Womens bike for a male?
02-17-19, 11:32 AM
#1
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Womens bike for a male?
Looking at a Canyon with Di2.
I find that the womens bike has what I need.
1. the 50/34 that I need, whikle the mens has a 52/36
2. Geometry seems fine for me as far as reach and stack go
3. The stem length and handle bar width suit me better [90 and 400] versus a 100 and 420
So, is there any downside in me, as a male ordering a female bike in the M size?
I find that the womens bike has what I need.
1. the 50/34 that I need, whikle the mens has a 52/36
2. Geometry seems fine for me as far as reach and stack go
3. The stem length and handle bar width suit me better [90 and 400] versus a 100 and 420
So, is there any downside in me, as a male ordering a female bike in the M size?
02-17-19, 11:44 AM
#2
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All that matters is fit.
...and sometimes paying a "pastel tax", depending on the vendor.
...and sometimes paying a "pastel tax", depending on the vendor.
02-17-19, 12:17 PM
#3
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The bike doesn't know or care who's riding it. 
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02-17-19, 12:28 PM
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Originally Posted by deepakvrao
Looking at a Canyon with Di2.
I find that the womens bike has what I need.
1. the 50/34 that I need, whikle the mens has a 52/36
2. Geometry seems fine for me as far as reach and stack go
3. The stem length and handle bar width suit me better [90 and 400] versus a 100 and 420
So, is there any downside in me, as a male ordering a female bike in the M size?
I find that the womens bike has what I need.
1. the 50/34 that I need, whikle the mens has a 52/36
2. Geometry seems fine for me as far as reach and stack go
3. The stem length and handle bar width suit me better [90 and 400] versus a 100 and 420
So, is there any downside in me, as a male ordering a female bike in the M size?
If it's too girly looking, you might have to be man enough for it.
Last edited by Bikesplendor; 02-17-19 at 01:08 PM.
02-17-19, 12:55 PM
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Many little adjustments are easy... and not expensive for each one. But, of course, add up if one is doing a dozen of them.
34T chainrings should be common enough, and you may get good shifting for 52/34, although not necessarily a supported configuration.
Are you able to actually test-ride your bike?
34T chainrings should be common enough, and you may get good shifting for 52/34, although not necessarily a supported configuration.
Are you able to actually test-ride your bike?
02-17-19, 01:17 PM
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Deepakvaro,
I can't help but think that by asking this question the idea of riding a women's bike is, ultimately, not alright with you. For me, I can foresee several instances where, being parked with other riders, I would feel just a little foolish to claim the women's bike. I humbly advise against this purchase.
Please forgive my obviously chauvinistic point-of-view.
I can't help but think that by asking this question the idea of riding a women's bike is, ultimately, not alright with you. For me, I can foresee several instances where, being parked with other riders, I would feel just a little foolish to claim the women's bike. I humbly advise against this purchase.
Please forgive my obviously chauvinistic point-of-view.
02-17-19, 02:17 PM
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I found that the women's CF SLX Canyon had the ideal stack and reach for me so I purchased it. Don't mind the color way is Canyon-SRAM. To be honest, few people recognize the color scheme. It's a wonderful bike and perfect fit.
02-17-19, 02:17 PM
#8
Bad example
If the bike fits and is aesthetically acceptable, go for it.
If it is is not aesthetically acceptable, that’s a different matter. I am a woman but there are a lot of women’s bikes out there that I would refuse to buy because they are over-the-top feminine. Nothing wrong with wanting a bike that presents you as yourself.
If it is is not aesthetically acceptable, that’s a different matter. I am a woman but there are a lot of women’s bikes out there that I would refuse to buy because they are over-the-top feminine. Nothing wrong with wanting a bike that presents you as yourself.
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02-17-19, 06:08 PM
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Honestly, the difference between men and women's bike is 90% marketing. Usually the only visible things that are different, are A) color (but sometimes the colors are actually really cool.) and B) The stock saddle. On women's bikes they tend to put a saddle which is a little wider since women hips are generally wider than men's. And in the end, the stock saddle always sucks anyway, and you will most likely swap it out for one you prefer.
