Is the Carrera Crossfire 3 suitable for women?

[Ashb]

Hello,

I am looking to get my first bike for a budget of up to £600. I want to use it for road and light off road use e.g fields, country paths etc. I have seen good reviews on Halford’s Carrera Crossfire 3 however they only sell it in a men’s model where as both the version 1 and 2 have separate women’s models.
Does anyone know why this is and if the 3 is suitable for women?
Any other recommendations?

thank you!

 

[sheddy]

If it’s new book a test ride ?

Do be aware of Halfords variable after sales service.

 

[vickster]

Halfords probably don’t think the wsd market is big enough to have 3 similar models

It’ll be fine as long as they do one that is small enough if you’re petite (how tall are you?)
Looking at the halfords site, even the S is only suitable for 5’5 up...there’s nothing worse than a bike that’s too big!

Carrera Frame Size	Height (inches)	Height (cm)
Small (17")	5'5" to 5'10"	165cm to 178cm
Medium (19")	5'10" to 6'1"	178cm to 185cm
Large (21")	6'0" to 6'6"	183cm to 198cm

Compare the geometry of the women’s 2 and the unisex 3, what’s the 2 vs 3 difference otherwise?

you’ll probably want to budget for a new saddle on a unisex (men’s) bike.

there are some very good deals out there on older Marin hybrids
eg https://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/catalog/product.php?CI_ID=18626&Item='Marin San Anselmo DS4 Ladies Hybrid Commuter Bike'
(you might need to pay local shop £30-40 to put together if not familiar with bikes, the seller is in Oxfordshire)

what % road vs off road cycling..if mostly road, don’t bother with front suspension and look at something like a Trek fx3 disc

 

[vickster]

Looking at the geo for the ladies model, only have a S in the 2 (sorry for formatting!)

Carrera Frame SizeHeight (inches)Height (cm)
Small4'9" to 5'2"145cm to 157cmMedium5'2" to 5'6"157cm to 168cmLarge5'6" to 5'11"168cm to 180cm
The small men’s pretty much corresponds to the large wsd

 

[sleuthey]

Does anyone know why this is and if the 3 is suitable for women?

If your into your frocks then no. If you will wear shorts or trousers then yes

 

[vickster]

You can still wear a frock with a crossbar but you’ll want something more substantial than a thong underneath!

 

[iluvmybike]

It doesn't matter if it is labelled mens or womens - the important bit is that it fits proeprly. I ride a Scott Solace raod bike which is lableed as the mens version but it fits me perfectly - one & only change I made was slightly narrower handlebars

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Women specific bikes can be a bit of a marketing gimmick in many cases.... stick a lilac decal on, call a "small" a "medium", change the make of the bike from Giant to Liv, and Bob's your auntie. Don't buy into the guff that women need a particular "woman's bike", well not unless you need to wear a skirt anyway.

A bike is a bike, the really, really important thing is that it fits you and is good to ride. My wife has "mens" bikes, both Giants, (one road and one light off road / hybrid). She loves them both and only swapped the saddle on her road bike to a lady specific one as the original was too narrow for her sit bones.

 

[mudsticks]

You can still wear a frock with a crossbar but you’ll want something more substantial than a thong underneath!

Yes the penny with an elastic band wrapped around it, holding the two layers front and back works well too.

It doesn't matter if it is labelled mens or womens - the important bit is that it fits proeprly. I ride a Scott Solace raod bike which is lableed as the mens version but it fits me perfectly - one & only change I made was slightly narrower handlebars

Yup, don't fall for 'labels' apart from the saddle maybe, the rest is about your personal frame dimensions, fitting the bike frame.

- most of my bikes have been sold as mens.. But I'm fairly tall.

The only downside being that they rarely come in pink or lilac

Women specific bikes can be a bit of a marketing gimmick on many bikes.... stick a lilac decal on, call a "small" a "medium", change the make of the bike from Giant to Liv, and Bob's your auntie.

A bike is a bike, the really, really important thing is that it fits you and is good to ride. My wife has "mens" bikes, both Giants, (one road and one light off road / hybrid). She loves them both and only swapped the saddle on her road bike to a lady specific one as the original was too narrow for her sit bones.

Yes worth getting your sit bones measured.

Lady undercarriages are somewhat more unique to the owner, so finding a saddle that suits you personally is key

 

[jay clock]

women of above average height often cope fine with men's frame. Often a stem a cm or shorter helps. My daughter has a men's Sirrus and is about 5'6"