Any womaen out there ride mens bikes ?

natnat

Hi all,

I am about to buy a new bike and I usually go for mens bikes as I prefere the look.
It's the same this time I am looking at the Specialized hardrock sport disc in white.
The mens looks so much better than the womans,
I was just wondering if thre is any good reason why a woman shouldn't get a mens bike.

Are there any women out there that prefere the mens bikes like me ?

Cheers Nat

Anonymous

Women tend to have shorter bodies, and longer legs, in terms of ratio, than men.
So, a Female specific frame will tend to have a shorter top tube, without necessarilly having a shorter seat tube.

Plenty of women ride "men's" mountain bikes though, as on the whole, they're fairly compact machines anyway. But some women do prefer the specific geometry of a women's specific design.

It's also worth noting, that generally, an MTB designed for women will also have the spring rates altered on the shock and fork, as they tend to way a lot less than caveman-esque male MTBers.

.blitz

I think women-specific MTBs are pure hype. Sure men and women are different but not all blokes are the same and not all women are the same.

mrs.blitz has a 17.5" Gary Fisher Hookooekoo. She's 5'9" and doesn't comform to the manufacturer's short-torso/long legs stereotype. The women's bikes she tried all had ludicrously short top tubes and in some cases her knees were almost touching the handlebars, even though the standover and seat tube length were fine.

A women's specific bike could be right for you but really, you have to try the bikes for size and go with what feels right.

Anonymous

As Blitz says, some women actually fit better, and prefer men's geometry mountain bike, but at least it's nice that the option is there for them.
It's never a bad thing to see more women get involved in the sport.

.blitz

yeehaamcgee wrote:

...but at least it's nice that the option is there for them.

Agreed - it was just unfortunate that the sales people swept mrs.blitz away to look at the pink-and-white bikes while I was left talking to myself over by the bloke's bikes

Anonymous

Sounds like they're after your missus!

supersonic

The saddle, narrower grips, lighter springs can save expense after, but on the whole I agree: mens bikes vary so much in geo they often overlap WSD anyway. Test is best.

.blitz

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Sounds like they're after your missus!

They were after her money :twisted:

Porgy

My wife always rides men's bikes. The LBS could not persuade her otherwise.

lexiekay

Both my bikes are mens - lapierre spicy and an on-one inbred.
My previous two bikes (trek fuel and specialized rockhopper) were also mens bikes. And I've never had a problem with them. I did try a Trek womens bike but my knees hit the handlebars...

Magic_Dragon

I am new on here, but just wanted to let you know that I looked at that bike at the weekend. I didnt like the 15" ladies bike at all and I felt really squashed - I am only 5ft 3"! The 13" mens version was comfertable for me and I think the 15" would have been OK if I was maily using it on bridleways ect.

I have now ordered a mens Commencal Combi Disk in XS. Thier frames are quite copact and the top bar slopes down too.

So I have found that you just need to try them out and go for what feels right you. Plus there is alot more choice (and variation in price!) with the mens models

nonnac85

I have the spesh hardrock sport disc. Didnt even know that womens bikes existed when i bought my bike but have no probs with reach, standover height with the blokes version.

Mrs Toast

I'm 5ft 2 and ride a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Elite. The only thing I've changed on it is the saddle. The only slight issue is that I would have liked a little more standover.

I had a women's specific bike before, and demoed loooooads of WS models - most felt far too short in the top tube for me.

Thewaylander

Other thing to note is all the bikes mentioned are air, not spring so spring weights is an absolute none issue. try the ride and see which fits is the sum total of all the advice

.blitz

The HKEK has coil sprung Recon 335s. Winding off the preload and rebound keeps them nice and compliant without compromising the rest of the travel too much.

http://fisherbikes.com/bike/model/hoo-koo-e-koo

jimih73

All my bikes have been mens my current beasties are a small Giant xtc carbon and a small Yeti 575.
Tried out a few WS bikes before buying the Yeti but found i couldn't find a comfortable/confident riding position. I very much support the idea of trying as many bikes as possible and don't let the guys in the shop bully you into a women specific if it's not comfortable!

