Women Specific Design Bikes?
01-09-09, 09:20 PM
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Women Specific Design Bikes?
When I buy my wife a new bike, I'm wondering if I should pay special attention to the ones designed for women? What are the differences and advantages? Are there any disadvantages?
01-09-09, 09:39 PM
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Differences are geometry of the frame and components. The theory is that women will need a shorter top tube on a size frame that would be right for her in the seat tube length and angle. So when they shorten the top tube, they may make additional changes to the fork/head tube and rear triangle to let the bike have the same feel and handling as the standard version.
Advantages: narrower/short reach bars, women's saddle. If she needs a small frame size, it might be easier to find the small size in a WSD bike.
Disadvantages: it might not fit her. Get her a bike that will fit her. This may or not be a WSD bike. If she wants a women's specific saddle, that's an easy swap to make.
Advantages: narrower/short reach bars, women's saddle. If she needs a small frame size, it might be easier to find the small size in a WSD bike.
Disadvantages: it might not fit her. Get her a bike that will fit her. This may or not be a WSD bike. If she wants a women's specific saddle, that's an easy swap to make.
01-09-09, 10:23 PM
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They also put different sized components (bars, stems, etc.) for each size vs. the mens versions. E.g. narrower bars.
01-09-09, 10:30 PM
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I was fitted on a Specialized Dolce 51cm (women's specific frame) and it fit just fine, however I ended up with a Fuji Newest 3.0, which is a unisex frame. Fits me like a glove. It has an adustable stem and the size Small frame ended up working really well with my measurements. It really just depends on your wife's measurements and what feels right to her. Good luck!!
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01-09-09, 10:59 PM
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My wife loves her WSD Trek Pilot 5.2. Loves the seriously sloping toptube for more standover clearance.
Plus, they also put different sized components (bars, stems, etc.) for each size vs. the mens versions. E.g. narrower bars.
Plus, they also put different sized components (bars, stems, etc.) for each size vs. the mens versions. E.g. narrower bars.
01-09-09, 11:20 PM
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Dude, while that is a wonderful present, please don't buy a bike w/o her being able to try it (or at least exchange it).
Someone did that for me once, and it was so touching.... and I rode a way-too-big mountain bike for 2 years.
Someone did that for me once, and it was so touching.... and I rode a way-too-big mountain bike for 2 years.
01-09-09, 11:52 PM
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Disadvantage - embarrassing paint jobs that many women wouldn't be caught dead with. Flowers? Come on people. I haven't wanted a bike with flowers since I was 10.
01-10-09, 12:41 AM
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Disadvantages: It might not fit her. Take her and let her test-ride the bikes.
I own a Specialized Dolce Comp (05) and an Orbea Diva (08). Both are WSD and fit me quite well. Getting the right size frame and components is very individual, and was key for my falling in
with these bikes.
01-10-09, 08:19 AM
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My wife has small hands and we swapped her bars to the Fuji WSD drops. She also has the Shimano inserts that move the brakes closer to the bars for easier shifting. Of all the WSD stuff, this seemed to be the biggest impact for her (she couldn't reach the shifters at all!)
01-10-09, 08:27 AM
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My wife tries both styles when she is looking for a new bike and has yet to buy one that is WSD. That said, I know many highly skilled, brutally fast women racers on WSD bikes (my coach), so it's all personal preference.
01-10-09, 10:39 AM
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Thanks everyone for your input. Don't worry, I wouldn't buy her a new bike without her input. I would only offer advice if she asked, and she would be the ultimate "decider". I was just curious about women-specific designs and what to look for as opposed to unisex models.
01-10-09, 11:31 AM
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Yeah, that applies towards women s riding gear as well. My wife hates pink. Unfortunately, all the cycling shoes she liked had pink as part of the design. We got her a pair of Specialized's, and when we got home, she got out the sharpie and colored in the pink portions. She tried to do the same to the pink Specialized logo on her bike, as well, but the sharpie didn't work so well...
01-10-09, 11:44 AM
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My wife bought a Trek 4.7 WSD and the stem was way too short (70mm) and the handlebars way too narrow (38mm). Swapped both out and the bike is great.
01-10-09, 02:34 PM
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The major disadvantage is in some of the smaller sizes. In order to fit 700c wheels without significant toe overlap, they have to murder the geometry. Terry bikes are probably the best bet.
https://www.terrybicycles.com/
https://www.terrybicycles.com/
