The difference between boys and girls...

fanny

Bikes, that is.

The frame on my bike has developed a crack, and i am waiting on news about a replacement. In the meantime I have been out riding on my girlfriend's bike. Her bike is a women's specific Marin Bear Trail, and apart from the narrow handle bars and the soft suspension, it handles quite well, though I have been riding it quite gently.

The question is, how hard can I ride it?

I only ride a hard tail bike on mainly XC trails, anyway, but I do like to push it in regards to speed, and jumping over small obstacles. However, she is nine stone, and I am fourteen-and-a-half stone. Is the 'women-specific' description of the frame purely about the geometry of the frame; angles and tube length, or is there less material used, and the frame is weaker?

Any advice would be most welcome!

Tom Barton

Generally speaking - the ladies are lighter than us fellars in terms of weight to mass (i.e. take two similar sized/fitness level people - male and female and with exceptions granted, typically the male will have denser bones and higher muscle to fat percentage).

On 'modern' female specific mountain bikes (not those silly things you find in catalogues with the top tube pretty much right next to the bottom tube) the frme shape is very similar to the standard male ones meaning the same strength - I however don't know if they use thinner walled tubes - I imagine they don't to save further redesign issues (i.e. cost). Obviously they tend to be smaller and have altered geometries to suit women who typically have shorter arms to torso length etc etc. Everyone is different and often you find some women who prefer a mens bike of suitable size. So I guess the frame should be perfectly strong within the realms of what its intended for terrain wise. But what I'm guessing you will find is that the componants will be specced out to make the bike as light as possible at the cost of strength as the typically lighter ladies will not stress these componants as much as a big heavy bloke.


Or something like that - you get the gist I hope...

SPIRO

The materials used in the frame will be the same so therefore as strong, but obviously the frame is lighter as a result of being smaller. I doubt the frame would be weaker just because its designed for a women - big girls ride bikes hard too!.

2 Issues as i see it:

1. The geometry will be different to account for female proportions - not a problem, will just feel funny to ride if your alot bigger than its designed for.

2. The components will be lighter/less robust to account for female proportions - potentially big problem if you start chucking it around like your own bike.

Certainly if i were to take my wife's bike out, i would be happy the frame would take my weight (16 stone) but would'nt have massive faith in some of the components attached to it. I'd restrain myself to XC and light trail/technical stuff if i were you.

fanny

Okay, thanks. As long as i'm not about to crush the frame, i'll be fine!

dave_hill

Ride it till you break it...!!

MountainPete

I know that the female version of the Santa Cruz Superlight (the Juliana) is EXACTLY the same as the Superlight. It is just available in smaller sizes.

MacAndCheese

Tom Barton wrote:

(not those silly things you find in catalogues with the top tube pretty much right next to the bottom tube)

I never understood that, surely it's men who who would suffer more if you sliped of the saddle and cracked your knackers on the top tube?

Thewaylander

MacAndCheese wrote:

Tom Barton wrote:

(not those silly things you find in catalogues with the top tube pretty much right next to the bottom tube)

I never understood that, surely it's men who who would suffer more if you sliped of the saddle and cracked your knackers on the top tube?

So they can wear there long summer dresses mate...

lugsey2k5

the frames are the same apart from geomotry
but SPIRO you say the frames are the same strenght so big women can ride hard to but then you say the components are lighter and less robust to account for female proportions. how does that work? shimano making womens xt cranks?

MacAndCheese

Thewaylander wrote:

MacAndCheese wrote:

Tom Barton wrote:

(not those silly things you find in catalogues with the top tube pretty much right next to the bottom tube)

I never understood that, surely it's men who who would suffer more if you sliped of the saddle and cracked your knackers on the top tube?

So they can wear there long summer dresses mate...

Thinking about it, that's rather obvious :oops: i'll get my coat...

bomberesque

ride it till you break it then return it to her, chucking it disparagingly on the floor with a disgusted "that bike was made for girls"

cue no more sex. ever

really, should be no problem. afaik no "lady's" bikes are made lighter in the frame (strength wise) than their "made for blokes" counterparts, dropped top-tube versions excluded (of course)

miss notax

MountainPete wrote:

I know that the female version of the Santa Cruz Superlight (the Juliana) is EXACTLY the same as the Superlight. It is just available in smaller sizes.

That makes sense. I ride a small framed superlight and it fits me perfectly

Beware of ladies bikes though boys.... My OH had been messing around doing wheelies on mine at home as it's small for him (so easy to wheelie). He then went off on his bike, wheelied in front of all his mates and ended up on his bum with a massive bruise on his @rse :shock:

Let that be a lesson - don't bugger about on your wives / girlfriends bikes

supersonic

Ha, I did exactly the same on my ex's bike! To me was just like a trials bike, and upon been asked how do you get the front end up (the bike...) I was straight off the back and winded myself!

miss notax

supersonic wrote:

Ha, I did exactly the same on my ex's bike! To me was just like a trials bike, and upon been asked how do you get the front end up (the bike...) I was straight off the back and winded myself!

I'm sure there's a moral there somewhere!!

Northwind

When I did my Zesty test ride, they'd double booked me so I got the L (ladies) model. I asked "what's the difference" and the answer was "The saddle and the colour"

SPIRO

lugsey2k5 wrote:

the frames are the same apart from geomotry
but SPIRO you say the frames are the same strenght so big women can ride hard to but then you say the components are lighter and less robust to account for female proportions. how does that work? shimano making womens xt cranks?

In my post i was'nt specific about whats lighter/less robust - it was a generalisation :roll:

Cranks, mechs will be largely similar, but things like forks etc will be lighter spec versions as even a big girl is likely to be lighter than an average sized bloke.

example - wifes bike has a womens specific rockshox fork which is 100mm travel and is far lighter in build and bulk. My fork is a monstrous thing that could support a small building! Both bikes go down the same trails, if i were to ride her's i am sure the frame/crank etc would be ok but the fork would snap like a twig.

Hope this answers your point - if it does'nt have a read of guides in the back of what mountain bike magazine as it talks about it there.

supersonic

Usually the forks just have a lighter spring.

Hunders

The difference between boys and girls?

The OP's username, that's what!

lugsey2k5

ah i see were your coming from now.
i just assumed fork springs would be lighter. never seen any markings on forks to signify there built for women

supersonic

There are no womens specific forks on the market apart from rare OE offerings and some by Spinner. Most are just forks with lighter springs.

zero303

I think the Spesh women's bikes have extra butting going on in the tubes...

But I'd suspect that with the frame being more compact, it ends up being just as strong.