First Women's Specific MTB bike

njames88

Hi

I have been a roadie for a while and am thinking about getting into MTB XC riding. I have done trail riding before but have no real experience as such.

What women's specific models would be good for a beginner but which would not need to be replaced too soon as I improved? How important are things like lock-out and the amount of travel on the forks to the riding experience? Do they only make a difference at a higher level?

Thanks

Tasha

SpinningJenny

Hi Tasha - welcome!

I'm realtively new to the MTB experience - but I am sure you will love it once you get started!

I won't be the first person to tell you that you won't necessarily need a women's specific MTB bike. Quite a few of us ladies on here don't have them and we love our bikes! I would suggest deciding what your budget is, having a look around to see what you like the look of and trying out a few to see how they fit you. As you will know, a decent bike shop will give you good, impartial advice and let you try out different bikes.

As for the difference regarding the forks/shocks etc - spend as much as you can afford on the best bike - then you'll be less likely to have to replace bits too quickly. I think a minimum of £500 would get you something decent of the hardtail variety.

I am sure others will be along soon with more...

njames88

Thank you! I'm sure I will too!

Oh ok thanks thats useful to know. I guess I was just thinking about my previous problems with the frame sizes on non womens specific road bikes, but I guess the seating position is so different that it may not be the case for an MTB.

£500 doesn't sound too bad a price considering I'm less likely to need to replace parts so quickly as you say. Yeah I'll head down my local bike shop and ask them some advice!

Thanks again

RockyHopperShow

Hi Tasha,
My other half is starting out on mtb-ing and has opted for the women's specific Specialized Myka HT Sport (which is disc braked) for £449.99. She is buying it via her company's Ride2Work scheme which means that she will effectively get it for around 60% of the RRP. You can get a V-_braked version for £100 less. Another bike to consider is the Scott Contessa or perhaps one of the Trek WSD range.

Joycie

Hi RHS,

Is that the 2010 model cos the Myka HT Sport 2009 doesn't have disk brakes and is also considerably cheaper... http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/myka-ht-sport-2009-womens-mountain-bike-ec016017.

Your description/price range spounds more like the Myka HT Elite which has mechanical disk brakes. I went for the Myka HT Expert which has hydraulic disk brakes (approx £640 but will no doubt come down in price shortly as the new models come out).

It really depends on your body shape Tasha as to whether you'll find the womens specific bikes more comfortable - I do as I have longer legs and a shorter body so find if I get the right size of mens MTB in the leg it's too much of a stretch on the arms and vice vera.

And if you've got any good advice on choosing a road bike then I'd appreciate it

RockyHopperShow

Hello Joycie, it gets a bit confusing doesn't it? The 2010 Myka Sport has discs.......the disc version in 2009 was the Sport Disc....which they no longer make. TBH I can't be fussed to wade throught the specs but the 2010 Elite is now £649 which in all honesty is too much for my Dawn. I tend to agree with the likes of Supersonic (who posts advice on buying bikes) that £449 probably is a tad too much for the spec for Dawn's new aquisition, but at the price paid via a Cycle2Work scheme it becomes so much more attractive.....almost a steal.
But that could be said for many more bikes. I personally don't think you can go too far wrong with Spesh bikes....I have had more than one....but in the end it is very much down to how the bike feels, even to the (what's the word?)...detriment of spec.

Uvavu

My other half tried to get a Myka HT Expert (also on the Cycle to Work scheme) but they all sold out months ago. There is no Expert model for 2010, the top one is now the Elite which does have hyraulic brakes but otherwise is a similar spec to last year's Elite, but at about the same price as the Expert was. Pretty annoying, to say the least!

Joycie

I was speaking to a guy in Halfords at the weekend (through which I get my Cycle to Work scheme bikes) and he was saying that the £800-£1,000 2010 bikes were going faster than the bike manufacturers could supply. It's almost as if the top bike brands are oblivious to the "Cycle to Work scheme" effect... :shock:

Not great for me as I got my next voucher in January (wonder what the waiting list will be like by then!) :?

njames88

Thanks guys!

