Originally Posted by
apricissimus
What about bikes that have the traditional road bike frame, but are marketed as having a better fit for women? I have no idea what this would entail, but it doesn't seem outlandish to me that men and women with their different anatomies and proportions might have different fit needs for their bikes.
I could be totally wrong about that too, but it's not obvious to me.
Aren't there saddles designed for women who typically have slightly wider sit bones than men?
+1
A bike which not custom made is always a compromise and its set up derives from "average" body-measures. In comparison woman's legs are longer and upper body is smaller for a given height. That could require a shorter top tube and longer seat-tube. When looking at legs, its the calves that makes most % of the "longer" in legs - that can have effect of optimal crank length. Shoulder width is - in average smaller - that could make a smaller bar width appropriate. Hands are in average narrower, with % longer finger - has effect on optimum seize of grips and lever distance. A perfect saddle for a typical womans back is yet to designed. Not only the sit bones differ but also the arc to pubic bone...and so on.
Actually I would appreciate if there were more research on ergonomics for "woman" bikes.
Apart from that, I think some of you got it the wrong way round...
Didn't you realize that bikes ridden by men are almost always female?
My bikes are definitely male and also I believe pink on a man's bike is most sexy