Plus not every woman wants pink!!!

Mrs Toast

How small is the small Yeti? I pondered demoing one, but the Yeti chaps said that small would be too big for me, and I'd have to go for the extra small - but they didn't have one in their demo fleet.

miss notax

I ride a mens small-framed superlight and it suits me brilliantly. I would have considered a women specific bike but this one felt 'right'.

And to be honest the amount of pink flowers etc on ladies bikes has always bothered me... Why do designers always think we want this? I don't drive a pink flowery car or go to work looking like barbie so why on earth would I want a bike that :roll:

jimih73

Mrs Toast

i'm 5'6" with weirdly long legs! and the small is just right for me, have you spoken to evolution imports who import (strange that) the Yeti, they may have an xs, the only thing being they're based in south london.

here here miss notax!!! :roll:

supersonic

Given the above, you would think more men should be riding womens bikes...

jimih73

well sonic if that is a trend you wish to start i'll support you! I can see you on the GTw Avalanche 3.0

supersonic

Probably make a nice little jump bike!

need some pink flowers on it though ;-)

.blitz

miss notax wrote:

And to be honest the amount of pink flowers etc on ladies bikes has always bothered me... Why do designers always think we want this? I don't drive a pink flowery car or go to work looking like barbie so why on earth would I want a bike that

The lady who lives a few doors away from me has a new-style black VW Beetle that is covered in an assortment of pink and yellow flower decals.

There's a black Clio in the neighbourhood that has pink Playboy rabbits on it.

And one of the parents at school has a red Ka with ladybird decals on it.

I'm saying nothing =]

dizzydane

I buy mens bikes too!

And boys, I've spotted a few men racing PINK bikes recently...

supersonic

One of my mates has a lurid pink bike. He looks a bit, erm, happy.

Ditch Witch

nonnac85 wrote:

I have the spesh hardrock sport disc. Didnt even know that womens bikes existed when i bought my bike but have no probs with reach, standover height with the blokes version.

Same here. I DID know that women's bikes existed though, but due to long body and short legs, they don't fit me

I fear I shall never have a pink bike, so I just blink my grey one with pink bits

miss notax

.blitz wrote:

miss notax wrote:

And to be honest the amount of pink flowers etc on ladies bikes has always bothered me... Why do designers always think we want this? I don't drive a pink flowery car or go to work looking like barbie so why on earth would I want a bike that

The lady who lives a few doors away from me has a new-style black VW Beetle that is covered in an assortment of pink and yellow flower decals.

There's a black Clio in the neighbourhood that has pink Playboy rabbits on it.

And one of the parents at school has a red Ka with ladybird decals on it.

I'm saying nothing =]

I'm not sure the world is ready for a pink flowery Lotus Elise though

Ditch Witch

Even I wouldn't go that far :shock:

AMcD

I love the girly paintwork on bikes even though I don't consider myself particularly girly - rarely bother with makeup, jewellery or the like. And I don't own a matching set of girly lingerie either . But I like a cute bike . My first choice if looking for a new bike would be the paintwork :oops: - although two of my bikes are second hand so didn't have much choice. Personally I wouldn't go for pink but bronze, cream or a mint or dark green, perhaps fading to a lighter shade, with a few swirls or even a flower would be perfect :roll: . I liked the recent Specialised Dolce road bike in the champagne colour.............

As for difference I've had both a 15in men's and 15 in ladies MTB frame and haven't found any difference but I have changed my handlebars, grips and brakes to fit the smaller (shorter) hands.

Ditch Witch

Yep, I like girly paintwork too, despite being a 6ft tattooed tomboy

AMcD

I'm a 5ft 3in non-tattooed tomboy then! Have even just had my hair cut into a boyish crop so I can spend more time riding in the morning and less time blow drying my hair . My mum will be upset when she sees me next..........