How important are hydraulic brakes? The guy in the shop recommended spending that bit more for them and decent forks w/lockout but then he would wouldn't he?!?!

What do you think of the Myka HT Comp 2010 model?

What price were you looking to spend on your road bike Joycie?

njames88

Oh and also the Trek 4500 2009 - what do we think of that?

Si78

Hi Tasha

It is worth spending a bit more to get a good fork with lock-out. Lock out is handy when riding on roads, or when climbing. Obviously stops the front end bouncing, which saps some of the power you are putting into the bike.

Hydraulic brakes are good. Very powerful, but on the negative side, they are a bit more hassle if they are not working quite right (have to bleed them etc), and I'm sometimes concerned about having a total brake failure if I overheat them and boil the fluid :shock: lol. I definately prefer the power and feel of them, compared to mechanical discs or v brakes.

Si

Si78

Hi again.

Have just been looking up some women specific bikes.
Was a bit surprised that the bike specs for any given price are quite a bit lower than for similarly priced 'mens' bikes. Why is that I wonder? :?:

Have you decided on a budget Tasha?

This Myka Expert has quite a good spec. £635. Toras are good forks, Hydraulic brakes too, same ones as fitted to my bike.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... gn=froogle

Prize for best looking (in my opinion lol) woman specific bike goes to this Trek 6300 8)
http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/product_9888.htm
Looks yummy, Dart 3 is good enough (got one on my bike), and Juicy 3 brakes. £675 sheets tho...

Have you tried out any 'Mens' bikes? If a blokes bike fits you ok you would certainly have more choice, and would be able to get 'more for your money' imho.

njames88

Ideally I really don't want to spend anymore than £500, so although I agree the Trek 6300 does look yummy I really don't think I can stretch that far atm! £550 would be a maximum maximum price!

No I haven't tried any non women's specific apart from riding my friends GT Avalanche 2.0 Disc, which, as he's a bloke, was too big for me :roll:

Which men's bikes have similar specs to the myka expert and trek 6300? The guy in my bike shop showed me the rockhopper as far as a good non WSD alternative, would you agree?

Uvavu

Having had to settle for a 2010 Myka HT Elite, I'd be pretty annoyed to discover that the 2009 Myka HT Expert is still available... however, that Evans page is only showing availablility for the 17" and 19" models and my other half fits a 15".

As for the men's vs women's spec issue, I absolutely agree. The Myka Expert was already not really at the same level as the Rockhopper Expert. Now the top spec women's HT in 2010 is the Myka Elite, which is considerably lower spec than the Myka Expert was. I think it's actually rather sexist that the spec of women's bikes is lower than the men's ones. It's strange from a business perspective too... I mean, the top-end 2009 Mykas sold out well before end of season, and Specialized's response is to lower the top spec? It makes no sense at all.

Si78

Maybe they think they have a captive market, so feel they can charge extra for womens bikes. Less choice / competition??

I think there is less of a difference between mens and womens bikes these days. Most mens bikes have much lower, more angled top tubes than they used to.

I dont know how tall or long you are tho Tasha

The Specialized Rockhopper Disc looks really good. Good spec, and available in a large range of sizes. £580, so just over your budget
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... gn=froogle

You might be able to flash your baby-blues at them tho, and get some money knocked off

This Commencal has a really good spec for £550. Tora, and juicy 3 etc
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/com ... e-ec017311

Specialized Hardrock Pro Disc also £550 looks nice, Dart 3 and Auriga Comp brakes.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... gn=froogle

There is also the ever popular Carrera Fury. A bit chunkier perhaps, but the spec is really good for the price. The 2008 model is on offer at Halfords at the moment. £480.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499

And the 2009 Fury is £530 at the moment
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... qs4qV4LAZv

Overall I would say that the specs on the mens bikes are much better than an equivalent womans bike.

All a moot point tho, if they don't fit you right!

**EDIT** Also, another 'mans' bike I forgot to put on the list is my bike lol. Boardman Sport, £550. Nice, light and nimble. Spec isn't too bad either.
http://www.boardmanbikes.com/mtbht/ht_sport.html

It's also worth remembering that you can change things like the stem and the saddle on a 'mans' bike to make it fit you better, and make you more comfy. If you are small tho, you may still find a 'mans' 16" frame too big.

