WSD versions vs. regular version?
 

Lately, I've been noticing that the frame geometry on alot of WSD bikes are similar if not the same as the regular models. They just come in smaller sizes of the same frame. Are fitted with a wider saddle and painted with more girlie colours.
Back in the day when i purchased a WSD Trek 820 for my wife, the top tube was really slanted down vs. the regular 820. These days alot of the Trek WSDs look no different than its regular counterpart. Same too with other brand bikes. Am I missing something here?

wsd bike usually have a longer seat tube and shorter top tube.

Besides the shorter top tube- They have a few parts that would suit the womans form better- Narrower bars- different saddles- short reach brake levers.

But WSD bikes do not suit all females. That is where a good LBS will come in with changing a few parts for them.

The Cervelo Test Team (womans) uses the same framesets as the men's.

My first bike was a wsd version.. Total fail. I was dumb(er) back then and didn't really know about bikes all that much. The shorter top tube only works if you are a really short female, that ridiculous park bench with a bean bag on it called a saddle is useless, and the whole dropping of the top tube (yeah I'll be out there climbing hills in a skirt :rolleyes:) are all stupid things that don't work well (to me). The perks are the narrower handlebar and the shorter reach brakes, both of which can be easily fitted onto a standard frame.

Late last summer my partner says she wants a road bike [she has a very nice touring bike and a great mountain bike]. I try not to be a hypocrite & always happy to go bike shopping - we went the local shop. She looks at and test rides several road bikes - some regular and some WSD. One maker's WSD and regular bike of the same model line stood aside one another both small size [my partner is un-tall], the WSD with a splash of pink color and a slightly different seat. I was eyeing them over and could not discern any differences between the frame sizes or geometry. Had brought a roll up tape measure, got it out to measure them. The LBS owner [nice guy whom I know fairly well] says "don't bother, they are the same". Seems he had measured them also, he also said he had contacted the bike maker about them similar dimensions and didn't get an answer.
She kept looking at bikes, there was a GT WSD model with what appeared to be a different geometry and components [than regular model]. Her body position with respect to the pedals was optimal, seat/handle bar height was just about perfect- plus she was comfortable with the handle bar, brake levers and shifters. A great fit.
She got the bike, has been very happy with it and rode it well into the fall.
The point to this rambling - not sure if it matters if the label says WSD or not- it is the fit that counts. Some WSD may actually be focused at the body geometry of female riders- some are not. It is the fit that counts.