Recommendations: Wifey needs bike for general use or light trail riding

[Duffman]

It’s in stock in charcoal color but not in purple.

Unfortunately with her color choices , that's not gonna work

[Stuntmonkey]

I picked up a Norco Fluid FS for the wife. Perfect for trail and progressing into slightly technical flow/downhill. She's pretty happy, just need to get her into a camp next year I think.

[Lvovsky]

Unfortunately with her color choices , that's not gonna work

I understand

[XXX-er]

with every bike club membership SMBA give out a pair of sockguy bike socks, so Danielle the organizer speced the sock color as the Lavender from the Santa Cruz website which all women love and comment about

so my socks match my Bullit and Lavender is the new Turquoise eh

[climberevan]

so my socks match my Bullit and Lavender is the new Turquoise eh

A buddy has a Stigmata in that lavender. He fills his bottles with a matching color mix.

[Duffman]

I picked up a Norco Fluid FS for the wife. Perfect for trail and progressing into slightly technical flow/downhill. She's pretty happy, just need to get her into a camp next year I think.

Which build did you get and how heavy is it? Was looking at the Norcos but heard the Fluid frame is particularly heavy as compared to similar type frames. My Ripley AF is no lightweight but I'm curious how heavy a bike can be before it would be challenging for my wife

[ey_allen]

I went with a Juliana Joplin for my wife for light trail use around here. She takes it to the farmers market and can ride light tech pretty easily, and it climbs/handles well. Plus it comes in pink, which was a requirement.

The ALU version can be found on sale for decent enough prices.

[Duffman]

Bumping for advice on end of season deals coming out.

Ripley AF Deore build $2625
vs
Norco Optic C3 $2900
Vs
Kona Process DL $2500

All in a small for a 5'4+ woman , although as usual the Ibis size break points is weird

Vs The Field (Juliana Joplin, Tallboy, Marin Rift Zone, Polygon T8)

The optic is purple which is a bonus and may be a bit lighter The Ripley AF is my bike (but in an XL SLX build) and I love it ,but don't find it particularly plush on our very rocky and root covered local trails, so I wonder if something plusher would be more comfortable for her. Ease and comfort biggest priority over speed and ability to rage

Thoughts?

[SchralphMacchio]

Not having ridden any of the above bikes, so take this with skepticism, but that Norco Optic C3 is the only one on your list with both a carbon front triangle and a reservoir shock. Those two things together should theoretically increase dampness and reduce chatter, and that rezzy shock and Pike should also be easier to tune for plushness off the top as a priority. For those things I think it’s worth the $4-500 premium over the other options.

I was gonna put the Canyon Spectral 125 CF7 on your list but that bike also only comes with an in-line shock.

Which Ripley AF build did you get for yourself? The fork and shock might be easily tunable to get more soaking of EC roots … or they might be due for an upgrade at some point.

[Duffman]

Not having ridden any of the above bikes, so take this with skepticism, but that Norco Optic C3 is the only one on your list with both a carbon front triangle and a reservoir shock. Those two things together should theoretically increase dampness and reduce chatter, and that rezzy shock and Pike should also be easier to tune for plushness off the top as a priority. For those things I think it’s worth the $4-500 premium over the other options.

I was gonna put the Canyon Spectral 125 CF7 on your list but that bike also only comes with an in-line shock.

Which Ripley AF build did you get for yourself? The fork and shock might be easily tunable to get more soaking of EC roots … or they might be due for an upgrade at some point.

I have the SLX build with the Fox Performance 34 130 fork and Performance DPS shock.

It's not that I find it really harsh, I'm perfectly happy with it. Just thinking for her bike comfort will be king.

[Stuntmonkey]

Which build did you get and how heavy is it? Was looking at the Norcos but heard the Fluid frame is particularly heavy as compared to similar type frames. My Ripley AF is no lightweight but I'm curious how heavy a bike can be before it would be challenging for my wife

FS A2 I believe. I didn't notice much difference between frames in terms of weight over the others. She tried the Devinci Troy, Norco Optic and the Transition Spire. Would have chosen the transition but they didnt have her frame size and the price difference was $2k between. She was riding the shop owners wifes spire and really loved it.

The Optic was pretty close but again, the price difference is what sold us (her).

[SchralphMacchio]

I have the SLX build with the Fox Performance 34 130 fork and Performance DPS shock.

It's not that I find it really harsh, I'm perfectly happy with it. Just thinking for her bike comfort will be king.

Gotcha. Well if you want a little less bite off the top over roots you might consider trying a Luftkappe for that 34 fork.

With the Pike spec’ed on that Optic C3, you can also add a Luftkappe if it’s not plush enough over roots, and then if the Super Deluxe shock isn’t plush enough you’d have the option to add a MegNeg air can.

[Duffman]

So apparently we are both dumb and my wife has no idea what her actual height is. Did some real measurements today. 5'5 plus a few mm in vans, 30.5 inseam, normal ape index, maybe slightly under by a 1/2 in. Now thinking Medium in the shortish cockpit Ripley AF.

[SchralphMacchio]

Because it has a lower stack height than the Optic? The Optic has the lowest standover. All have 450mm reach.

[Duffman]

Sorry wasn't clear. Just looking at the Ripley we are now torn between medium and small since the cockpits run shortish in real life. Still considering the optic in a small also .

Also love the look of the SC Joplin / Tallboy, but SX builds for the same price as these bikes even while on sale seems like a poor value proposition

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