bike shops only for women

polny-duszek

Do You feel like women are a litte forgotten in the bicycling world?

Do You have trouble finding shoes, saddles, have to wait for your stuff to be imported, or maybye something else?

Would You see welcome a shop specialized in womans specific equipment?

Feel free to write Your opinion here or email me at akagnieszkakostka@gmail.com

Thanks!

Lizzie77

Not sure if an actual shop is needed but definately more variety is needed. Also make the ladies things to the same spec as the mans. All too often there is x amount of mens gear then one choice for a lady, which is all to often a much lesser spec!

suzyb

AND MAKE BIGGER SIZES

(needed shouted)

Usually_Lurking

A shop specialising in womens kit would have to sell its stuff at ridiculous prices to actually make money what with there being fewer female mtb-ers... so much that it wouldn't be worth shopping there. The womens-only online retailers suffer from this, I don't buy from them unless they are having a massive sale.

It is a pain in the arse to have to wait on things being delivered, but I think to get more quality womens kit (and more reasonably priced, and in the right sizes!) we need more women riding to make it worth it to manufacturers. Until then I will make do with the mens shorts that make my arse look huge (which it is, but that is beside the point) and my assorted bits of non-cycle specific 'outdoor clothing'.

mobilekat

I think rather than 'female only shops' we need the big names to be aware that most girls who cycle are not size 8, and dont want to always wear pink....

I often find nice shaped kit, in foul colours, so make do with less ideal fitting kit in a colour that doesnt make me retch!

But also 'bigger girls' cycle too, why can kit allow for you to be over 5ft 6 tall (or short and not wanting to wear kids stuff!), and make kit up to size 24 or bigger, as if you are comfortable, you will cycle and then shrink down to smaller sizes!

(Rant over, wanders off again!)

supersonic

I went to a trail centre a couple of weeks ago and I think I saw one woman rider compared to dozens of men.

Mrs Toast

Where I normally ride I'd say it's 20% - 40% women riders, so the market's there, but I just don't think a physical shop catering just to women would be financially viable. I know a lot of female bikers, but only a few that actually like to ride women specific bikes.

It'd be nice if existing shops carried a bigger range of women's stuff - I tend to buy most of my stuff online as there's more choice and it's cheaper. It kind of sucks as it means I don't support local bike shops as often as big online retailers, but if they don't stock what I need then that's their choice.

foxc_uk

I agree with everyone here, a physical shop wouldn't work. I have 3 - 4 LBS's and they all have a range of female specific stuff. However I never buy anything because I can get it cheaper on the net, and they just don't carry the sizes/colours/not enough MTB stuff.
One in particular, that is a really great shop for men's gear (esp mtb/dh), has one little corner for ladies which seems to be aimed at more of the roady type. And it's all in a size 10 - 12. I'm 5'11" and built like a normal person, I know I'm never ever going to get back into a 12 unless I suddenly get very ill and drop 2 stone.

sparrowlegs78

I've no chance of fitting most of ladies kit, I'm 6ft 2" and size 16/18 and 13 and a half stone !
I end up buying large mens clothes ...thing is I'm partial to a bit of pink on my kit too, or I just look like I'm in drag!
Caz xx

miss notax

I think they need to accept that stocking the 'middle-ground' sizes is going to wind up a large propertion of ladies at either end of the spectrum! I am 5ft 4 and a size 8 and lots of ladies 'small' stuff swamps me - I look like a kid wearing dress-up :?

Which is why we all buy it on-line really isn't it!

suzyb

sparrowlegs78 wrote:

I've no chance of fitting most of ladies kit, I'm 6ft 2" and size 16/18 and 13 and a half stone !
I end up buying large mens clothes ...thing is I'm partial to a bit of pink on my kit too, or I just look like I'm in drag!
Caz xx

Neither have I. I'm 5ft and size 18/20 and almost 13 stone.

But really it makes sense for manufacturers to make clothes for "larger" sizes as there is a good chance those larger sizes will buy more clothes when they shrink down a bit. (I'm assuming weight loss is an actual thing and not a fairytale :evil: )

kathg

I actually spoke to the guys at the lbs about this and asked if they would consider stocking, say, Loeka clothes. They said its just not worth their while to stock a nice assortment of ladies stuff as there's too few customers and all they do is come in, try it on (when they tried stocking some slighty different Sombrio stuff) go 'ooh that's nice' then buy it online cheaper!! So, as far as I can see its catch 22! Equally, they said that all people want anyhow is plain, black baggies n tops - How boring! I do actually like abit of colour (not pink though or anything with flowers on) :?
As for sizes.. they are well strange I reckon.. I'm 5ft 4 and a bog standard size 14 and seem to have to buy XL womens stuff... talk about ego shattering!! They must be designed with very lean and fit road rider girls in mind or maybe I'm just a lardy bugger of course! :oops:

suzyb

I am a lardy bugger and can barely find clothes to fit me. Except Altura Kinetic Waterproof that is. Not only could I get one to fit it wasn't even the biggest size. Those jackets are made seriously big.

PamPen25

kathg wrote:

I do actually like abit of colour (not pink though or anything with flowers on) :?
As for sizes.. they are well strange I reckon..... talk about ego shattering!! They must be designed with very lean and fit road rider girls in mind

I hear you on this one.

I'm a size 10 to 12 and find myself having to buy size large. I just wish they stop making them in flowery colours :?
You don't see guys stuff with transformers on them :evil:

Thewaylander

so the answer is pursuade all you girl mates to start riding too, that way you will develop femal buying power in the MTB industry.

Cos sadly at the moment your all minority consumers, I see maybe 5% women riders on the trail and most of them when i speak to them only ride with there partner once a week and do nothing on ther own.

real mtbing ladies are a rarity so you have no buying power or profit potential. to help this as said above you need to get more ladies actually doing the sport.

Jene

PamPen25 wrote:

kathg wrote:

I do actually like abit of colour (not pink though or anything with flowers on) :?
As for sizes.. they are well strange I reckon..... talk about ego shattering!! They must be designed with very lean and fit road rider girls in mind

I hear you on this one.

I'm a size 10 to 12 and find myself having to buy size large. I just wish they stop making them in flowery colours :?
You don't see guys stuff with transformers on them :evil:

+1 for this as well... i'm a happy size 8 in topshop/ river island but wear a medium in Dakine stuff... you'd need to be tiny to wear the small (without it being restrictive).. and colours drive me mad - i fall off alot so tend to go through kit quite quickly and need to re-buy every season - this year it all seems to be Purple (loeka/dakine) so I end up a bit monochrome as I hate riding in black.

there's also that vile pale green endura stuff that's out this year

I think a womens only bike shop is a little far fetched but do agree that shops need to stock more kit - I ride in north wales so i'm a bit more spoilt for choice but find my LBS are so helpful with regards to kit and bikes that i'm happy spending 10% more on kit for the excellent service rather than going online.

I was up at Llandegla for the night ride last night and saw only 1 other girl.. which was way less than I expected given the completely full carpark.

miss notax

Thewaylander wrote:

to help this as said above you need to get more ladies actually doing the sport.

Yep indeedy, i'll drink to that

Thewaylander

From when i met you Miss Notax you'd drink to anything you could get an excuse for >;op (joking )

miss notax