Road Bike For Women

ipaul321

Anyone have an informed view on road bikes for women? Have looked at Trek, Specialized & Fuji at around £6-800. My wife has long legs & short back, does a lady frame help? Is it worth going gender specific or is it all a bit of unhelpful branding?

Thoughts valued,

Tx Paul

petemadoc

Hi Paul

I went through the same process when buying a bike for my wife a few months ago. In theory a women's frame should have a shorter top tube length for precisely the reason you mention above. You need to check the geometries as some womens bikes are different and some just have a bit of pink paint on them.

Of course the best thing to do is to go to a shop and try some out, whichever feels right will be best.

How tall is your wife? If she's short like mine 5ft 1 then things get a bit tricky.

Wirral_paul

ipaul321 wrote:

My wife has long legs

Well someone had too......

Crankbrother

I havevfound (via my gf) that the shorter you are the less a womens specific bike becomes ... Anything smaller than a 52cm and it's just changes to saddles, stems and bars that seem to differ ... Beyond that, the diff in top tube, is the key (as mentioned) ...

My opinion would be is that mens bike could be fitted to racing but not leisure rides ... In general, not person specific ...

sassse

As a women, who is only 5ft 4, I have personally not bought a women's specific bike.

All my bikes are men's/unisex bikes. But the most important thing, is the fit and suitability for purpose. So it is probably worth using a good bike shop the size your wife and then pick from the options which fit her best. In the end it comes down what she likes and also is comfortable on

My new road bike is a Wilier, xs frame, and it's sizin s perfect for me. I bought it over the specialised ruby, which is ago en specific bike on the basis of it looks and fit.

dizzyblonde82

When looking for my first road bike I ended up buying a Specialized Dolce 2012, I am 5ft 6 but have sorter legs/longer body.

I tried lots of bikes but with the women's specific bike and sloping top tube I was able to go one size bigger which gave me the correct reach, I bought a size 51 cm frame.

othello

My wife tried a few womens specific frames but found them too short on the top tube. She has ended up with a Men's Spesh Allez and loves it.

You've got to try a bike out and see