The reason that many mixte bikes had long top tubes (long for the size or intended riders), that I was told, is that they were made on the same jigs as the guy bikes.
Jon- I'm not sure what long femurs have to do with the top tube length but I happy for your wife's contentment with her bikes.
> I'd like to return to one of Tom Sanders' original thread-starting
> questions for a bit:
>
>>>> How do folks find they ride and handle relative to a conventional
>>>> bike?
>
>
> My 53 CM (c-t) Peugeot UO-18 mixte has a 55 CM functional top tube, so
> it fits me better in the front length dimension
> than my Eisentraut, as far as I can tell from my still-evolving fit
> adventures.
>
> The long TT is also a good argument for the European "unisex" theory as
> to the mixte's general application, IMHO.
>
> The similarly long (at least by modern US standards) TT on most European
> mixtes seems almost misogynistic: it puts
> women's soft tissues at risk when they have to lean too far forward to
> reach the handlebars, especially for average and smaller
> women with their usually-shorter arms and torsos relative to overall
> height. It is no wonder that many women disliked these
> "ladies' models" back in the day but may not have realized why they hurt
> so much. Special attention should be paid to the TT length
> when fitting most mixtes and other "women's bikes" to women to ensure a
> proper (usually shorter) TT and front-center length.
>
> "The exception proves the rule" department:
> My wife, Linda, rides a made-to-measure and way-off-topic Serotta Legend
> Ti bike with a 55 CM TT that is almost identical
> to her on-topic UO-18's, despite her self-described "Tyrannosaurus Rex"
> upper body build. Her femurs are relatively long,
> and she need a long TT to achieve a good custom fit.)
>
> As to the ride and handling, I LOVE my Peugeot's "long and limber" feel
> and handling. The twin laterals definitely make the ride a more "flexy"
> one,
> but it is also very, very comfortable and works well with my high-RPM
> cadence. It is nimble in steering, stable under load, and is fitted with
> front & rear racks
> and semi-permanently-affixed on-topc (?) Tailwind panniers. The Phil Wood
> hubs and BB make for worry-free tear-round riding. It is often
> loaded with up to 40 pounds of produce from the Farmer's Market or a
> serious load of household or remodeling supplies (a 35# box of drywall
> "mudd" from
> the hardware store on the rear rack) from the hardware store. The "gas
> pipe" Peugeot 1030 tubing exceeds its humble origins due to a solid
> design,
> and feels very much like my PX-10s have felt over the years. (All good,
> in other words.)
>
> With a 12 CM stem and Rivendell's "Priest" bars, I am upright enough to
> see well in traffic (and be seen), and can easily dismount at stop signs
> or at Peet's
> without worrying about physiology at all.
>
> I would not be surprised if other European makers' mixtes (Gitane,
> Motobecane, etc.) also perform similarly well, but have never ridden most
> of them. Nor have
> I tried a 531 or Columbus double-butted "premium" mixte of any make. (The
> idea of a Gios-made mixte is new to me and very intriguing, as is its
> color.)
>
> In short, never underestimate the handling and utilitarian performance
> characteristics of the humble-looking and inexpensive European mixtes.
> Just pay attention to the front-length and TT fit if fitting one to
> anyone with average or shorter-than-average upper body dimensions.
>
> Jon Spangler
> who has "his and hers" on-topic Peugeot UO-18s in the garage in Alameda,
> CA USA
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 31, 2009, at 8:40 AM, <classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
Andrew R Stewart
Rochester, NY