Ladies Specific Bikes

[GrahamG]

I'm not sure I agree with the statement about shorter women necessarily (although it obviously depends from person to person!) as I have longer legs proportionately to my body (32" inside leg but only 5'11) and short arms exacerbate the situation - hence my comment earlier about a WSD frame sounding like it might be suitable! I can use a compact frame and just have far more seatpost out and a shorter stem but this only puts my back at a steeper, 'racy' angle which just isn't comfortable if you're not a racer. Despite my (very experienced) LBS mechanic saying that there's no way I needed a 23" frame and should go for a 22", I bought one with a comparatively shorter TT and fitted a 70mm stem with a good 6 or 7 degree rise on it. I still feel I could go another size up for a more comfortable riding position (saddle is still a good 4" above handlebar height on a standard geometry frame).

 

[mickle]

Mickle has a 'when harry met sally' moment

 

[wafflycat]

As a five foot seven woman, can't say I've ever *needed* the geometry of a 'woman's bike' as an aid to comfort or fit.

I ride a Bianchi San Remo & a Bianchi ML3, neither of which are 'women's bikes' and on either I can cycle all day in comfort, as they are the correct size. For me, the most important concession to comfort has been to get properly fitting saddles. Which for me are Terry's saddles, women specific ones - as in our nether regions we do differ substantially to the males of the species.

 

[punkypossum]

Don't know....as a 6ft female with 34" legs I struggle with the reach on loads of men's bikes, it's just too long for me, so I would have loved to try wsd bikes...unfortunately most of them don't seem to be meant for anybody over 5'8 max, so I have to go for men's bikes, but on a lot of brands even a shorter stem doesn't make the reach short enough (I must have t-rex arms )

Before you get worried mickle, I'm not going to post another top tube length question - have got over that you will be glad to hear!