Apologies for the edit... The peril of early morning posts... Half asleep, so forget stuff lol **EDIT**

Si

RockyHopperShow

I seem to remember Specialized downgrading last year too, in response to a mix of the higher rice of materials and the credit crunch. I suppose they are just trying to stay within certain pricebands.
As for my other half's 2010 Myka Comp we popped into Halfords on Wednesday to pick it up. Out comes a mechanic with a bronze-coloured bike with V-brakes. The salesman assured me it was the £449 model to which I said "it should be red then, and have discs....oh, and COMP on the top tube". pretty basic really, but he doesn't really know Specialized bikes (his words) so I will let him off. We await arrival of the correct bike. Just as well I went mind, as Dawn would have walked out after paying a £500 voucher for a £349 bike and a few bits and bobs.

Si78

RockyHopperShow wrote:

I seem to remember Specialized downgrading last year too, in response to a mix of the higher rice of materials and the credit crunch. I suppose they are just trying to stay within certain pricebands.
As for my other half's 2010 Myka Comp we popped into Halfords on Wednesday to pick it up. Out comes a mechanic with a bronze-coloured bike with V-brakes. The salesman assured me it was the £449 model to which I said "it should be red then, and have discs....oh, and COMP on the top tube". pretty basic really, but he doesn't really know Specialized bikes (his words) so I will let him off. We await arrival of the correct bike. Just as well I went mind, as Dawn would have walked out after paying a £500 voucher for a £349 bike and a few bits and bobs.

lol. Yes you have to be vigilant when buying from Halfords!
They do some good deals, and are quite handy to get to, and to be fair the one by me has a couple of good lads in it (and some donkeys!).
But best to get the bike set up at home, or a bike shop.
That's if Halfords give you the right bike in the first place ofcourse!

Also, another 'mans' bike for you to consider Tasha!
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-8-1-69567658/

Spec looks pretty amazing for £500! 8) If you can get to a Decathlon store, try one out for size.
Difficult to beat the spec on this for the price imho

Si

helen984

I have a men's bike and all I did was switch the saddle and trim a bit off the bottom of the seat tube, LOL! It suits me down to the ground as I'm a tall woman - 5'11"

I have to agree that spec is usually better on mens bikes - unfair but generally true.

As an aside - I can't believe Halfords had a specialized, thats not fair...our store only does appollo, raleigh, boardman, carerra and kona, I feel deprived! LOL

Si78

helen984 wrote:

I have a men's bike and all I did was switch the saddle and trim a bit off the bottom of the seat tube, LOL! It suits me down to the ground as I'm a tall woman - 5'11"

I have to agree that spec is usually better on mens bikes - unfair but generally true.

As an aside - I can't believe Halfords had a specialized, thats not fair...our store only does appollo, raleigh, boardman, carerra and kona, I feel deprived! LOL

Halfords will order nearly any bike for you helen984, but you have to pay RRP, no offer prices. And you get to experience the joys of Halfords lol :P

njames88

hey thanks guys,

I guess I just need to get to a few shops and try some bikes out... I'm about 5ft6 so not quite as tall, and I do have quite long legs compared to my body. It's just a shame there is no way of trying these bikes out on the trails before hand!

But if I can modify the men's version to improve the sizing to get a better quality then maybe that's the way forward! It's a shame they aren't of the same quality but I guess there is less demand, and therefore it costs more...

Thanks for all your help guys it's great!

Si, thanks for all the recommendations, I'll try out a few of the bikes on the list and we'll see what I end up with!

Cheers

Tasha

Mrs Toast

njames88 wrote:

hey thanks guys,

I guess I just need to get to a few shops and try some bikes out... I'm about 5ft6 so not quite as tall, and I do have quite long legs compared to my body. It's just a shame there is no way of trying these bikes out on the trails before hand!