Originally Posted by deepakvrao
Looking at a Canyon with Di2.
I find that the womens bike has what I need.
1. the 50/34 that I need, whikle the mens has a 52/36
2. Geometry seems fine for me as far as reach and stack go
3. The stem length and handle bar width suit me better [90 and 400] versus a 100 and 420
So, is there any downside in me, as a male ordering a female bike in the M size?
I find that the womens bike has what I need.
1. the 50/34 that I need, whikle the mens has a 52/36
2. Geometry seems fine for me as far as reach and stack go
3. The stem length and handle bar width suit me better [90 and 400] versus a 100 and 420
So, is there any downside in me, as a male ordering a female bike in the M size?
02-17-19, 06:46 PM
#11
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This comes up from time to time ... do a search ...
Basically ... brace yourself---Bikes Do Not Have Gender.
The difference between a "men's" bike and a "woman's" bike is what you call them. Nothing else.
Some manufacturers market bikes with different color schemes and call some "Men's" and some "Women's." Sometimes manufacturers have similar bikes with marginally different geometry and call them different things. But a bike has No gender.
People who are so insecure that they would not ride a bike which fit because of an artificial name ... that's fine for them. Personal choice.
I would ride any bike which fit well, because there IS NO SUCH THING as a men's or woman's bike.
If I call my bike a car, or an antelope, or a woman's bike ... it is still just a bike. If it offers a good ride, i will ride it.
I walk the talk, by the way,. I crossed from LA to DC on a "women's" bike. It fit great, which really makes a difference when you are on the bike for several hours a day, for 42 days.
Buy the bike you can ride best. Then tell everyone it is transgender, and dare them to say anything.
Basically ... brace yourself---Bikes Do Not Have Gender.
The difference between a "men's" bike and a "woman's" bike is what you call them. Nothing else.
Some manufacturers market bikes with different color schemes and call some "Men's" and some "Women's." Sometimes manufacturers have similar bikes with marginally different geometry and call them different things. But a bike has No gender.
People who are so insecure that they would not ride a bike which fit because of an artificial name ... that's fine for them. Personal choice.
I would ride any bike which fit well, because there IS NO SUCH THING as a men's or woman's bike.
If I call my bike a car, or an antelope, or a woman's bike ... it is still just a bike. If it offers a good ride, i will ride it.
I walk the talk, by the way,. I crossed from LA to DC on a "women's" bike. It fit great, which really makes a difference when you are on the bike for several hours a day, for 42 days.
Buy the bike you can ride best. Then tell everyone it is transgender, and dare them to say anything.
02-17-19, 07:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
Buy the bike you can ride best. Then tell everyone it is transgender, and dare them to say anything.
02-17-19, 07:50 PM
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Originally Posted by ThermionicScott
The bike doesn't know or care who's riding it.
Getting back to the OP’s question, my wife has a Trek Madone WSD. Trek markets it as a women specific bike. I have ridden it in many occasions with no problem at all.
It is grey with pink trim. It looks fine and it rides fine.
So get the bike you like and don’t worry about gender.
02-17-19, 08:46 PM
#14
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Originally Posted by ddub
I found that the women's CF SLX Canyon had the ideal stack and reach for me so I purchased it. Don't mind the color way is Canyon-SRAM. To be honest, few people recognize the color scheme. It's a wonderful bike and perfect fit.
Same brand. Looking at a Canyon Endurance Di2.
The womens has the best stack/reach, the 50/34 and the stam and bar width that are ideal for me. At the risk of sounding foolish, is there anything that identifies it as a womens? My wife had a Bianchi long ago that had 'Dama' written on the downtube.
