Mountain Biking - Women Specific Designs

Marketing hype or female antropometrics miracle?

I'm looking for a bike for my wife and yesterday went to the local specialized dealer to check the Specialized Myka HT but when comparing it to the 'male's' hardrock, the frame seemed identical to me.

If your wife can fit a mans sized bike, then I would have her try as many as possible. the WSD are usually compromised on components to make up for WSD seat's narrow handlebars, shorter cranks, stems and generally a more upright seat tube angle. My mife is very small and needed a WSD small to fit her, thius equated to a mans X small which Specialized doesn't offer.

My fiancé is 5'4" so bought her a 15" myka HT thinking that she'll fit fine after but after two ride I sold the bike because she ended up with crazy back pain funny part is sometimes she rides my med sized stumpjumper and she fits much better I gues because stumpy has more upright set up so I just ordered her the small myka FSR it'll be here Tuesday I'll take her to the bike shop to make sure she fits properly before I take the bike check back with me wed morning.
By the way myka HT and the hardrock frames are not the same, top tube on hardrock curves up and myka curves down for more clearence also seat is much closer to the handle bar.

Some differences. Different geometry...often a shorter top tube to make up for a woman having a shorter torso and longer legs than a man her same height. Couple other changes here and there. Bear in mind though, that not every woman is best off on a WSD bike. None of my mountain bikes, including an XC bike that fits like a dream, is a WSD bike. In fact, the two WSD bikes that I did try felt horrible.

My wife who is 5'4 and not petite, and also not big by any means either, also only feels comfy on mens bikes. Both of her MTN bike frames are in the 15 In range,"and mens frames". Its funny I ran into this post, for today, she was trying out road bikes. She really likes, and looks like she is going to buy a Fuji Absolute 3.0, 17 in flat bar road bike, mens speced frame. We both also think its just a marketing thing. Honestly, male or female, you got to find what works, and is comfy for you :)

Men/Woman both have arms, torso, legs, woman may have a bit more weight on the upper front, and lower back side, but I have seen men with some extra upper/lower-front/back weight as well.:lol: don't believe the hype, get whats works men or woman frames.

Edit: In the late 80's early 90' I don't recall seeing men or woman specific MTB frames, but heck I am a man I would not have been looking at woman frames back then or now for that matter.

Men/Woman both have arms, torso, legs, woman may have a bit more weight on the upper front, and lower back side, but I have seen men with some extra upper/lower-front/back weight as well.:lol: don't believe the hype, get whats works men or woman frames.

Edit: In the late 80's early 90' I don't recall seeing men or woman specific MTB frames, but heck I am a man I would not have been looking at woman frames back then or now for that matter.

Umm. Softer suspension Springs in coil sprung forks, on lower end bikes for lighter weight of the female body? You didn't have to worry about that in the late 80's huh? I just let My Sista ride my new long legged XC bike today, She is about the same height and leg length as me but I at "least" drop the air pressure from the shock and fork to accommodate her individual characteristics. This is some of the considerations that bike manufacturers are trying to address. Sometimes A wsd is better for a gal.

I test rode a Myka and hated it. I'm tall for a woman, but I don't have long legs like most women my height supposedly have. My height is in my torso and I have long arms. Doesn't do much for my self image to basically be told that my proportions (legs/torso/arms) are more like that of a man's, but oh well.

Point is... the womens specific mountain bikes I tried didn't fit me so well because the seat is closer to the handlebars and it put me too upright. I ended up with a "men's" bike, but it's the second to the smallest size they make in that model.

I guess I should mention that the Myka I tried was much lower end than the bike I ended up buying, which I'm sure also had a little do to with how good it felt riding it.

Thanks for the info guys. My wife is 5"4 too and this will be her first mountain bike. She used to ride a lot when she was still a kid and now she wants to resume her riding. Hope she doesn't kick my butt going uphill.