ASK MBA: WHAT’S A GOOD, BUDGET, FULL-SUSPENSION BIKE FOR MY WIFE?
Don't confuse cheap with inexpensive
WHAT BIKE?
Q: I want to buy a bike for my wife so that she can join me and our two kids on rides. I’d like to get her a full-suspension model but do not want to spend a lot of money. I am considering a Giant Stance 29 2. Is this a good choice?
Bear Lakeman
Paso Robles, CA
A: Good call getting your wife in on the fun! There is nothing like getting out on the trail with the whole family. The Stance is a great choice, and Giant tends to deliver a great value. It has a simple yet effective, single-pivot, 120mm-travel rear suspension system that your wife will likely enjoy.
You might also have her test ride Liv’s (Giant’s sister brand) Embolden 2. She might enjoy the snappy 27.5-inch wheels and women’s-specific features over the unisex Stance. If you can’t find either of those, another good one to consider would be the Wiki from consumer-direct brand Fezzari. Starting at $1849, the Wiki is a 130mm-travel, full-suspension bike with a lot of custom-build options that can be added, including a dropper seatpost that you will likely want to add to the Giant or Liv at some point as well.