But if I can modify the men's version to improve the sizing to get a better quality then maybe that's the way forward! It's a shame they aren't of the same quality but I guess there is less demand, and therefore it costs more...

Thanks for all your help guys it's great!

Si, thanks for all the recommendations, I'll try out a few of the bikes on the list and we'll see what I end up with!

Cheers

Tasha

Women's bikes are normally fairly similar or identical in spec to their male counterparts - the difference is that you get far more discounts on the blokes bikes. As you also get a lot more choice with bloke's bikes, the retailers and manufacturers tend to be a lot more competitive in their pricing.

With top tube sizing, some bloke's bikes are known to have 'short' cockpits (GT Avalanche, Lapierre X-Control), so even if you do have 'standard' women proportions, there will probably still be options available.

If you can find a dealer with access to a demo fleet (such as Leisure Lakes or the Specialized Concept Store), you can normally test a bike for a £50 deposit for the weekend - the deposit comes off the final price of the bike if you choose to buy it. Only problem is if you're in a 'funny' size (very short or very tall), as some manufacturers don't cater for that with their demo fleets. Trek, Specialized and Giant tend to be pretty good with their demo fleets, however.

Hamishjcb

I'm fairly new to cycling (learned from scratch over the last couple of months via a free adult training scheme run by my local Council), but ride almost every day and have been doing some modest trail riding like the Rutland Water cycle route. I now find the Raleigh bike I have learned on rather heavy, and am looking for a womens' specific design as I'm a very small build (barely 5'2" and under 8 stone, with tiny hands). I'm tempted by the Specialized Myka models, and particularly the 2009 Expert or 2010 Elite as I like the hydraulic brakes and trigger gear shifters (my bike has the unwieldly handlebar grip changers). My other half has recently bought the Specialized Hardrock Pro, which is almost identical in spec to the Myka Expert but for about £160 less!

I am puzzled by the suggestions in this Forum string that Specialized are no longer making the Myka Expert. There is a 2010 model now on sale, but unfortunately the price has gone up to £750 for what seems like no improvement in spec over the 2009 model. The 2010 Elite, though, seems to have been upgraded to virtually the 2009 Expert spec, and at a similar price at around £640, albeit the rear derailleur is SRAM rather than Shimano Deore, as is the gear shifter. But the SRAM seems to have a strong fan following, so I'm confused as to why the 2010 Elite is considered a lesser bike than the 2009 Expert?

supersonic

The Expert of 2009 does get a better fork than the 2010 Elite, and in my opinion, better drivetrain.

But not that much in it.

Uvavu

The suggestion that there was no longer a Myka Expert was based on the Specialized Concept Store "2010 Bikes" news article. They are still listing the Elite as the top model. The Specialized website still only shows the 2009 models.

Cycle Surgery also said that the Elite was the top Myka for 2010 and pulled a few strings to get hold of one early, from the very first UK shipment apparently.

So I'm very surprised (and a little annoyed) to hear that there actually is a Myka HT Expert 2010. Hardly any retailers seem to offer it (LeisureLakes, Tredz, and one or two others who may or may not actually have it in stock). If the picture is correct, then it has a completely different frame from the rest of the range, which seems odd to me. Disappointingly, it has Dart 3 fork rather than the 2009's Tora fork. Compared to the 2010 Elite you get Auriga Pro brakes and Shimano derailleur/shifters... oh, and Fast Trak LK "Control" tyres instead of the regular "Sport" version. Is that really worth the extra ton?

As for why the 2009 Expert is better than the 2010 Elite - what supersonic said... better fork, derailleur and shift levers.

Hamishjcb

Many thanks to Supersonic and to Uvavu. Very helpful explanations.

easyg

I don't think anyone else has suggested just going to your LBS Tasha and trying small, and extra small mens bikes (or a medium if these are a little small). At the end of the day its how the bike feels.

GOod entry level manufactuers in addition to those named already are Mongoose, GT and Giant.

Have some fun and keep us posted.

Foxglove

Hiya,

I just joined here but i ride a Specialized Myka FSR Expert and i love it! Its made for us girls and has not let me down on the trails yet.

Fox