So why is a ladies bike better for ladies

[Zakalwe]

Road bikes now don't have that sloped top tube any more, the female specific frames look pretty much identical to a men's. I was told that they had the slope so you could step through the frame rather than swing your leg over the top which was most unladylike, along with letting the skirt hang down lower and stop boys getting a glimpse of a ladies undies. You still see Pashley princesses riding around in skirts and retro bikes, and I like it. Here's to them I say.

 

[Rob3rt]

Ladies bikes tend to be shorter, as women tend to have a different leg length to torso length ratio to men and can feel stretched out on "standard" bike.

They do hike the price a bit but then again, you don't need to immediately go and buy a different saddle, narrower bars with a more women friendly drop profile and a shorter stem. So you might even save money going for a women specific bike.

BUT, it really does depend on you and what you find most comfortable and what you want.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

The seats are bigger for wide bums

 

[Oldspice]

Ladies bikes tend to be shorter, as women tend to have a different leg length to torso length ratio to men and can feel stretched out on "standard" bike.

They do hike the price a bit but then again, you don't need to immediately go and buy a different saddle, narrower bars with a more women friendly drop profile and a shorter stem. So you might even save money going for a women specific bike.

BUT, it really does depend on you and what you find most comfortable and what you want.

Not always. Women and men can have the same torso and leg length. If it was true there would be no need for different size bikes, stems and handle bars for men as there would be no need to adjust mens bikes.

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

They do hike the price a bit but then again, you don't need to immediately go and buy a different saddle, narrower bars with a more women friendly drop profile and a shorter stem. So you might even save money going for a women specific bike.

..plus you can always sell the unwanted parts, so I don't think it will make that much a difference in the end (cost of replacement that is)! I don't need narrower bars, cause although I'm only 5'4" I have quite broad shoulders (pro-swimming et all..), but I usually need to change stem, as I have long legs and shorter torso..

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

Not always. Women and men can have the same torso and leg length. If it was true there would be no need for different size bikes, stems and handle bars for men as there would be no need to adjust mens bikes.

That is actually incorrect. Exceptions apart, according to auxologists, women tend to have shorter torsos and longer limbs than men of the same height. Ofcourse, everybody is different, but as a general rule that stands, hence the creation of gender specific goodies..

 

[Broadside]

An Allez basically is a Dolce is it not?

The Dolce is more of an equivalent to the Secteur, with Zertz inserts in the forks. But if you compare the precise frame measurements there are more than a few differences, along with a womens specific saddle, narrower handlebars and shorter stem.

The basic Dolce is the same spec and price as the basic Secteur so there is no extra charge for it being womens specific.

I have got a 56cm Secteur (i am 6 foot) and just bought my wife a 2013 54cm Dolce (she is 5'5"). I was planning on getting a small frame Secteur for her until I looked in to it in detail.

When I sit on her bike it feels tiny, much bigger differences than just one frame size down. I think we do some of the manufacturers down a bit saying they are charging more for womens specific designs (doubtless though it does go on), but I think a lot more R&D goes in to it than we give them credit for. I would never have guessed that my wife would ride a 54cm womens specific frame but it fits and she loves it as a result.

 

[Zakalwe]

Ah right, it's the Amira that's the Allez equivalent. The thing with sizing now in the age of compact frames is the measurements given are more of an index rather than a finite sizing system. With a sloping top tube you're given the "effective" measurement which could be anything you like, so sizing becomes more ambiguous - much like how I take a large when buying Sportful, small in Rapha and medium from DHB.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Just for the record here...

I AM A BLOKE

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]