Weird size sexism?

[jefmcg]

We've seen some weird things with women's frames on bikes, eg pink-it-and-shrink-it and the special vagina tax where WSD bikes cost around £100 more for the same spec'd bike in the unisex/man's frame.

But this is a new one for me. Pinnacle bikes come in small, medium, large and x-large in the general range, but the women's version comes in small, medium and TALL.

Because feeble (but tall) women won't buy a large bike because they think that large means fat? Or some other weird reason I can't imagine?

 

[T4tomo]

I would say exactly that. Well I wouldn't use "feeble" but they are probably trying to avoid using the word "large".

What bugs me is starbucks' 2nd smallest cup is called Tall, which is just plain stupid.

 

[vickster]

As a tall and large woman, I far prefer tall

 

[MichaelW2]

Vagina tax or penis discount? Discuss.

I would like to see at least one brand try a different tack, which is to reduce the number of models they offer, make the fewer models more multi-purpose (ie commutable/winter trainer style) and make them in a wider range of sizes, well proportioned, with proportional wheel and crank size. Proportional increments in size could be used, so small bikes come in smaller increments and at the big end, the jumps are bigger. Also proportional tubesets, so small bikes use small diameter and big bikes, large diameter tubes, so the big bikes have more overall stiffness than the smallest ones.

 

[velovoice]

We've seen some weird things with women's frames on bikes, eg pink-it-and-shrink-it and the special vagina tax where WSD bikes cost around £100 more for the same spec'd bike in the unisex/man's frame.

But this is a new one for me. Pinnacle bikes come in small, medium, large and x-large in the general range, but the women's version comes in small, medium and TALL.

Because feeble (but tall) women won't buy a large bike because they think that large means fat? Or some other weird reason I can't imagine?

Is it a stack/height ratio thing? I'm only 5'4" but online bike size calculators put me on a 58 according to my inseam (alone). By that criteria, I may well be "Tall"!!

 

[Ian H]

Seeing as men and women come in all different sizes, I think the separation of bike models by sex is mostly marketing bollox. I would prefer to see simply a good range of sizes with options for crank and stem lengths (and colour if you wish – "Certainly, Sir, we can order you one in pink.").

 

[Ajay]

I don't think so, according to the link it's a height guide description.
S M T, short, medium, tall. Tall is a better word to describe height than large, surely?

 

[jefmcg]

Tall is a better word to describe height than large, surely?

Well yes, maybe, but if that was their logic, shouldn't it be short, medium and tall? And shouldn't the men's bikes come in tall and x-tall?

 

[srw]

We've seen some weird things with women's frames on bikes, eg pink-it-and-shrink-it and the special vagina tax where WSD bikes cost around £100 more for the same spec'd bike in the unisex/man's frame.

But this is a new one for me. Pinnacle bikes come in small, medium, large and x-large in the general range, but the women's version comes in small, medium and TALL.

Because feeble (but tall) women won't buy a large bike because they think that large means fat? Or some other weird reason I can't imagine?

If you look at the siing chart (https://static.evanscycles.com/prod...ize and geometry guide Arkose Womens 2016.pdf) the sizes are labelled S, M, T - which could indicate that whoever originally drew up the specs intended short, medium and tall.

In fact when you look at the two sizing charts side by side there are some oddities. I believe that it's quite common for women to have relatively longer legs than men of the same heights, but the women's range is designed for people with shorter legs and longer reaches.

I suspect the differences started with an attempt to build bikes for people of indeterminate sex but a different shape.

 

[smutchin]

Seeing as men and women come in all different sizes, I think the separation of bike models by sex is mostly marketing bollox. I would prefer to see simply a good range of sizes with options for crank and stem lengths (and colour if you wish – "Certainly, Sir, we can order you one in pink.").

Totally agree with this. Even two very 'average' males may have different fitting requirements - eg a former colleague was the same height as me, but I couldn't ride his bike and he couldn't ride my bike without making significant alterations to the set-up because we're so differently proportioned.

Surely the only part of a bike that has any business being gender-specific is the saddle.

 

[vickster]

I doubt you'll find any mainstream company providing an endless stream of options and colours, even the likes of Planet X don't (especially women's saddles and narrower bars)

 

[smutchin]

I believe that it's quite common for women to have relatively longer legs than men of the same heights

There may be some truth in that if you're talking about statistical averages across an entire population, but statistical averages are not much use to us as individuals when we buy a bike.

I guess the bike manufacturers have to work with those average dimensions, and we have to choose the stock size that is nearest to our individual fit, then customise it to make it fit properly by changing the stem, handlebars, seatpost, saddle. But that goes equally for men and women.

Here's a little spot the difference exercise for anyone who wants to know what makes Bianchi's Dama Bianca models "women specific"...

There's one glaring difference that leaps off the page.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Is it a stack/height ratio thing? I'm only 5'4" but online bike size calculators put me on a 58 according to my inseam (alone). By that criteria, I may well be "Tall"!!

These days I take very little notice of seat tube length, I will look at top tube length first, 53.5 - 54 on the top tube will give me a bike that fits, usually a 52 with a yard of seat post showing. I'm 5ft 6in with a 29 inside leg. The question is do we need a female specific frame? How much is the difference between a male and female frames?