufactures in Taiwan - country of manufacture doesn't of itself really tell you anything about quality nowadays TBH.

Ralph does look very nice but he's got that low frame which won't work for us, unfortunately.

I think you can get a Ralph that is not a step through - just google specialised expedition.

Islabikes do make an adult bike now. But the one in the ebay auction was not it! That was the large framed children's 26 inch wheel bike, my daughter has one.
I got the Adult version for my Christmas Present this year, it looks like this www.islabikes.com/bike_pages/beinn29.html I have found it alot easier to ride than my previous Marin bike - the larger wheels help a bit I think! The best bit about it is that fact you can fully customise it for whatever type of cycling you are into - although it is more hybrid/tourer/mountain than road/time trial!
I have recently resumed cycling seriously and it has done well with distances and on flat, but I am now looking at a road bike for tackiling the hills and longer distances I am begining to do.

Great all round bike and all islabikes have good resale value too.

sorry link should be www.islabikes.com/bike_pages/beinn29.html

the Beinn 26 is rated as generally suitable for up to 5'2", that's why I linked to it, OP described herself as shorter than 5'2". dunno if Beinn 29 goes small enough for OP, BUT they aren't coming up 2nd hand at all, so full new price might have been beyond OP's budget. A lot of women racers are riding Luath 26s now.

It just struck me as the a 2nd hand brand & make that would be easy to look for on Ebay.

This site gives some ideas what frame size OP would need even for hybrids.

A lot of MNers seem to like Giant hybrids, should be able to get a quality one for under £400 on Ebay, but whether OP could find her frame size is a lot harder to say.

More techie talk about Beinn 26, including them as popular choice for short women. I can't find info for how small the Beinn 29 small frame really is, OP would have to phone them to check! It's not even on their sizing chart. (? ).

this

Designed by women for women. Very comfy. If you shop about you might be able to get the Vita Elite with a carbon fork for about £400.

Not due back in stock until October, though, Viva, not in OP's size, anyway.

They might have it in a local bike shop or one of the Specialized stores.

Thanks all. Looks like I need to visit a few more bike shops! The Vita looks nice and is available elsewhere online eg [http://www.buyabike.co.uk/670-specialized-vita-2011.html here]] but I don't want to buy without trying ...tricky. I wouldn't buy a bike off Ebay either TBH, you never know what treatment it's had.