02-17-19, 08:51 PM
#15
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Thread Starter
Thanks all. As long as it does not have 'womens' written on it I'll go for the womens.
https://www.canyon.com/en-in/road/en...c-8-0-di2.html
https://www.canyon.com/en-in/road/en...c-8-0-di2.html
Like I had said, if womes is written on it, might be difficult to resell eventually.
https://www.canyon.com/en-in/road/en...c-8-0-di2.html
https://www.canyon.com/en-in/road/en...c-8-0-di2.html
Like I had said, if womes is written on it, might be difficult to resell eventually.
02-17-19, 09:21 PM
#16
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Some frames are made for longer legs and shorter torso, and are therefore called "women's". If the geometry is such that it fits you better, forget about the label.
Canyon has rather odd sizing, and a medium is similar to a "large" for many other manufacturers, so be cautious.
Canyon has rather odd sizing, and a medium is similar to a "large" for many other manufacturers, so be cautious.
02-18-19, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by wgscott
Some frames are made for longer legs and shorter torso, and are therefore called "women's"
Brace yourself... Men have longer legs than women - relative to height, of course. True story. The researchers who studied/concluded that hypothesized that fashion is to blame for the myth that women have longer legs - high heels, higher wasted pants, more fitted clothing (higher crotch in pants, etc)...
For bikes, because of weaker upper bodies (and yeah, some added weight in the chest area), some women do prefer a more upright position.
But the punch line: It still comes down to individual fit preferences... and color
02-18-19, 08:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Zaskar
Men have longer legs than women - relative to height, of course. True story.
02-18-19, 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by wgscott
Source?
https://www.femininebeauty.info/f/leg.length.polish.pdf
Leg-length to height ratio and attractiveness
And an old one from the '70s - good old U.S. military - measured everyone and everything: https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a074807.pdf
02-18-19, 08:42 AM
#20
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Originally Posted by DrDyno
Deepakvaro,
I can't help but think that by asking this question the idea of riding a women's bike is, ultimately, not alright with you. For me, I can foresee several instances where, being parked with other riders, I would feel just a little foolish to claim the women's bike. I humbly advise against this purchase.
Please forgive my obviously chauvinistic point-of-view.
I can't help but think that by asking this question the idea of riding a women's bike is, ultimately, not alright with you. For me, I can foresee several instances where, being parked with other riders, I would feel just a little foolish to claim the women's bike. I humbly advise against this purchase.
Please forgive my obviously chauvinistic point-of-view.
02-18-19, 08:47 AM
#21
Senior Member
A lot of manufacturers, like Trek, have the same frame geometry on the bikes marketed to women -- they just widen the saddle, shorten the stem and put on narrower bars. And of course, any of those swaps may work better.
The idea of a woman's bike or a man's bike is pretty stupid. If it fits and looks good, it's a bike for you.
The idea of a woman's bike or a man's bike is pretty stupid. If it fits and looks good, it's a bike for you.
02-18-19, 08:55 AM
#22
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It looks like Relative Subischial Leg Length would be the most relevant to frame sizing, so perhaps that this the source of the confusion.
Another factor is those women with a significantly greater non-muscular upper-body mass ratio might prefer a more upright posture, and therefore a shorter top-tube.
Another factor is those women with a significantly greater non-muscular upper-body mass ratio might prefer a more upright posture, and therefore a shorter top-tube.
02-18-19, 09:36 AM
#23
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02-18-19, 09:38 AM
#24
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I think someone should sue Specialized for being gender-binary in their frame design.
02-18-19, 11:45 AM
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Fit. If it fits it works.
I sold a bike frame to a guy at a swap meet. It fit him perfectly. He was super short but longer legs and a short torso. Bike was a Trek "women's" geometry bike.
He comes back with his friends giving me all sorts of crap. "How you gonna sell me a woman's bike! I'm a man!" "Because it fit."
My mountain bike has flowers on it. Fits perfectly.
I sold a bike frame to a guy at a swap meet. It fit him perfectly. He was super short but longer legs and a short torso. Bike was a Trek "women's" geometry bike.
He comes back with his friends giving me all sorts of crap. "How you gonna sell me a woman's bike! I'm a man!" "Because it fit."
My mountain bike has flowers on it. Fits perfectly.
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