Mixte frame revelation/realisation!

[averagebiker]

Having grudgingly started to head back to the office after 2 years of the "P" word I am once again cycling to the station 2 days a week.
I have started out on a folding bike - not because I am taking it on the train but because I can leave it folded by the front door. However at 6 foot tall I find it bloody uncomfortable (I reckon it would be perfect if I was 3 inches shorter!).
So I started to look for an alternative and picked up a 1993 Raleigh Apex MTB locally and cheap. I have been restoring it and have decided it is too nice LOL.
I was then thinking I would pop to my local bike charity project thing to see if I could pick up something cheap and cheerful (i.e. cra* and unlikely to get knicked!). But what to get?
So the old grey matter started to grind into action. What would be best for short trips, carrying a laptop rucksack on a front or back rack, and easy to hop on and off from......plus unlikely to attract bike thieves.
Then I had an epiphany, i need a "mixte" frame!!. It ticks all the boxes and I am now too old to be vain enough to care that I would be riding a "ladies" bike!
Time to go on a cheap mixte hunt

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Mixte's rock! Must finish mine it only cost me £10...a little french fancy thing made by la fileuse in the late 30's.actually only bought it for the tasty mudguards!
I'm going to call it Lola! Inspired by the kinks !

 

[bagpuss]

For the love of Mixte's

Rare Carlton 1950's .£30 a while back .

Carlton Mixte Circa 1950's? FN H186 by rebalrid, on Flickr


Head badge Rare Carlton Mixte 1950's by rebalrid, on Flickr

 

[Joe_Rides]

Yeh, gotta say I love a mixte, and always plenty bargainous ones about.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

I like mixte frames.

Its very sad that a unisex design - for t'is what mixte means - is traditionally viewed as a girls bike over here, when that was never the case. In blighty there lingers this sad and slightly sexist notion that anything without a crossbar is a girls bike.

I think they're great, and if I ever found one large enough to accomodate a 6'5" lard-O then I'll snap it up.

 

[Mickeyspinn]

I like mixte frames.

Its very sad that a unisex design - for t'is what mixte means - is traditionally viewed as a girls bike over here, when that was never the case. In blighty there lingers this sad and slightly sexist notion that anything without a crossbar is a girls bike.

I think they're great, and if I ever found one large enough to accomodate a 6'5" lard-O then I'll snap it up.

Very true yet there seems to be no stigma about men riding bromptons! Bizarre!

 

[Captain Stupido]

Sent a pm

 

[averagebiker]

As of 45 minutes ago I became £20 lighter and 1 "mixte" better off
All I have had to do to get her ready for a trip to the station tomorrow morning was to raise the seat and stem, adjust the front brake a little and put a bit more air in the tyrethe air is still there in the morning!

 

[Mickeyspinn]

You've picked up a pretty pukka pioneer!

Now you do know it's a ladies bike don't you?

 

[Captain Stupido]

That's not a mixte.